CBT. DBT. EMDR. ACT. IFS.

When you start looking for a therapist, you may come across so many unfamiliar terms that choosing someone begins to feel like a test. How are you supposed to know which type of therapy you need before you have even met with a therapist?

You do not need to understand what they all mean before choosing someone.

The approach a therapist uses can be important, particularly when you are looking for help with a specific concern. But research has consistently found that one of the strongest predictors of a good outcome in therapy is the relationship between the therapist and the client.

What makes the relationship so important?

A helpful therapeutic relationship develops when you feel heard, taken seriously, and included in decisions about your therapy.

Over time, you and your therapist should develop a shared understanding of what brought you to therapy, what you hope will change, and how you will work on it together.

Techniques are more likely to be helpful when you trust your therapist and understand what you are doing and why. Even a therapist with extensive training in a particular approach may not be the right therapist for every client.

The type of therapy still has a role

Different approaches help therapists pay attention to different parts of a person’s experience. One therapist may focus on thoughts and behaviors, while another may be more interested in relationship patterns, earlier experiences, emotions, or what happens in the body.

For certain concerns, specialized training can be particularly important. Someone hoping to process trauma may want a therapist with experience using trauma-focused approaches. However, no single approach has been found to be the best choice for every person or every concern. Research comparing well-established forms of therapy often finds that they lead to similar outcomes for many common concerns.

An approach may give you some idea of what sessions will be like, but you will need to meet with the therapist before you know how comfortable you feel working with them.

What might therapy look like?

Like many therapists, Takoma Therapy clinicians use more than one approach. They draw from different parts of their training depending on what you are experiencing and what seems helpful.

Rather than trying to remember every acronym, it may be easier to think about what you want from your sessions.

You want practical strategies

Some people want help identifying patterns and learning specific ways to respond differently. Your therapist may help you look at how your thoughts, emotions, and actions affect one another. You might practice skills for coping with anxiety, managing strong emotions, setting boundaries, or making changes in your daily life.

Approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Solution-Focused Therapy may be part of this kind of work.

Renee Wang, LMSW, Bonnie Hough, LMSW, and Brandon Brumskill, LCPC are among the Takoma Therapy clinicians who use practical and skills-based approaches.

You want to understand patterns in your life and relationships

You may be less interested in immediately learning a new skill and more interested in understanding why certain situations affect you so deeply. Perhaps you keep finding yourself in similar relationships, or you know that earlier experiences continue to influence how you see yourself.

Psychodynamic, relational, attachment-based, and emotion-focused approaches can help you explore these patterns. This work may include thinking about your family, your past, your defenses, and the meaning you have made of your experiences.

Therapists whose profiles emphasize this kind of exploration include Audrey Schreiber, LMSW, Katie Kaufmann, LMSW, and Mark Hollingshead, LCPC.

You want help processing trauma

Trauma therapy does not refer to one particular technique. Therapists may use EMDR, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Narrative Therapy, Internal Family Systems, mindfulness, or other trauma-informed approaches.

The goal is not to make you repeatedly tell a painful story before you are ready. Good trauma therapy should help you understand how you adapted to what happened, strengthen your ability to manage what comes up, and approach difficult experiences at a pace you can tolerate.

Stephan Solat, LCSW-C is certified in EMDR. Hannah Bricker, LICSW, and Stephen Mann, LCPC also have trauma training and Hannah is EMDR trained. 

You want to work with emotions, the body, or creativity

Talking is not the only way to explore what you are experiencing. Some therapists incorporate mindfulness, breathing, movement, physical sensations, art, imagery, or other forms of expression.

These approaches can be helpful when you understand something intellectually but still feel it strongly in your body, or when an experience is difficult to explain in words.

Elena Palermo, LMSW, Noah Hughes-Dunn, LGSW, and Vishal Narang, LGPC use mindfulness and expressive arts with their clients. 

These are only examples. Our therapists often work across several of these categories, and this is not a complete description of their training or experience.

You do not have to choose alone

Most people do not know which therapy model they need, and you are not expected to figure that out on your own.

It can be more helpful to begin with what you are struggling with, what you hope will change, and what has or has not helped you in the past. Our Intake Coordinator can use that information, along with practical considerations such as availability, insurance, and whether you prefer in-person or virtual sessions, to help you identify a potential match.

If you would like more guidance, download our free Guide to Choosing Your Takoma Therapist. It explains what to look for, how to think about fit, and what to consider during your first few sessions.

Finding the right therapist

A therapist’s training, experience, and approach are all worth considering. So is how you feel when you talk with them.

Instead of trying to identify the best therapy technique, consider whether the therapist seems able to understand your concerns and work with you in a way that feels helpful. You should be able to ask why they are recommending a particular approach and say when something is not working for you.

You are welcome to explore all of our therapist profiles. You can also contact our Intake Coordinator at intake@takomatherapy.com for help finding a therapist whose experience and style may be a good place to begin.

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