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Bilingual Therapy

People with mental health conditions often find psychotherapy-or "talk therapy"-very helpful. The type and length of your therapy will depend on your personal situation and insurance, and your therapy may be part of an overall treatment plan that includes medication or other treatment options.

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Talking with a therapist or counselor can help you deal with thoughts, behaviors, symptoms, stresses, goals, past experiences and other areas that can promote your recovery. Of course, talking with a therapist about personal issues can be tough, but it can help you come to grips with problems in your life. It can also offer an emotional release and a sense of really being heard, understood and supported.

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Therapy can help you to:

  • feel stronger in the face of challenges

  • change behaviors that hold you back

  • look at ways of thinking that affect how you feel

  • heal pains from the past

  • build relationship skills

  • figure out your goals

  • strengthen your self-confidence

  • cope with symptoms

  • handle strong emotions like fear, grief or anger

  • enhance your problem solving skills

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What to Expect

Depending on your situation, therapy can be fairly short or longer-term. Often, people see their therapists once a week for 50 minutes. Your first session will be different from future visits. The initial visit is more of a "getting to know you" session and will help your therapist get an idea of how to proceed with your treatment.

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You have a right to feel safe and respected in therapy.  If you're concerned, you can ask about confidentiality. Usually, though, it's understood that a therapist respects your privacy; and that group members do too, if you're meeting in a group. Therapy should address your needs, goals, concerns and desires. If you're going to be talking to someone about your most personal thoughts, you want to feel comfortable. 

Types of Therapy

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There are many different types of therapy, including those that are most effective with families or groups of people. You can learn about your options by talking with people you trust, like your family doctor or clergy, with people who have experience with mental health conditions, or with staff at your local Mental Health America affiliate.

You might ask therapists you're considering if they use a particular type of therapy and how it works. You may get more out of therapy if you understand how the process usually works and how the therapist thinks it will help you. Some therapists will blend a few different approaches together to suit your particular needs.

The following are a few common types of therapy:

  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has two main aspects. The cognitive part works to develop helpful beliefs about your life. The behavioral side helps you learn to take healthier actions. CBT often works well for depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder, but it can also be used for other various conditions.

  • Interpersonal therapy focuses largely on improving relationships and helping a person express emotions in healthy ways. This approach often works well for depression. A variation of it called "interpersonal and social rhythm therapy" often works well for bipolar disorder because it also helps develop a daily schedule that supports recovery.

  • Family therapy helps family members communicate, handle conflicts and solve problems better. Forms of family therapy often are used for treating eating disorders and bipolar disorder.

  • Psycho dynamic therapy helps people develop a better understanding about their unconscious emotions and motivations that can affect their thoughts and actions.

  • Art therapy can include using music, dance, drawing and other art forms to help express emotions and promote healing.

  • Psycho-education helps people understand mental health conditions and ways to promote recovery.

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