Swimming in Alphabet Soup

Unless you work in mental health, navigating therapy can feel like swimming in alphabet soup.

Seriously, WTF? There’s CBT, DBT, ACT, ERP, EMDR, IFS, TFP, and every other form of SNAFU.

Now there are situations where the type of therapy really matters. I refer people with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder and anorexia nervosa to specialists at the top of their game. And for people with opioid problems, recommending therapy without offering a referral for medication assessment should be a slam-dunk malpractice case.

But most of the time, the skill of the clinician matters much more than the type of therapy they practice.

Think of therapy like a language. There is no best mother tongue. However, the ability to communicate clearly is not universal.

Likewise, there is no best management style. But you can tell when a leader has a principled, disciplined approach.

There is no simple way to know if a therapist is good. So approach the relationship as if it were a trial. Can they explain in plain English what you’ll do together? Are they a generalist, or do they specialize in the problems you experience? Can they tell you what they don’t treat? Do they respect your goals? Is it clear what you’re working towards, or are you spinning in circles?

Ask for excellence in the professionals you work with. And when things aren’t working, find someone who’s a better fit for you.