Understanding Mental Health

CBT

Title:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

 

Key Features:

• Thought Restructuring
• Behavioral Activation

 

Best For:

Anxiety, Depression

 

Duration:

12-20 sessions

DBT

Title:
Dialectical Behavior Therapy

 

Key Features:

• Mindfulness
• Emotion Regulation

 

Best For:

BPD, Suicidality

 

Duration:

6+ months

ACT

Title:
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy

 

Key Features:

• Values-Based Living
• Psychological Flexibility

 

Best For:

Chronic Pain, Avoidance

 

Duration:

10-15 sessions

EMDR

Title:
Eye Movement Desensitization

 

Key Features:

• Trauma Processing
• Bilateral Stimulation

 

Best For:

PTSD, Trauma

 

Duration:

3-12 sessions

PDT

Title:

Psychodynamic Therapy

 

Key Features:

• Unconscious Processes
• Transference Analysis
• Defense Mechanisms

 

Best For:

Personality Disorders, Chronic Depression

 

Duration:

1+ year

ST

Title:
Schema Therapy

 

Key Features:

• Early Maladaptive Schemas
• Limited Reparenting
• Mode Work

 

Best For:

BPD, NPD, Chronic Relational Issues

 

Duration:

1-3 years

IPT

Title:

Interpersonal Therapy

 

Key Features:

• Interpersonal Problem Areas
• Role Transition Focus
• Communication Analysis

 

Best For:

Depression, Grief, Relational Stress

 

Duration:

12-16 sessions

MBSR

Title:

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

 

Key Features:

• Mindfulness Practices
• Body Scan Meditation
• Non-Judgmental Awareness

 

Best For:

Chronic Pain, Stress, Anxiety

 

Duration:

 

8 weeks (weekly sessions + retreat)

SFBT

Title:

Solution Focused Brief Therapy

 

Key Features:

• Future Focused Interventions

• Building Solutions from Strengths
• Goal Orientation

 

Best For:

Rapid Goal Setting, Short-term Problem Resolotion, Situations needing Brief Interventions

 

Duration:

3-8 sessions

CFT

Title:
Compassion Focused Therapy

 

Key Features:

• Cultivating Self Compassion
• Balancing Emotional Regulation
• Addressing Self Criticism and Shame

 

Best For:

Self criticism, Shame and Depression Issues

 

Duration:

12-20 sessions

EFT

Title:

Emotionally Focused Therapy

 

Key Features:

• Deep Emotional Processing
• Rebuilding Secure Attachment Bonds
• Facilitating Constructive Emotional Expressions 

 

Best For:

Relational Stress, Emotional Dysregulation

 

Duration:

8-20 sessions

CEF

Title:

Core Emotion Framework

 

Key Features:

• Identify Emotional Map
• Optimize Emotional Powers
• Remove Emotional Entanglement

 

Best For:

Emotional Intelligence, Inner Growth, Connection, Meaning, Resolve Chronic Impulsion

 

Duration:

Costomizable, Self Choice

NT

Title:

Narrative Therapy

 

Key Features:

• Externalizing Problems

• Re-authoring Personal Narratives 
• Deconstructing Dominant Life Stories

 

Best For:

Identity exploration, reframing disruptive personal narratives, trauma recovery, and client empowerment

 

Duration:

8-10 sessions

ET

Title:
Existential Therapy

 

Key Features:

• Exploration of Life’s Meaning
• Emphasis on Authenticity
• Addressing themes of freedom, isolation, death

 

Best For:

Promoting personal responsibility | Deep existential concerns, midlife crises, a search for meaning, and navigating life transitions

 

Duration:

Typically long-term, Open ended

IT

Title:

Intergrative Therapy

 

Key Features:

• Combining Elements from Multiple Modalities
• Holistic, tailored approach
• Flexibly addresses complex and co-occurring issues

 

Best For:

Complex cases, co-morbid conditions, and clients needing highly personalized treatment plans

 

Duration:

Customizable, Varies widely

PCT

Title:

Person-Centered Therapy

 

Key Features:

• Unconditional Positive Regard
• Empathy & genuine, congruent interactions
• Emphasis on client autonomy
• Non-directive, growth-promoting counseling

 

Best For:

Enhancing self-esteem, personal growth, identity issues, and those seeking a supportive, non-judgmental space

 

Duration:

Varies, often long-term

PA

Title:

Psychoanalysis

 

Key Features:

• Exploration of unconscious processes
• Focus on childhood experiences and repressed emotions
• Transference and countertransference dynamics
• Free association and dream analysis

 

Best For:

Resolving deep-seated emotional conflicts, personality disorders, recurring patterns of behavior, chronic anxiety or depression with unconscious roots

 

Duration:

 

Long-term (months to years), Open-ended

BT

Title:
Behavioral Therapy

 

Key Features:

• Focus on modifying maladaptive behaviors
• Use of conditioning techniques (e.g., exposure, reinforcement)
• Goal-oriented and structured interventions
• Emphasis on measurable outcomes

 

Best For:

Phobias, OCD, and anxiety disorders, addiction recovery, behavioral issues in children, skill-building for coping or social interactions

 

Duration:

 

Short- to medium-term (6–20 sessions)

GT

Title:

Gestalt Therapy

 

Key Features:

• Emphasis on present-moment awareness ("here and now")
• Holistic view of mind, body, and emotions
• Techniques like role-playing, empty-chair dialogue
• Encourages personal responsibility and self-awareness

 

Best For:

Resolving unresolved conflicts (e.g., grief, guilt), enhancing emotional expression, relational difficulties, clients seeking experiential, action-oriented therapy

 

Duration:

 

Medium-term (10–20 sessions), Flexible

HT

Title:

Humanistic Therapy

 

Key Features:

• Focus on self-actualization and personal growth
• Holistic view of the individual (mind, body, emotions)
• Emphasis on present-moment experience ("here and now")
• Client-centered, non-judgmental, and empathetic approach
• Belief in inherent human potential and autonomy

 

Best For:

Enhancing self-awareness and authenticity, addressing feelings of emptiness or lack of purpose, clients seeking self-discovery and empowerment, non-pathologizing support for life transitions or existential concerns

 

Duration:

 

Medium- to long-term (10+ sessions), Flexible

REBT

Title:

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy

 

 

Key Features:

• Focus on identifying and disputing irrational beliefs
• ABC model (Activating event, Beliefs, Consequences)
• Directive, problem-solving approach
• Teaches emotional resilience and cognitive restructuring

 

Best For:

Anxiety, depression, and anger management | Perfectionism or self-defeating thought patterns | Clients needing structured, goal-oriented interventions

 

Duration:

Short- to medium-term (8–15 sessions)

FT

Title:
Family Therapy

 

Key Features:

• Systemic focus on family dynamics and relationships
• Identifies communication patterns and roles
• Strengthens problem-solving within the family unit
• Addresses intergenerational or structural issues

 

Best For:

Family conflict, divorce, or parenting challenges | Behavioral issues in children/adolescents | Healing relational trauma or estrangement

 

Duration:

Medium-term (10–20 sessions), Varies by complexity

MI

Title:

Motivational Interviewing

 

Key Features:

• Collaborative, client-centered approach
• Focuses on resolving ambivalence and enhancing intrinsic motivation
• Uses OARS techniques (Open questions, Affirmations, Reflections, Summaries)
• Non-confrontational, empathetic style

 

Best For:

Addiction recovery and behavior change (e.g., substance use, smoking) | Clients resistant to change or in pre-contemplation stages | Health-related goal-setting (weight loss, medication adherence)

 

Duration:

Short-term (1–5 sessions), Often integrated into broader treatment

IFS

Title:

Internal Family Systems Therapy

 

Key Features:

• Views the mind as a system of sub-personalities ("parts")
• Promotes healing through "Self-leadership" (calm, compassionate core self)
• Unburdening exiled trauma or protective parts
• Non-pathologizing, spiritual undertones

 

Best For:

Trauma recovery and complex PTSD | Inner conflict or self-sabotage | Chronic shame, self-criticism, or attachment wounds

 

Duration:

Medium- to long-term (12+ sessions), Flexible pacing

HTH

Title:

Hypnotherapy

 

Key Features:

• Induction of trance states for subconscious reprogramming
• Use of metaphors and imagery
• Mind-body connection focus
• Tailored suggestions for behavior change

 

Best For:

Smoking cessation, phobias, and habit control, anxiety and stress reduction, chronic pain management, trauma processing (adjunctive)

 

Duration:

Short-term (5–12 sessions), flexible based on goals

TF-CBT

Title:

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

 

Key Features:

• Trauma narrative exposure
• Cognitive restructuring of trauma-related thoughts
• Caregiver/parent involvement (for children)
• Psychoeducation on trauma reactions

 

Best For:

Childhood trauma (abuse, neglect), PTSD in children and adults, anxiety/depression linked to trauma

 

Duration:

Medium-term (12–25 sessions), structured phases

MBCT

Title:

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy

 

Key Features:

• Integration of mindfulness practices with CBT
• Focus on cognitive decentering (observing thoughts non-judgmentally)
• Relapse prevention strategies
• Group-based format

 

Best For:

Recurrent depression relapse prevention, chronic anxiety or stress, emotional regulation issues

 

Duration:

8 weeks (weekly 2-hour sessions + daily practice)

CPT

Title:

Cognitive Processing Therapy

 

Key Features:

• Cognitive restructuring of "stuck points" (trauma-related beliefs)
• Written trauma account processing
• Focus on themes: safety, trust,

 

Best For:

PTSD (e.g., combat trauma, sexual assault, accidents), trauma-related guilt/shame, chronic cognitive distortions (e.g., "I’m permanently broken"), military veterans, survivors of interpersonal violence

 

Duration:

12 weeks (weekly 60–90 minute sessions, structured protocol)