What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?
CBT helps people notice and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns. Learn what sessions look like, how exposure fits in, and what to ask a therapist.
Finding therapy in the US, explained
Finding therapy, explained
An independent guide for people in the US: the kinds of therapy, what therapist licenses mean, how to find and choose someone, what insurance and Medicare cover, and what to expect from the first session.
Start with your question
Five sections. Each opens with an overview, then goes one question at a time.
Types of therapy
What the main kinds of therapy involve - CBT, DBT, EMDR, psychodynamic therapy, ACT, couples, family and group therapy - and what to ask a therapist about them.
8 guides
Choosing a therapist
Where to look, what LCSW, LMFT, LPC, PsyD, PhD and psychiatrist mean, questions to ask, how to check a license, and when to switch.
6 guides
Cost & insurance
In-network and out-of-network care, parity law, Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP, Good Faith Estimates, and lower-cost options such as community clinics and health centers.
7 guides
Starting therapy
What happens in a first session, how long therapy takes, online against in-person therapy, therapists in other states, and how confidential therapy is.
5 guides
Situations
When therapy may help, and the approaches used for anxiety, depression, grief and trauma - information to bring to a professional, not a diagnosis.
5 guidesNew guides
What Is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)?
DBT is a structured therapy with individual sessions, skills training, phone coaching and a therapist team. Learn the four modes and how it differs from CBT.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Explained
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) uses mindfulness and values to build psychological flexibility. Learn what sessions involve and how ACT differs from CBT.
Couples Therapy and Family Therapy: How They Work
What couples and family therapy involve, who offers them, what sessions look like, how confidentiality works with more than one person, and what to ask.
Paying for Therapy Yourself: Estimates and Tax Rules
Paying for therapy without insurance? Learn how Good Faith Estimates work, when therapy is tax deductible, and how to use HSA or FSA money for sessions.
Your First Therapy Session: What to Expect
A practical guide to the first therapy session: paperwork, consent, fees, what you'll talk about, confidentiality, setting goals, and how to prepare.
Grief Counseling: When Grief Needs More Support
Grief is a natural response to loss. Learn how grief counseling, grief therapy, support groups, and interpersonal therapy can help when grief feels too heavy.
Types of therapy
What the main kinds of therapy involve - CBT, DBT, EMDR, psychodynamic therapy, ACT, couples, family and group therapy - and what to ask a therapist about them.
What Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?
CBT helps people notice and change unhelpful thinking and behavior patterns. Learn what sessions look like, how exposure fits in, and what to ask a therapist.
What Is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)?
DBT is a structured therapy with individual sessions, skills training, phone coaching and a therapist team. Learn the four modes and how it differs from CBT.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Explained
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) uses mindfulness and values to build psychological flexibility. Learn what sessions involve and how ACT differs from CBT.
Finding and choosing a therapist
Where to look, what LCSW, LMFT, LPC, PsyD, PhD and psychiatrist mean, questions to ask, how to check a license, and when to switch.
How to Find a Therapist: A Step-by-Step Guide
A practical guide to finding a therapist in the US: where to look, how to check insurance and licenses, questions to ask, and what to do if no one has openings.
Questions to Ask a Therapist Before You Start
What to ask a therapist before starting: credentials, approach, goals, medication, confidentiality, fees, telehealth and cancellations, plus good answers.
Psychologist vs Psychiatrist: What's the Difference?
Psychologists hold a doctoral degree and usually cannot prescribe; psychiatrists are medical doctors who can. How each fits into finding a therapist.
Paying for therapy
In-network and out-of-network care, parity law, Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP, Good Faith Estimates, and lower-cost options such as community clinics and health centers.
Paying for Therapy Yourself: Estimates and Tax Rules
Paying for therapy without insurance? Learn how Good Faith Estimates work, when therapy is tax deductible, and how to use HSA or FSA money for sessions.
Medicaid and CHIP Mental Health Coverage: The Basics
Learn how Medicaid and CHIP cover mental health therapy, what EPSDT means for children, how to find a Medicaid therapist, and what to check before booking.
In-Network vs Out-of-Network Therapy and Superbills
How in-network and out-of-network therapy differ, what a superbill is, how to file your own claim, and what to ask your plan before you start.
Starting therapy
What happens in a first session, how long therapy takes, online against in-person therapy, therapists in other states, and how confidential therapy is.
Your First Therapy Session: What to Expect
A practical guide to the first therapy session: paperwork, consent, fees, what you'll talk about, confidentiality, setting goals, and how to prepare.
How Long Therapy Takes and How Often to Go
How long therapy takes depends on your goals and the approach. Learn typical session length and frequency, short-term vs long-term therapy, and when to stop.
Online Therapy vs In-Person Therapy: How to Choose
Compare online therapy and in-person therapy: privacy, technology, licensing, insurance and Medicare rules, and questions to ask before you start.
Therapy for common situations
When therapy may help, and the approaches used for anxiety, depression, grief and trauma - information to bring to a professional, not a diagnosis.
Grief Counseling: When Grief Needs More Support
Grief is a natural response to loss. Learn how grief counseling, grief therapy, support groups, and interpersonal therapy can help when grief feels too heavy.
Therapy for Anxiety: CBT, Exposure and Other Approaches
Learn how therapy for anxiety works: CBT, exposure therapy, ACT, what sessions involve, how to find a therapist, and what to ask before starting.
Therapy for Depression: What Helps and How to Start
How therapy for depression works, including CBT and interpersonal therapy, who can prescribe, what sessions involve, and how to find help and start.