If you're currently thinking about starting therapy, it's natural to feel nervous or to wonder what the process will be like, it's totally normal.
It's also normal to have a lot of questions, one of the big ones is what type of therapy is right for me? "Therapy" is the umbrella term but under this sits a whole bunch of variations that therapists specialise in. Knowing what you're looking for, or what you'd like to work on can be really helpful (but don't worry if you don't know, that can be figured out, too!).
So below, we break down some of the main therapy methods for you:
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) CBT is probably the most well-known type of therapy. It's a practical, structured approach that looks at the relationship between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. The idea is that the way we think about things directly affects how we feel and act, and CBT helps you identify patterns that aren't serving you and shift them. It tends to be shorter-term and goal-focused, which makes it a popular choice for anxiety, depression, phobias, and stress. If you're someone who likes having a clear framework to work within, CBT could be a really good fit.
Psychodynamic Therapy This approach digs a little deeper. Psychodynamic therapy is rooted in the idea that a lot of what drives our emotions and behaviour is unconscious, shaped by past experiences we might not even be fully aware of. By exploring those patterns, often through talking about your history, relationships, and recurring feelings, you start to understand yourself on a much deeper level. It tends to be more open-ended than CBT and works well for people who want to get to the root of things rather than just managing symptoms.
Person-Centred Therapy Sometimes called client-centred therapy, this one is all about you. The therapist's role here is less about guiding you towards specific conclusions and more about creating a safe, non-judgemental space for you to explore your own thoughts and feelings at your own pace. The belief underpinning it is that you already have the capacity for growth and self-understanding, you just need the right conditions to access it. It's particularly helpful for working through shame, low self-worth, or feeling disconnected from yourself.
Gestalt Therapy Gestalt therapy brings your attention to the present moment. Rather than spending lots of time analysing the past, it focuses on what's happening right now, in the room, in your body, in your relationships. A big part of Gestalt is working through "unfinished business" - those unresolved feelings or situations that can linger and affect how you show up in life. It can involve creative or experiential techniques, making it a good option for people who find traditional talk therapy a bit limited.
Existential Therapy This one is for the big questions. Existential therapy helps you explore meaning, purpose, freedom, and the anxiety that can come with being human. If you're going through a major life transition, questioning your values, or feeling a kind of emptiness that's hard to put into words, existential therapy gives you a space to sit with those questions properly rather than rushing past them. It's less about fixing and more about understanding how you want to live.
Psychoanalysis Psychoanalysis is one of the oldest forms of therapy, with roots going back to Freud, though it's evolved a lot since then. Like psychodynamic therapy, it's interested in the unconscious mind, but it tends to be more intensive and longer-term, often involving more frequent sessions. It's a deep dive into your inner world, particularly around early experiences, recurring patterns, and the meanings we attach to things without realising it. If you're drawn to real depth of self-understanding and have the time and commitment to invest, psychoanalysis can be transformative.
Transactional Analysis (TA) Transactional Analysis looks at how we relate to ourselves and others through the lens of three ego states: the Parent, the Adult, and the Child. These states influence how we communicate, react, and form patterns in our relationships. TA helps you become more aware of which "state" you're operating from in different situations, so you can start to make more conscious, healthier choices in how you interact with the world. It's particularly useful for people who notice recurring dynamics in their relationships and want to understand why.
Not sure which one sounds right for you? That's completely okay. Pleso Therapy specialists note that a good starting point is simply noticing what you'd most like to change or understand about yourself. And remember, whatever you’re going through you don’t have to face it alone.
