What Type of Therapy is Right for You? A Guide to Popular Approaches & Finding the Right Therapist for You

Interested in starting therapy but unsure about how to find the right therapist or which type of therapy is right for you?

With so many different therapeutic approaches available, it can feel overwhelming to know where to begin. The good news is that there’s no one-size-fits-all—different modalities work better for different people, concerns, and goals. Below is a breakdown of several common types of therapy, what they focus on, their pros and cons, and who they may be best suited for.

Before You Get Started...

Before getting started, it’s important to consider what your goals are and what you’re hoping to get out of therapy. Are you looking for symptom relief? Greater self-awareness? Trauma healing? Once you’re clear on your goals, think about how you tend to function as an individual. Do you find it easier to work with your thoughts, your emotions, or something tactile like movement or art?

If you're not sure, that’s okay! It may take some experimentation with different types of therapy—or different therapists—to figure out what approach works best for you.

Common Types of Therapy:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT focuses on identifying and changing unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors. It’s goal-oriented and often used short-term.

• Pros: Well-researched and structured; effective for anxiety, depression, and many other mental health concerns.

• Cons: Can feel surface-level for those wanting to explore deeper emotional or relational patterns, often leads to people feeling stuck in their head or fighting their thoughts

• Best For: People seeking practical tools and symptom relief, especially for anxiety, depression, OCD, and phobias.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

A specialized form of CBT, DBT incorporates mindfulness and emotional regulation. Originally developed for borderline personality disorder, it’s now used more widely.

• Pros: Strong skill-building focus; helpful for emotion dysregulation and relationship challenges, lots of tangible action steps involved

• Cons: Often delivered in group settings with homework; can be rigid for some.

• Best For: Individuals struggling with intense emotions, self-harm, suicidality, self-sabotage, relationship instability, or who are looking to reach particular goals

Somatic Therapy

This body-based therapy focuses on the connection between mind and body, using movement, breath, and awareness to process trauma and emotion.

• Pros: Helpful for trauma, chronic stress, and those who “feel things in their body.” Can bypass overthinking.

• Cons: Less structured; may be unfamiliar or uncomfortable for those new to body awareness.

• Best For: People experiencing trauma, chronic pain, chronic illnesses, body image struggles, eating disorders, or anxiety who want to work with sensations and body cues.

NARM (NeuroAffective Relational Model)

NARM is a trauma-informed therapy that addresses early relational and developmental trauma through both cognitive and somatic awareness.

• Pros: Deeply integrative; focuses on identity, self-worth, and connection. Non-pathologizing. Blends a mind and body approach, covering all bases.

• Cons: Less widely available (requires specialized training).

• Best For: Those with complex trauma, developmental trauma, or chronic shame/self-worth issues. Also great for those who struggle with self sabotage or who want to better understand their behaviors and patterns.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

EMDR uses bilateral stimulation (like eye movements or tapping) to help the brain reprocess traumatic memories.

• Pros: Evidence-based for PTSD and trauma; doesn’t require detailed re-telling of traumatic events.

• Cons: May be intense; effectiveness can vary by practitioner skill.

• Best For: Individuals with PTSD, trauma, or distressing memories that feel “stuck.” 

Narrative Therapy

This approach sees people as separate from their problems and helps them re-author the stories they tell about themselves.

• Pros: Empowering, creative, and non-pathologizing. Encourages self-agency.

• Cons: Less structured; may not address symptoms as directly.

• Best For: Those feeling stuck in negative self-beliefs or identity struggles; people drawn to storytelling or writing. 

Play Therapy / Art Therapy

These expressive therapies use creativity and play to help process emotions—especially useful with children, but also beneficial for adults.

• Pros: Accessible for non-verbal expression; fosters safety and imagination.

• Cons: Requires a therapist trained in expressive modalities; some may feel self-conscious.

• Best For: Children, or adults open to creative and non-linear healing methods. Also, a good fit for those with Autism Spectrum Disorder or who are easily overwhelmed by emotions or processing feelings.

Substance Use Therapy

This can include harm reduction, 12-step facilitation, or integrated mental health treatment to address substance use.

• Pros: Can be life-saving; often includes community support and relapse prevention.

• Cons: Some models (like 12-step) may feel rigid and are often run by members not a professional.  Some of these models also require spiritual beliefs that may not be applicable to everyone. However, there are many different models and approaches, recovering from substance use can be life changing so do not give up if one model or approach is not the right fit for you. Click here for resources and information.

• Best For: Individuals struggling with alcohol, drug use, or behavioral addictions who want support in understanding and changing their relationship to substances. 

Couples Counseling

Also known as couples therapy or relationship counseling, this approach helps partners improve communication, resolve conflicts, and strengthen their emotional connection. It can draw from a variety of modalities, such as Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), the Gottman Method, or Imago Relationship Therapy.

• Pros: Provides a structured space to address conflict and repair patterns; can improve intimacy, trust, and communication.

• Cons: Both partners need to be willing to participate; may bring up difficult emotions or realizations.

• Best For: Couples experiencing communication challenges, conflict, disconnection, or navigating transitions like parenting, infidelity recovery, or separation.

Sex Therapy

Sex therapy helps individuals or couples address concerns related to sexuality, intimacy, desire, arousal, and sexual function. It may involve education, communication tools, and psychological exploration around beliefs, trauma, or relational dynamics impacting sexual wellbeing.

• Pros: Can reduce shame, improve sexual satisfaction, and foster open communication; often addresses both emotional and physical aspects of sexuality.

• Cons: Some may feel vulnerable or uncomfortable discussing intimate topics; not all therapists are trained in this specialty.

• Best For: Individuals or couples struggling with desire differences, sexual dysfunction, sexual identity distress, body image, performance anxiety, or healing from sexual trauma.

Psychodynamic Therapy

Explores unconscious patterns and early life experiences to foster insight and long-term growth.

• Pros: Deep, long-term healing; great for relational issues and self-understanding.

• Cons: Slower-paced; less structured. Some people feel stuck in the past.

• Best For: People wanting to understand themselves on a deeper level.

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

A parts-based model that helps people understand and integrate different inner “parts” of themselves (like inner critic, protector, etc.). This model helps people to understand and give compassion to their different parts, leading to decreased self-sabotage and a better relationship with oneself. 

• Pros: Compassionate, non-pathologizing; great for trauma and self-worth work.

• Cons: May feel abstract or unfamiliar to some.

• Best For: Those looking for an empowering way to work with internal conflict, struggling with self-sabotage, or who want to have a healthier relationship with themself.

How to Choose the Right Therapy for You

Once you identify the type—or types—of therapy that feel like a good fit, you can narrow your search even further by looking for therapists who specialize in both that approach and your specific area of concern. This might include issues like eating disorders, chronic illness, neurodivergence, LGBTQ+ identity, Autism, trauma, or relationship challenges.

Many people find that they benefit most from working with a therapist who blends multiple therapeutic modalities. For example, I am a NARM, DBT, and trauma-informed therapist with specialized experience in working with eating disorders, chronic illness, trauma, and couples. This integrative style allows us to tailor the work to you—rather than expecting you to fit into a single model. 

Tips for Choosing a Therapist

• Ask questions: It’s okay to ask potential therapists how they work, what modalities they use, and whether they’ve worked with your concerns before.

• Trust the vibe: Research shows the therapeutic relationship is one of the biggest predictors of success. You should feel respected, safe, and heard. 

• Give it time: Sometimes it takes a few sessions—or a few tries—to find the right fit. That’s normal.

Resources for Finding the Right Therapist

Looking for a therapist who aligns with your needs and goals? These directories and tools can help you search by specialty, therapy type, insurance, and more:

• Psychology Today – Search by zip code, specialty, therapy approach, and insurance.

• GoodTherapy – Focuses on ethical, client-centered care.

• TherapyDen – Inclusive directory with filters for therapist identity and specialization.

• Inclusive Therapists – Culturally responsive care centering marginalized communities.

• Sexual Health Alliance – Directory for certified sex therapists.

• The Gottman Institute Directory – Couples therapists trained in the Gottman Method.

• EMDRIA Directory – For certified EMDR therapists.

• Open Path Collective  - A nonprofit that allows therapists to provide affordable, in-office, and online psychotherapy sessions between $40 and $70 ($30 for student intern sessions)

Find additional + the most up-to-date resources here.

Work With Me

I integrate a variety of evidence-based approaches, including DBT, NARM, somatic therapy, parts work, psychoeducation, and nervous system regulation, always guided by your needs and goals. Whether you’re interested in individual therapy or joining a supportive group, I offer many different ways to work together.

👉 Learn more or get in touch here. 
Located in Pittsburgh, PA – offering in-person and virtual therapy for Pennsylvania residents.