When you first start looking for mental health support, it doesn’t take long to realize how many routes you could take. Different licenses, different specialties, different therapy styles—it can feel a bit like walking into a new city without a map. It’s normal to wonder: What kind of therapist do I need?
You don’t need to have every detail sorted out before you begin. This guide will help you understand your intentions for starting, the credentials you’ll see, the most common therapy approaches, and how to choose someone who feels like the right fit.
Start With Your Goals
The first step to deciding the right kind of therapist for you is asking yourself what you want therapy to help with. Your intentions don’t have to be perfect or final, they’re just a starting point.
Some people seek support for anxiety or constant worry that’s become hard to manage on their own. Others come in because they’re navigating relationship problems, healing from trauma, or trying to manage ADHD and executive functioning challenges. Therapy can also be incredibly helpful during moments of grief or loss, or during major life transitions that leave you feeling unsteady. And sometimes, the motivation is more internal—like a desire to understand yourself better, grow, and feel more grounded.
If the above doesn’t give you any ideas, try asking yourself the following:
- What’s been hardest for me lately, not just on the surface, but underneath? Is it stress, loneliness, feeling stuck, struggling to focus, or something that keeps circling back no matter how hard I try to ignore it?
- What do I want to feel more of in my life? Stability, clarity, confidence, self-awareness, connection, purpose? If things were even a little better, what would that look like day to day?
- What keeps getting in my way? Is it my thought patterns, fears, relationship anxiety, or unhealthy habits I can’t seem to change on my own? What feels like it’s holding me back from being the best version of myself?
Your intentions matter because they help point you toward the type of therapist, specialty, or therapeutic approach that’s most likely to meet your needs. When you understand what you’re hoping to change, heal, or grow into, it becomes much easier to find a provider whose training and expertise align with what you’re looking for.
The Most Important Factor in Therapy
Before we jump in any deeper, here’s the most important factor in therapy: the relationship you build with your therapist. Known as the therapeutic alliance, it’s basically how safe, understood, and supported you feel, and it’s one of the strongest predictors of whether therapy actually helps. Research backs this up over and over again: people make more progress when they feel connected to their provider, no matter what degree that provider holds.
It makes sense. Think of choosing a therapist like choosing a personal trainer or even a hairstylist. You can go to someone with the highest level of training, but if you don’t feel comfortable with them, it’s hard to show up and get what you want out of it. Therapy works the same way: the relationship is the engine for all the work.
That’s why the goal isn’t just to find a highly trained provider, it’s to find a therapist you genuinely click with. Once that foundation is there, their specific credentials, techniques, and approaches can do their best work.
The Different Types of Mental Health Professionals
Anyone with a masters degree or higher usually has credentials after their name, including therapists. While these are not the most important factor in choosing a therapist, they matter because they tell you what kind of training a therapist has and what they’re licensed to do.
Here are the most common types of mental health professionals you’ll come across:
Psychologist (PhD or PsyD)
Psychologists complete doctoral-level training in assessment, diagnosis, and psychotherapy. They’re uniquely qualified to conduct psychological testing (ADHD, learning differences, personality assessments) and treat a wide range of mental health conditions.
LCSW / LICSW / LMSW (Licensed Social Workers)
Social workers are trained in psychotherapy, social justice, and systems thinking: how family, relationships, identity, and environment impact mental health. They’re excellent for life stressors, relational concerns, anxiety, depression, and trauma.
LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist)
While LMFTs specialize in couple and family dynamics, they also treat individuals. Their training focuses on communication, attachment, conflict patterns, and relational systems.
LPC / LMHC / LPCC (Professional Counselors)
These clinicians are trained in general psychotherapy and provide support for anxiety, depression, anger, stress, self-esteem, life transitions, and more.
Psychiatrist (MD or DO)
Psychiatrists are medical doctors who can prescribe medication and do medication management. Often, people work with both a psychiatrist and a therapist—since neither one is a replacement for the other.
Even the most highly trained clinician isn’t the right match for everyone. Therapy is a relationship-based process, which means you’re allowed to “shop around” until you find someone who feels like a genuine fit, or switch therapists if it doesn’t feel like a match.
If you’re still unsure how to tell whether a therapist is the right fit, Spring Health can guide you through the matching process to figure out what kind of therapist you need.
The Most Common Types of Therapy
Therapeutic modalities are simply the “approaches” therapists use. You don’t need to pick the perfect one upfront (or at all) because finding the right therapy modality is your therapist's job. Many therapists blend multiple approaches based on your needs, but understanding the basics can help you recognize what might resonate.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Offers practical tools to help you change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. Evidence-based and highly effective for anxiety, depression, and overthinking.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Focuses on emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and mindfulness. Proven effective for people who feel emotions intensely or struggle with impulsivity.
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): A structured, trauma-focused approach that helps the brain reprocess distressing memories. Strong evidence for PTSD and trauma-related symptoms.
- Psychodynamic Therapy: Explores patterns, unconscious beliefs, and the impact of early experiences. Helpful for self-understanding, relationship patterns, and long-standing emotional concerns.
- Internal Family Systems (IFS): Focuses on “parts” work, understanding the different emotional parts of yourself and helping them work together. Popular for trauma, self-growth, and identity exploration.
- Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT): Helps you build psychological flexibility, manage anxiety and avoidance, and act in alignment with your values.
This isn’t a complete list of every therapy approach out there, but these are some of the most well-researched and widely used modalities. They’re a great starting point as you learn what might work best for you. Explore how to find the right therapy modality for your needs.
How Do I Know What Kind of Therapy I Need?
We just covered a lot of information, so here’s a quick reference guide to make things easier. Use this chart to match common concerns with the types of therapists or therapy approaches that can be a great fit.
This isn’t a complete list of every therapy option out there, just some common matches to help you get oriented. Your therapist can help tailor the approach based on what you’re dealing with and what feels comfortable.
Ready to Find the Right Therapist?
With Spring Health, the process becomes clearer, more personalized, and genuinely supportive from the very beginning. You’ll be guided every step of the way—from understanding your goals, to exploring therapists who match your needs, to getting started with care that actually fits your budget and your schedule. Here’s what you can expect:
Find an in-network therapist in minutes
No more endless searching through provider directories. At Spring Health, we help you find qualified professionals who accept your insurance and match your needs.
See accurate, up-to-date availability and get seen as soon as tomorrow
You can find providers with real-time openings that work with your schedule.
Fill out a self-assessment to help you and your therapist know exactly where to start
Our personalized assessment gives your therapist valuable context about your concerns from day one, so you can make the most of your first session.
Keep care going between sessions
Access free, on-demand resources, self-guided tools, and stay connected with your provider between appointments to support your progress.
Ready to take the first step? Connect with a therapist today and start your journey toward feeling better.
If you still feel unsure about the process, read the 10 things nobody tells you about starting therapy or therapy FAQs to get familiar with what to expect.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of therapist should I choose if I think I have ADHD or executive functioning issues?
A therapist familiar with ADHD, often someone using CBT or executive functioning strategies, can help with focus, time management, planning, and emotional regulation. Some psychologists also offer formal ADHD assessments if you need a diagnosis.
Should I pick a therapist based on their modality, like CBT or DBT?
You don’t have to know which modality is right for you before starting. Most therapists integrate multiple approaches. It’s more important to choose someone with experience treating your specific concerns and someone you click with.
How do I know if I need individual therapy, couples therapy, or family therapy?
If the issue mostly affects you, start with individual therapy. If the concerns center on communication, conflict, or relationship dynamics, couples or family therapy may be more effective.
What kind of therapist should I choose if I’m not sure what my problem is?
It's completely normal not to know. In this case, look for a generalist therapist with experience in a range of concerns. They can help you clarify what's going on and recommend a specific approach if needed.
Do teens or young adults need a different type of therapist?
Yes. Therapists who specialize in adolescent or young adult mental health are trained in developmental needs, emotional regulation skills, and family dynamics that influence this age group.
How many therapists should I meet before choosing one?
Many people meet one and feel good about the fit, while others talk to two or three before deciding. A brief consultation often helps you understand their style and whether they’re the right match for your needs.
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