Understanding Common Therapy Approaches Without Getting Overwhelmed
Starting therapy can be overwhelming — not just emotionally, but logistically. You’ve probably come across terms like CBT, EMDR, ACT, and CFT and wondered, Am I supposed to know what these mean? Or, Do I need to pick the “right” one?”
The short answer: no, you don’t need to have it all figured out before you begin.
But understanding the different approaches your therapist might draw from can help you feel more grounded as you start your search. This post isn’t here to help you choose a treatment method — that’s your therapist’s role. Instead, think of it as a way to make sense of what you might see on therapy websites and start to notice what resonates.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is one of the most well-known and researched therapies. It focuses on how your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors interact — and how shifting unhelpful patterns can help you feel and function differently.
You might work on identifying automatic thoughts, exploring how they shape your reactions, and experimenting with new responses. CBT can be structured or more flexible depending on the therapist. It’s especially helpful for anxiety, depression, perfectionism, and behavioral avoidance — and many therapists use CBT principles alongside other approaches, adapting them to support trauma work, relational healing, or values-based exploration.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT (pronounced like the word “act”) takes a slightly different approach: instead of trying to change your thoughts, it helps you change your relationship to them.
Rather than asking, “Is this thought true or false?”, ACT invites you to ask, “Is this thought helpful?” It focuses on psychological flexibility — the ability to stay present with difficult emotions while choosing actions that align with your values.
ACT can be especially helpful if you’re feeling stuck, disconnected, or navigating a life transition. It blends mindfulness, values clarification, and acceptance-based strategies in a way that feels practical and deeply personal.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is a structured, trauma-focused therapy that helps reprocess overwhelming experiences that may still feel “stuck” in the body or mind — often showing up as emotional intensity, physical symptoms, or intrusive thoughts.
Using bilateral stimulation (like eye movements or tapping), EMDR helps the nervous system reprocess these memories in a way that feels safer, less charged, and more integrated. It’s a phased approach: therapy begins by building effective grounding tools, and only moves into deeper processing when you feel supported and resourced.
A powerful part of EMDR is how it can help shift trauma-fused stories — like “I’m broken” or “It was my fault” — into more adaptive, compassionate narratives. Because EMDR is a specialized modality, it’s important to make sure your therapist has formal training and certification to ensure the process is safe and effective.
Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT)
CFT is especially helpful for people who struggle with shame, harsh inner criticism, or the sense that they need to “earn” their worth. If compassion comes easily when directed toward others but feels hard to turn inward — this approach might resonate.
CFT draws from neuroscience, mindfulness, and psychology to help you build a more caring relationship with yourself. It’s not about glossing over struggle — it’s about offering yourself the same warmth and steadiness you’d give to someone you love.
This work can be especially helpful in healing trauma, shifting long-standing self-beliefs, and developing a more grounded sense of self-worth.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT is a skills-based therapy that helps people manage intense emotions, navigate relationship challenges, and cope with distress more effectively. It blends mindfulness with tools for emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.
Originally developed for people experiencing chronic emotional pain or reactivity, DBT is now widely integrated into many therapists' toolkits. Even when not used as a full program, its techniques can be grounding and empowering for anyone feeling overwhelmed.
If you often feel emotionally flooded or unsure how to handle difficult interactions, DBT-informed therapy can offer structure, clarity, and support.
More Than a Set of Tools
While each of these approaches offers powerful strategies, therapy is never just about the techniques. What matters most — and what research consistently supports — is the quality of the therapeutic relationship.
You can have all the right tools, but if the connection doesn’t feel safe, attuned, or collaborative, progress can stall. A strong relationship is what makes insight stick, helps strategies land, and supports real, lasting change.
What About Other Approaches?
There are many other therapeutic modalities not covered here — including Internal Family Systems (IFS), somatic therapies, psychodynamic work, and narrative therapy. Some therapists focus on one framework. Others (like me) integrate several, tailoring therapy to your unique needs.
You don’t need to memorize the terminology. You just need a sense of where you’re feeling stuck, what kind of support you’re looking for, and who feels like a good fit.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to decode every acronym to benefit from therapy. You just need a starting point, some curiosity, and a therapist who helps you feel safe, supported, and seen.
If this post helped clarify what to look for — or you're wondering whether we’d be a good fit — I’d love to connect.