The ABCs of Therapy: A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding and Getting the Most Out of Therapy
When most people hear the word “therapy,” they picture a person lying on a couch while a wizened professional nods knowingly and scribbles on a clipboard. While that image has roots in early psychoanalysis, modern therapy looks very different.
Therapy—also known as psychotherapy or counseling—is a form of treatment in which a trained professional works with an individual (or sometimes a couple, family, or group) to address emotional, behavioral, or psychological issues. The goal isn’t to “fix” something that’s broken, but rather to create space for growth, self-understanding, and healing.
In this article, we’ll walk you through the ABCs of therapy: what it is, what it involves, who provides it, the different approaches available, and how you can get the most out of the process. Whether you’ve been considering therapy for a while or are just beginning to wonder if it might be right for you, this guide is designed to help you understand the basics and feel more confident taking the next step in your therapeutic journey.
Why Do People Go to Therapy?
Each person has their own path that leads them to therapy, and every reason is valid. Some go because they have a diagnosed mental health condition, while others go simply because life feels overwhelming. You do not need a diagnosis to benefit from therapy—it can be helpful for anyone at any stage of life.
Here are some of the most common reasons people seek out therapy:
Support for Diagnosed Mental Health Conditions
Mood disorders, such as conditions like depression or bipolar disorder. Therapy can help manage symptoms, build coping skills, and provide support alongside other treatments.
Anxiety or stress-related disorders. Feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or stuck can be exhausting. Therapy can help you understand your triggers and develop strategies to feel more in control.
Neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD or autism spectrum disorder often to develop coping strategies and improve daily functioning.
Severe mental health conditions, including psychotic disorders and certain personality disorders, where therapy can help manage symptoms alongside other treatments like medication.
Trauma Processing
For those who have experienced trauma, whether from childhood, relationships, military service, or accidents, therapy offers a safe space to process and reduce the impact of painful memories.
Support Through Life Stressors
Not every reason is clinical. Many people seek therapy during:
Major life transitions (graduation, career changes, retirement).
Loss of a loved one or grief-related challenges.
New parenthood and adjusting to new roles and responsibilities
Work struggles such as burnout, conflict with coworkers, or lack of fulfillment.
Relationship issues within families, marriages, or partnerships.
Social stressors like bullying, isolation, or cultural identity struggle.
Support for Growth and Self-Understanding
Personal insight: Therapy helps you understand yourself better—your thoughts, emotions, and patterns.
Building resilience: Life is full of challenges, and therapy can give you the tools to handle setbacks, make intentional choices, and feel more capable.
At its core, therapy is about support. If something in your life feels heavy, confusing, or unmanageable, therapy can provide tools and perspective to help you carry it.
Addiction and Substance Use
Therapy at Manas Cor provides tools to understand the root causes of addiction, build healthier coping strategies, and support long-term recovery.
Who Can Administer Therapy?
Not everyone who offers a listening ear or advice is a trained therapist. Therapy is provided by trained professionals who have gone through years of education, supervised training, and licensure. Depending on your needs, you might work with:
Clinical Psychologists (PhD or PsyD). Specialize in diagnosing and treating mental health conditions. They may use evidence-based approaches like CBT or psychodynamic therapy and sometimes conduct psychological testing.
Licensed Professional Counselors (LPCs). Provide talk therapy for a wide range of issues, from anxiety to relationship challenges.
Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSWs). Often provide therapy in community or healthcare settings, with a focus on both mental health and connecting clients to resources.
Psychiatrists (MD or DO). Medical doctors who can prescribe medication and may provide therapy, though many focus more on medication management in collaboration with therapists.
Choosing the right type of therapist often depends on your background, current concerns, and therapeutic goals.
What Does Therapy Look Like? Approaches and Methods
Therapy isn’t one-size-fits-all. Different approaches exist, and a good therapist will tailor treatment to your goals and needs. Here are some of the most common modalities:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Helps you notice patterns in your thoughts (helpful and unhelpful) and behaviors and learn practical ways to change the ones that aren’t serving you. Often used for anxiety, depression, and stress. Widely used for anxiety and depression.
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). A specialized form of CBT often used for PTSD and trauma. It helps you process difficult experiences and change unhelpful thinking about them.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Focuses on accepting your thoughts and feelings rather than fighting them, while helping you take actions that align with what matters most to you.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). Combines skill-building with mindfulness and strategies to manage strong emotions. Often used for emotional regulation and coping with intense stress.
Internal Family Systems (IFS). Explores the “parts” within us—different subpersonalities or emotional states—to foster self-compassion and healing.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Uses guided eye movements or tapping to help process traumatic memories.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). A gold-standard treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) to help gradually face feared situations or thoughts and reduce compulsive behaviors over time.
Prolonged Exposure Therapy. Gradual exposure to trauma reminders to reduce fear and avoidance.
Psychodynamic Therapy: Explores unconscious patterns, past experiences, and relationships to understand current struggles.
Most therapists draw from more than one approach, creating a personalized plan that evolves as you do.
Therapy Settings
Therapy can take place in many different formats, depending on what works best for your needs:
Individual Therapy: One-on-one sessions between you and a therapist.
Group Therapy: A small group of clients meets together with a therapist, offering shared perspectives and peer support.
Family Therapy: Addresses family dynamics, communication, and patterns that affect everyone in the household.
Couples or Marriage Counseling: Focuses on communication, conflict resolution, and relationship health.
How Long Does Therapy Last?
There’s no universal timeline for therapy. Some people seek therapy for acute, short-term needs—such as navigating grief or a specific stressor. Others engage in long-term therapy, exploring deeper patterns and working toward ongoing growth.
It’s not about speed; it’s about what works for you. The frequency and duration of sessions should be discussed openly with your therapist and may shift over time.
Short-term, goal-focused therapy. Modalities like CBT are often structured for about 9–12 sessions. This provides a clear framework to track progress, set goals, and learn practical skills. Even in longer-term therapy, these markers can help measure progress and provide structure.
Trauma-focused therapy. Approaches like CPT, EMDR, or prolonged exposure may take longer, depending on the intensity and complexity of trauma. The pace is guided by safety and readiness.
Relationship or family therapy. The length can vary widely, from a few sessions to address a specific conflict to ongoing work on communication and dynamics.
Exploratory or psychodynamic therapy. Some clients choose long-term therapy to gain insight into patterns, relationships, and personal growth. Duration is flexible and evolves with the client’s journey.
The First Few Sessions: Intake and Setting Goals
The first few sessions of therapy are a foundation for everything that follows. These early meetings are not just about sharing your story—they’re a collaborative process to understand your needs, clarify expectations, and create a roadmap for your growth.
Getting to know you. Your therapist will explore your background, current life circumstances, mental health history, strengths, challenges, and past experiences with therapy or other treatments.
Clarifying presenting concerns: Together, you’ll identify what feels most pressing or difficult in your life. This helps your therapist understand patterns, triggers, and areas where support is needed most.Building rapport and safety. Therapy works best when you feel understood, respected, and safe. Early sessions are a time to establish trust, ask questions about the process, and discuss confidentiality and boundaries.
Collaborative goal-setting. By the third or fourth session, you and your therapist typically begin setting treatment goals together. These are concrete, personalized goals—like reducing anxiety, improving communication, coping with grief, or building routines. Goal-setting provides direction, helps measure progress, and gives a sense of accomplishment along the way.
Choosing the approach. Based on your goals and needs, your therapist may recommend a specific modality (CBT, DBT, etc.) or a combination. You’ll discuss preferences and understand how therapy will look week-to-week.
Planning logistics. Early sessions also cover practical details: session frequency, length, cancellations, and exercises or “homework” to support your progress between sessions.
Think of these first sessions as laying the foundation: they create a safe space, establish clarity and structure, and set the stage for meaningful work.
Barriers to Therapy—and How to Overcome Them
Unfortunately, while therapy can be life-changing, barriers often prevent people from accessing it. Here are some of the most common challenges—and potential solutions.
Cost and Insurance
Insurance coverage. Some therapists accept insurance directly, while others don’t.
Co-pays and coinsurance. Even with insurance, you may have partial out-of-pocket costs.
Superbills. Some out-of-network therapists provide itemized receipts you can submit for partial reimbursement.
Sliding scale. Many therapists adjust their rates based on income.
Community clinics. Offer low-cost or free options for those in need.
Time Commitment
Weekly sessions can feel overwhelming. Other scheduling options include bi-weekly therapy or short-term therapy models.
Virtual therapy has made scheduling easier, offering flexibility for busy lifestyles.
Social, Cultural, and Family Stigma
Many people are still discouraged by seeking mental health support, framing it as weakness. But therapy can be as private as you want—it’s your journey, not anyone else’s.
Increasing awareness and open conversation are helping dismantle these stigmas. For some, admitting struggles may be seen as embarrassing, or feared to bring judgment from others.
Cultural beliefs: In some communities, emotional or psychological distress is interpreted differently—for example, as a spiritual issue or personal failing. This can create confusion about whether therapy is the right approach or helpful.
Family pressures: Loved ones may discourage therapy, believing that issues should be “handled at home” or that talking to a stranger is risky.
Social norms: Societal expectations, like always being “strong,” “independent,” or “resilient,” can make seeking support feel like a betrayal of these ideals.
Finding the Right Therapist in DC: Ensuring a Good Therapeutic Fit
Therapy is most effective when there’s a strong fit between you and your therapist. Here’s how to approach the search:
Check credentials: Make sure your therapist is licensed.
Ask about their approach: Do they use CBT, psychodynamic therapy, or something else? Does it align with your goals?
Talk to them before committing to sessions: It’s okay to ask therapists about their experience with your specific issue.
Test the fit: You may need to try a few therapists before finding someone you click with. That’s normal.
Speak up: Therapy is collaborative. If something isn’t working, you can bring it up and adjust
Remember: at the end of the day, this is your journey. The therapist works for you, not the other way around. More importantly, Therapy is a collaborative process: You set the pace, share your goals, and decide what feels most helpful with your therapist. Your voice matters, your experiences matter, and the work you do in therapy is guided by your needs, not anyone else’s expectations.
Getting the Most Out of Therapy
Therapy isn’t magic. You won’t feel instantly “fixed” after one session. Like learning a skill or building muscle, it takes consistency, honesty, and practice. Here are some tips to maximize your experience:
Be honest—even when it’s uncomfortable. Therapy only works if you’re willing to bring your real self into the room.
Expect hard work. Therapy often asks you to revisit painful memories or challenge ingrained habits. It’s not always easy, but it is worth it.
Practice outside the session. If your therapist gives you “homework,” like journaling or practicing coping skills, follow through. Real change happens between sessions.
Be patient. Growth takes time. Progress may be gradual, but small steps add up to transformation.
Summing It All Up
In reality, therapy isn’t just for people in crisis—it’s for anyone who wants to better understand themselves, cope with life’s challenges, or grow into a healthier, more balanced version of themselves.
By learning about what therapy is, who provides it, what approaches are available, and how to get the most out of it, you’re already one step closer to taking charge of your mental health.
Therapy doesn’t mean something is wrong with you. It means you’re investing in yourself—your healing, your growth, and your future.
Find Support Through Individual or Group Therapy in Washington, DC
If you’ve been thinking about starting therapy but aren’t sure where to begin, you’re not alone. At Manas Cor Psychological Services, our team of licensed psychologists in Washington, DC offers individual therapy, group therapy, and psychological testing to support you in understanding yourself, managing stress, and building resilience. Whether you’re navigating trauma, anxiety, or simply feeling stuck, we’re here to guide you with compassion and evidence-based care.
Reach out today to schedule a consultation and learn more about therapy here.
Explore our blogs for more insights into counseling.
Learn how therapy can help you move forward with clarity, confidence, and hope.
Other Mental Health Services We Offer in DC
In addition to individual therapy, we also provide psychological testing and assessment, and group therapy for adolescents and adults. Whether you're navigating anxiety, depression, life transitions, relationship challenges, or the lingering effects of past experiences, therapy offers a supportive space to process, reflect, and grow, both one-on-one and in community with others.
