Psychotherapy, literally, changes the brain. Pretty incredible, right? This is because of what’s called neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to rewire itself, forming new connections and adaptations in response to a person’s life experiences. 

Although the exact mechanisms are not yet fully understood, studies demonstrate that participating in clinically validated psychotherapy leads to measurable functional changes in the regions of the brain central to emotion regulation, memory, and thinking. When applied to mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety, psychotherapy can help identify and shift unhealthy patterns of thought and behavior by laying down new neural pathways in the brain that promote well-being.

Psychotherapy can be provided by professionals across a spectrum of disciplines, including:

  • Licensed therapists, who hold a master’s degree in social work, counseling, or marriage and family therapy
  • Psychologists, who hold a doctoral degree in psychology
  • Psychiatrists, who are medical doctors trained to diagnose and treat mental health conditions with medication as well as psychotherapy 
  • Psychiatric nurse practitioners, who are advanced practice nurses with specialized mental health training

Common forms of psychotherapy include:

  • ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy): Focused on improving psychological flexibility by working to accept thoughts and feelings rather than fighting them, and to focus on aligning actions with personal values.
  • CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy): Structured therapy focused on improving anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns by understanding the connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to make changes in patterns of thought and behavior.
  • DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy): Structured program of therapy that focuses on the balance between acceptance and change, helping individuals learn healthy and constructive coping skills for managing intense emotions while also understanding and accepting painful feelings and working toward positive change in interpersonal relationships.
  • EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy): Therapy technique developed for trauma/PTSD that uses bilateral stimulation (side-to-side eye movements, tapping) to facilitate reprocessing of traumatic memories. 
  • Family Therapy: Focuses on the functioning and health of the family as a whole. Family therapy aims to identify and address challenges in relationship dynamics and patterns of interacting with the goal of improving communication, understanding, and strengthening family bonds.
  • Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: Involves talking about thoughts, experiences, and emotions in the present and past to identify patterns and themes and develop insight that a person can use to make positive changes.

Ready to explore?

Are you ready to explore therapy for yourself, your young person, or your family? Here are two articles that can help:

  1. Seeing a Therapist explores the decision to see a therapist and provides a guide you can take with you to help you get the most out of your first visit.
  2. Finding a Right-Fit Therapist  explores what to look for in a therapist

Further reading: