Because each individual is different, everyone requires unique and adjusted treatments.

Therefore, finding the best treatment for your needs may require some investigation because there are many different kinds of therapy for mental health difficulties. To that end, in the list below we present some of the most well-known mental health treatments and tips on how to choose the right one!

Different treatments

For instance, we may name more than 150 distinct psychotherapeutic modalities when we discuss those that are well-known to us or those that are not yet included in the psychotherapy category but share the same objective, i.e., enhancing a person’s mental health.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy

Within cognitive and behavioral psychotherapy, there are many different techniques. The most well-known combinations of these approaches include cognitive behavioral treatment and rational-emotive therapy. In addition to working with individuals, this treatment is also used with couples and groups.

In contrast to behavioral treatment, where the emphasis is on the cessation of symptoms and specific behaviors, cognitive therapy aims to alter the way patients perceive, assess, and comprehend phenomena and events that have an impact on themselves, other people, and the outside world. Because it is considered that incorrect interpretation, appraisal, and comprehension contribute to the formation and/or persistence of the client’s difficulties, this aim is specifically phrased in this manner.

The combination of these methods and therapies highlights how our thoughts affect how we feel and act. So, the objective is to look for ideas that would replace our current style of thinking (unconstructive beliefs) and our dysfunctional emotions and behaviors.

In addition to treating eating disorders, impulse control disorders, some sexual dysfunction, alcoholism, and other addictions, cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy has demonstrated particular effectiveness in the treatment of states of fear, most notably panic disorder, followed by generalized states of fear and social phobia, depression, hypochondria, post-traumatic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. As the folks at SoCal Mental Health explain, CBT helps a person identify and alter negative thought patterns or behaviors so they may feel better about themselves. If you have some of these problems, you may opt for this kind of therapy.

Systemic family therapy

The goal of systemic family psychotherapy is to treat the whole family as well as the individual. Each situation’s job distribution is carefully planned, tailored to each family uniquely, and carried out with the family’s consent. A change in the way a family functions is the aim of family therapy.

First and second-order changes are referred to as levels of change. First-order change is the diminution and removal of the client’s symptoms, with the potential emergence of those same symptoms in another family member; e.g., one family member who is an alcoholic stops drinking, while another becomes depressed. A second-order change occurs when a client’s symptoms go away while there are still symptoms present in the system. Then, something changed.

Therefore, the family grows receptive to potential future adjustments once the structure undergoes a transformation.

The use of systemic family therapy has been demonstrated to be highly successful in treating issues including child abuse and neglect, behavioral problems, emotional issues, and psychosomatic disorders in children. When family therapy was used, children’s emotional issues, particularly anxiety, despair, and grief after losing a close family member, greatly improved. Additionally, it has been demonstrated to be successful in treating alcoholism, psychosexual issues, anxiety-related states, mood disorders, and psychotic illnesses.

Choose the right psychotherapist

The right therapist must be chosen in order for the entire process to be effective and for the desired change to occur, since the quality of the connection with the therapist is the most crucial aspect of therapeutic transformation. 

Asking others who are close to you who have had psychotherapy whether they have any recommendations for therapists is one approach to finding one when you determine that you need it.

Internet searches are another option. Numerous psychiatric facilities, private clinics, and psychological counseling offices provide psychotherapy, and they all have websites with basic information.

Getting in touch with one of the organizations that promote psychotherapy is another option for locating a therapist. Another option is to get in touch with a psychotherapy association, which may suggest the ideal therapist for your issue, in a suitable setting, and with the necessary credentials.

It should be emphasized, however, that the best therapist for one individual could not be the best therapist for another. We may favor various working, communicating, and teamwork relationships with the therapist. Others will feel more at ease with a confrontational approach, while some people will appreciate the therapist’s kind and supportive connection. This somewhat depends on the method you select, but more importantly, it depends on the unique personal style that each therapist develops through time. 

Another thing to bear in mind is that a competent therapist is not defined by credentials like published works, professional positions, or titles; rather, his/her skill in building strong client relationships and the caliber of the supervision s/he received define him/her as a good therapist.

Mental health treatment is a big step towards a new page in life, so make sure you go for it!