The below excerpt was originally voiced to Psychology Today in 2009, but is still very helpful today! The question below was posed to Judith Beck, Ph.D., an authority on cognitive behavioral therapy. It’s so concise and helpful that I’ll include the entire answer here:
What is one pearl of wisdom you would offer clients about therapy?
Dr. Beck said, “All psychotherapy is not the same! One particular form, cognitive therapy (also known as cognitive behavioral therapy) has several hundred research studies demonstrating its efficacy for the range of psychiatric disorders, psychological problems, and many medical conditions with psychological components No other psychotherapy has been validated by so much research. If I had a medical problem, such as trouble breathing, I would go to my doctor and ask for the treatment that research has shown to be the most effective. The same should hold true for emotional problems.”
It is an unfortunate problem for the field of mental health that getting research-based treatments widely available has been a challenge. However, by being an informed consumer not averse to some research of your own, you can make the right choice for you.