Signs that you could benefit from therapy include:

  • You feel an overwhelming, prolonged sense of helplessness and sadness.
  • Your problems don't seem to get better despite your efforts and help from family and friends.
  • You find it difficult to concentrate on work assignments or to carry out other everyday activities.
  • You worry excessively, expect the worst or are constantly on edge.
  • Your actions, such as drinking too much alcohol, using drugs or being aggressive, are harming you or others.

Psychotherapy can be helpful in treating most mental health problems, including:

  • Anxiety disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), phobias, panic disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Mood disorders, such as depression or bipolar disorder
  • Addictions, such as alcoholism, drug dependence or compulsive gambling
  • Eating disorders, such as anorexia or bulimia
  • Personality disorders, such as borderline personality disorder or dependent personality disorder
  • Schizophrenia or other disorders that cause detachment from reality (psychotic disorders)

Not everyone who benefits from psychotherapy is diagnosed with a mental illness.
Psychotherapy can help with a number of life's stresses and conflicts that can affect anyone.
For example, it may help you:

  • Resolve conflicts with your partner or someone else in your life
  • Relieve anxiety or stress due to work or other situations
  • Cope with major life changes, such as divorce, the death of a loved one or the loss of a job
  • Learn to manage unhealthy reactions, such as road rage or passive-aggressive behavior
  • Come to terms with an ongoing or serious physical health problem, such as diabetes, cancer or long-term (chronic) pain
  • Recover from physical or sexual abuse or witnessing violence
  • Cope with sexual problems, whether they're due to a physical or psychological cause
  • Sleep better, if you have trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep (insomnia)

The number of psychotherapy sessions you need — as well as how frequently you
need to see your therapist — depends on such factors as:

  • Your particular mental illness or situation
  • Severity of your symptoms
  • How long you've had symptoms or have been dealing with your situation
  • How quickly you make progress
  • How much stress you're experiencing?
  • How much your mental health concerns interfere with day-to-day life
  • How much support you receive from family members and others?
  • Cost and insurance limitations

Trust is a basic component to psychotherapy, and all of our client information is confidential.

Take steps to get the most out of your therapy and help make it a success.

  • Make sure you feel comfortable with your therapist.
  • Approach therapy as a partnership. Therapy is most effective when you're an active participant and share in decision-making. Make sure you and your therapist agree about the major issues and how to tackle them. Together, you can set goals and measure progress over time.
  • Be open and honest.
  • Stick to your treatment plan. If you feel down or lack motivation, it may be tempting to skip psychotherapy sessions. Doing so can disrupt your progress. Try to attend all sessions and to give some thought to what you want to discuss.
  • Don't expect instant results.
  • Do your homework between sessions. If your therapist asks you to document your thoughts in a journal or do other activities outside of your therapy sessions, follow through.
  • If psychotherapy isn't helping, talk to your therapist about it.