People often search for the best types of individual therapy when they want clear next steps for mental health and personal growth. This guide explains how each type of therapy works in plain language and shows where each approach fits for mental health treatment, anxiety disorders, treating depression, trauma care, and substance abuse treatment.
At Rego Park Counseling, you’ll find accessible care in a safe and confidential space with flexible scheduling, in-person and telehealth options, and pathways for individual therapy, group therapy, and family therapy. Care plans are practical, outcomes-focused, and matched to your goals so you can build skills, reduce symptoms, and support long-term mental wellness.
What is Individual Therapy?
Individual therapy is structured talk therapy in a one-on-one setting with a licensed mental health professional. The work targets current concerns like relationship issues, self-esteem issues, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other mental health issues, while also supporting personal growth and emotional well-being. Sessions highlight your goals, your strengths, and the barriers that keep patterns in place.
The therapeutic process is collaborative. You and a licensed therapist define goals, practice coping strategies, and track positive changes. Many plans blend methods such as cognitive behavioral therapy CBT, dialectical behavior therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and humanistic therapy, so you get the benefits of skills, insight, and values-based action.
According to research, common one-to-one approaches include cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, and accelerated resolution therapy, each offering different tools for symptoms ranging from anxiety and depression to trauma.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy is skills-based mental health treatment that links thoughts, feelings, and actions. You learn to spot negative thoughts and distorted thought patterns, run real-world tests, and adopt new responses to reduce symptoms. The work is active and present-focused, with home practice that builds stress management, problem-solving skills, and steady habits.
CBT shows strong results for anxiety disorders, treating depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, eating disorders, and chronic pain. Many CBT plans include activity scheduling, exposure steps, and thought records. For OCD, CBT often pairs with exposure and response prevention to interrupt rituals and avoidance.
Behavior Therapy
Behavior therapy targets problematic behaviors directly. You and your clinician map triggers, actions, and outcomes, then rehearse replacement skills. Exposure therapy is a key tool: you practice safe, planned steps toward feared situations until the fear response drops. This builds confidence and reduces reliance on avoidance.
This approach is practical for phobias, compulsions, and habits that persist even when logic says they hurt you. Because it focuses on behavioral reactions, behavior therapy pairs well with CBT and mindfulness practices to support the same change from multiple angles.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Dialectical behavior therapy combines acceptance with change. Skills cover emotional regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance, and mindfulness. People learn to label emotions, reduce vulnerability, and respond to urges without acting on them. The goal is managing intense emotions and building a life that feels workable.
DBT helps with self-harm patterns, emotion dysregulation linked to trauma, and substance abuse recovery when urges are triggered by emotional distress. Short practices like paced breathing, opposite action, and pros-and-cons sheets build day-to-day stability while you address core problems.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Acceptance and commitment therapy is values-based commitment therapy. You practice attention to the present moment, acceptance of difficult thoughts and feelings, and committed action guided by personal values. The method reduces struggle with internal events and increases movement toward a fulfilling life.
ACT is useful for stress reduction, anxiety, mood symptoms, and chronic pain. You learn defusion skills to relate differently to thoughts, values clarification to set direction, and small steps to keep progress active when motivation dips.
Psychodynamic Therapy
Psychodynamic therapy explores links between current symptoms and past patterns. You examine how early experiences, defenses, and conflicts show up now in relationships, work, and self-view. Better self-awareness reduces automatic reactions and opens room for choice.
This approach fits when problems repeat despite effort or when you want deeper change in relationship issues and self-criticism. Treatment length varies. Many care plans combine psychodynamic insight with CBT or ACT skills for daily stability.
Humanistic Therapy
Humanistic therapy aims at growth and authenticity. In a supportive environment with unconditional positive regard, you practice self-acceptance, clarify values, and act in line with what matters. Humanistic therapists focus on the whole person and the strengths you bring to the work.
Common branches include client-centered therapy, gestalt therapy, and existential therapy. Humanistic care helps with self-esteem issues, loss of direction, and life transitions. Many people use it to rebuild motivation and meaning alongside symptom-focused work.
Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy blends meditation skills with CBT tools. Training in attention and the present moment interrupts rumination and automatic spirals. You learn to notice thoughts as events, return attention to anchors, and choose responses that support emotional well-being.
MBCT is often used for relapse prevention in depression and for stress management. Brief practices during therapy sessions carry into daily routines so skills are available at work, at home, and during stress spikes.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy
Eye movement desensitization and movement desensitization and reprocessing use structured steps and bilateral stimulation to help the brain process traumatic memories. You identify targets, prepare safety skills, and process images, emotions, and beliefs linked to trauma. Many people report faster relief compared with talk-only methods.
EMDR is widely used for post-traumatic stress disorder and trauma-linked mental health disorders. It can also support recovery for complicated grief and performance anxiety when memories block progress. EMDR often follows stabilization with DBT or ACT if intense emotions make trauma work feel unsafe.
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
Rational emotive behavior therapy challenges rigid beliefs that fuel distress. You practice spotting “musts” and “shoulds,” testing them, and adopting flexible views that support positive changes. This reduces shame, anger, and avoidance.
REBT is helpful for perfectionism, public performance fear, and cycles where self-judgment drives harmful behaviors. The method pairs well with CBT plans, so both thoughts and actions shift together.
Matching Needs to the Right Type
Different types of individual therapy serve different goals. For symptoms that respond to skill practice, CBT, behavior therapy, and DBT offer clear steps and measurable targets. For values and meaning, ACT and humanistic therapy support direction and self-acceptance. For recurring patterns, psychodynamic therapy adds insight. For trauma, EMDR helps process stuck memories while skills protect safety.
Common matches include CBT or MBCT for treating depression and anxiety disorders, ERP for OCD, DBT skills for managing intense emotions, ACT for chronic pain, and EMDR for post-traumatic stress disorder. For substance abuse and substance abuse treatment, plans often blend CBT relapse prevention, DBT distress tolerance, and ACT values work to strengthen the recovery process.
What to Expect in Therapy Sessions
Most plans start with assessment, shared goal-setting, and a simple roadmap. Expect homework that fits your schedule so practice time supports communication skills, problem-solving skills, and coping strategies that matter in daily life. Frequency can be weekly at first and then taper as skills stick.
A typical hour includes a check-in, review of practice, new skills, and planning for the week. Your clinician monitors symptom change, behavioral reactions, and any barriers. Care remains a safe and confidential space built for emotional support, honest feedback, and steady progress.
Skills that Support Change
Across types of individual therapy, certain skills show up often. These include mindful breathing, grounding, opposite action, graded exposure steps, thought records, values actions, and relationship scripts for interpersonal effectiveness. Keeping skills simple and repeatable raises the odds of follow-through.
The goal is flexibility. Instead of fighting thoughts and urges, you add choices. Over time, this reduces negative patterns, lowers reactivity, and supports mental wellness. Progress can be steady or uneven, which is normal for mental health problems and other mental health issues.
Trauma and Substance Use Care
With trauma, pacing matters. Many plans build stabilization first with DBT or ACT skills for emotional regulation, sleep, and stress reduction. Then, trauma processing with EMDR or CBT-based protocols begins when safety holds. This staged work protects functioning while you process traumatic memories.
For substance abuse, treatment often blends cravings management, trigger planning, and values goals. Skills target cues, routines, and consequences. When relationship issues or mood symptoms interact with use, family therapy or group therapy can add practical support around accountability and communication.
If you are looking for one-on-one help with alcohol or drug use, we offer care tailored to your goals. This service blends counseling, evidence-based skills like CBT and DBT, and relapse planning to support steady progress. Visit our Individual Substance Use Treatment page to learn how care works and get started.
Progress Tracking and Outcomes
Simple trackers help you see change. Examples include daily mood ratings, urge logs, exposure steps completed, and value actions checked off. These data points show what helps and where plans need adjustment. Many people notice better sleep, fewer avoidance patterns, and steadier emotional well-being within weeks.
Lasting gains come from consistent practice, not perfection. Small repetitions shift habits, reduce problematic behaviors, and build confidence. When setbacks appear, you return to basics, update the plan, and keep action moving.
Conclusion
Most people benefit from a plan that matches needs, goals, and preferences. Skills-first care like CBT, DBT, and ACT can ease symptoms and build daily function. Insight work adds depth when patterns repeat, while EMDR supports trauma processing. Across all types of individual therapy, steady practice, clear goals, and a supportive relationship create lasting positive changes.
At Rego Park Counseling, care is practical and accessible for adults and families seeking individual therapy, group therapy, and family therapy aligned with real-life goals. If you want help selecting the right path among the types of individual therapy, explore our services, schedule a visit that fits your routine, or contact us to map next steps. We’ll help you create a plan that supports stability, growth, and a fulfilling life.
FAQs
What are the examples of individual therapy?
Examples include cognitive behavioral therapy, behavior therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, psychodynamic therapy, humanistic therapy, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, rational emotive behavior therapy, and EMDR.
What are the four major types of therapy?
The four major types are psychodynamic therapy, behavior therapy, cognitive therapy/cognitive behavioral therapy, and humanistic therapy.
What are the different types of individual counseling?
Common types are CBT, DBT, ACT, REBT, psychodynamic therapy, humanistic therapy (client-centered therapy, gestalt therapy, existential therapy), MBCT, and EMDR.
What are the 5 main treatment types?
A practical list is CBT, behavior therapy, DBT, ACT, and psychodynamic therapy; many plans add humanistic therapy, MBCT, or EMDR as needed.