Therapy can be a very helpful tool to get one from “here” to where they want to be. So much depends on the therapist, and the relationship between client and therapist. There are as many different kinds of therapies as there are grains of sand on the beach, literally. I was going to introduce them all here, but I went on Wikipedia, and they were actually alphabetized, there were too many for me to count.

When choosing a psychotherapist, there are some important things to keep in mind. Like the fact that a therapist can be a social worker, a psychiatrist, a psychologist, or someone with religious training. It’s good to ask a person’s credentials (or at least ask for a card) before you get too involved with them.

There are other good questions I always wish I would ask before I got too deeply sucked into a therapeutic relationship. lol Maybe next time. They are:

What theories do you use? Why?
(You’re asking because you want to know why they think it’s effective, not what they personally like)

There are many new techniques and ideas, how do you stay on top of all of it?  (look for “attend training, conferences, reading”)
I’ve read that [X THERAPY YOU ARE NOT PLANNING TO USE] is sometimes used with [PROBLEM I HAVE], what are you thoughts about this?

What role do you think medication plays in mental health?
(You’re looking for an answer like “it depends”. Some psychiatrists think “non-compliance” to medication regimens is like total rebellion)

I know everyone is different, but what is the time-range for this therapy to show some progress?

Have you treated anyone with issues like mine? What was the outcome? What was the likely cause of that success/failure?

How will we measure progress?

When do you start thinking about termination (ending the relationship), and what will that look like?
(e.g. will it be a shared decision, is there a set number of visits and then review etc).

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As for anxiety, CBT therapy is purported to be the most helpful. CBT is cognitive-behavioral therapy.

• Cognitive therapy examines how negative thoughts, or cognitions, contribute to anxiety.
• Behavior therapy examines how you behave and react in situations that trigger anxiety.

Personally, as someone who has gone through and is going through CBT, I detest it. I hate, hate, hate it. I find it tedious and time-consuming. But *sigh* that’s just me.

Have a wonderful evening, my friends.

Ciao, Bella.