Therapy types.

On this page, we’ll walk you through four of the most common therapy types and the methods often used in each, to help you understand how they work and what might feel right for you.

What is a therapy type?

A therapy type is the overall approach a therapist takes to support you. Think of it as the compass guiding your sessions, whether it points toward practical tools, deeper understanding, emotional support, or body-based healing. Different types offer different ways forward depending on how you like to reflect, feel, and grow.

How does it shape your experience?

Most therapists are trained in several therapy types and combine methods based on your needs. They’ll bring in techniques from different models, but the type influences the direction and structure of the work. And of course every therapist has their own personal style, that’s the energy, tone, and presence they bring into the room.

Explore the therapy types

• Solution focused therapy
• Exploratory therapy
• Supportive therapy
• Body-based therapy

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Solution-Focused Therapy

Solution-focused therapy helps you shift your attention from problems to possibilities. Instead of exploring the past in depth, the focus is on your present strengths and future goals. This approach is practical, hopeful, and often short-term. Ideal if you want concrete strategies, fast clarity, or are navigating specific life challenges like work stress, parenting dilemmas, relationship tension, or a sense of being stuck. You don’t need to have it all figured out, just a willingness to move forward.

Best suited for

When you’re looking for clarity, structure, and practical change, fast. Solution-focused therapy helps when you want to move forward, not dig deep into the past. It’s especially helpful for things like decision-making, stress at work, parenting challenges, and navigating life transitions. This type of therapy is often goal-oriented and works well if you prefer concrete tools and visible progress.

Solution-Focused Therapy Types

• CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) – Practical tools to shift thoughts and behaviors.
• ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) – Helps you act on what matters, even in tough times.
• Metacognitive Therapy (MCT) – Helps you step out of cycles of worry and rumination by changing how you relate to your thoughts.
• Hypnotherapy – Unlocks inner resources through deep relaxation to help you make meaningful changes in thoughts, feelings, or behaviors.
• Motivational Interviewing (MI) – Helps you strengthen motivation and commit to change.
• DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) – Supports emotional regulation and everyday balance.
• Solution-Focused Brief Therapy – Focuses on your strengths and what’s already working.
• Positive Psychology Therapy – Enhances well-being by building on what’s already working in your life.

Exploratory Therapy

Exploratory therapy is a deeper form of talk therapy that helps you understand yourself on a more profound level. It’s especially helpful if you feel stuck in patterns, unsure why you react in certain ways, or want to explore the roots of emotional pain, low self-esteem, or relationship struggles. This type of therapy gives space for reflection and insight, supporting long-term personal growth.

Best suited for

When you’re ready to look inward and get to know yourself better. Exploratory therapy is a space for reflection, insight, and long-term growth. It can be especially helpful for emotional patterns, relationship dynamics, identity questions, or when things feel off but you’re not sure why. This type of therapy gently helps you uncover the “why” behind your experiences and what to do with that understanding.

Exploratory-Focused Therapy Types

• Psychodynamic Therapy (PDT) – Helps uncover how past experiences shape your present.
• Mentalization-Based Therapy (MBT) – Strengthens your ability to understand yourself and others.
• Existential Therapy – Explores big life questions about meaning, freedom, and choices.
• Jungian Therapy – Uses symbols and dreams to access the unconscious.
• Gestalt Therapy – Encourages awareness of your emotions and behaviors in the present.
• Humanistic Therapy – Focuses on self-growth and reaching full potential.
• Transpersonal Therapy – Integrates spirituality and personal growth.

Supportive Therapy

Supportive therapy offers a calm and compassionate space where you feel heard and strengthened. It’s especially suited for life transitions, grief, burnout, or when you simply need a stable, trusting relationship to lean on during a tough time. This therapy focuses on building resilience and confidence, without going too deep into past experiences.

Best suited for

When you need someone to walk alongside you. Supportive therapy offers a steady space to talk things through and feel seen. It’s often used when you’re going through something hard like grief, burnout, illness, or change, and need compassionate support to process it. This type of therapy meets you where you are and holds space for whatever you’re carrying.

Supportive Therapy Types

• Talk Therapy/Psychotherapy – A warm, open conversation to explore what matters to you.
• Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) – Strengthens self-worth and self-compassion.
• Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) – Helps improve and understand your relationships.
• Crisis & Trauma Therapy – Provides support through life’s hardest moments.
• Person-centred therapy – Based on you, your needs and your own way forward.
• Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) – Helps strengthen emotional bonds in relationships.

Body-Based Therapy

Body-based therapy focuses on the connection between body and mind. It’s often used when emotional experiences feel overwhelming, hard to put into words, or show up as tension, fatigue, or physical discomfort. This approach can be especially supportive in processing trauma, anxiety, and chronic stress by gently involving the body in the healing process.

Best suited for

When what you’re feeling lives in both your body and your mind. Body-based therapies are especially helpful for trauma, stress, anxiety, or when talking alone doesn’t feel like enough. These methods work with breath, movement, sensation, and body awareness to support deeper healing. They can help you reconnect with yourself, regulate your nervous system, and feel more grounded in everyday life.

Body-Based Therapy Types

• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) – Supports healing from trauma by helping the brain reprocess distressing memories through gentle eye movements.
• Mindfulness-Based Therapy (MBSR/MBCT) – Reduces stress and strengthens presence through mindfulness.
• Somatic Experiencing (SE) – Helps process stress and trauma through the body.
• Sensorimotor Therapy – Connects body and emotions for deeper healing.
• Body-Oriented Psychotherapy – Uses breath, movement, and body signals to explore emotions.