Over Christmas, three professions will have been rubbing their hands in anticipation of what the New Year always brings. Estate agents. Divorce lawyers. And therapists. I'm no expert on matters of the heart or mortgages, but I can tell you how to find the right therapist. And that means finding the right therapy for you. People don't always realise that the term 'therapy' is incredibly broad, covering lots of types of treatment with a variety of approaches.
![[People don't always realise that the term 'therapy' is incredibly broad, covering lots of types of treatment with a variety of approaches, says Dr Max Pemberton (picture posed by models)]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/29/17/93562115-14233941-image-a-5_1735492511596.jpg)
Every so often I see a new patient who tells me they are a lost cause. When I ask them why they feel like this, they say it's because they've already had therapy and it hasn't worked – yet closer questioning reveals that's because they haven't had the right therapy. It's estimated there are at least 500 types, but they don't all work on all problems.
It's worth noting that the word can mean different things. Therapy is often used interchangeably with 'psychotherapy' – a type of talking therapy that uses key psychological principles to help a patient. But sometimes it's also used to mean 'counselling', which is a little different and isn't typically considered a treatment for a mental illness. Counselling is a space for an individual to explore their thoughts and feelings to a compassionate listener.
The problem is, when a patient with depression Googles 'therapy' and unwittingly ends up having counselling, they won't be getting an actual treatment for their condition, such as CBT (I'll explain what this is later on). Many doctors don't really understand this either – I've heard GPs say a patient needs 'counselling' when they actually mean CBT.
