Hey there, and welcome back to The Ariza Inspire Podcast— where we talk about all things mental health, self-growth, and learning to live with a little more compassion… especially for ourselves.

I’m Samantha, and today’s episode is one I’ve been really excited to dive into with you. We’re talking about therapy — specifically, the different kinds of therapy out there, what they’re good for, and how to know which one might fit you best.

If you’ve ever thought about starting therapy but felt completely overwhelmed by all the acronyms and names — CBT, DBT, EMDR, psychodynamic, humanistic… yeah, you’re not alone. It’s like walking into a smoothie shop where everything sounds good but you have no idea what any of it actually is.
So today, we’re breaking it all down. No jargon. No pressure. Just a cozy conversation about what’s out there and what might speak to you.

PART 1: WHY THERE ARE SO MANY TYPES OF THERAPY

Let’s start here: why are there even so many different types of therapy?

Well, because people are complicated. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for healing or self-understanding. What works for one person might do absolutely nothing for someone else — and that’s okay.

Some folks are super logical and love tools and structure. Others need space to feel and explore and reflect. Some are working through past trauma. Others are managing anxiety or building new habits. Different therapies are like different maps for different journeys. And today, we’ll walk through some of the most common ones — kind of like trying on outfits. No pressure to commit. Just see what feels like “you.”

PART 2: The Modalities

CBT – THE PRACTICAL TOOLKIT

Okay, let’s start with a classic: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT.

CBT is one of the most widely used therapy modalities out there — and for good reason. It’s kind of like mental health’s version of a Swiss Army knife. It’s structured, it’s goal-oriented, and it’s all about the connection between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

In CBT, you learn how to catch those sneaky automatic thoughts — like “I’m a failure” or “Nothing ever works out for me” — and then challenge them with evidence. You practice building new patterns of thinking and behaving that support your well-being.
It’s great for anxiety, depression, phobias, and even things like insomnia. But if you’re someone who wants clear tools, homework, and a focus on the here and now, CBT might be your jam.

That said — if you’re looking to explore deep emotional patterns or childhood stuff, CBT might feel a little surface-level. That’s where other approaches come in.

PSYCHODYNAMIC THERAPY – DIGGING DEEP

Let’s talk about Psychodynamic Therapy.
This one is kind of like therapy’s vintage leather journal. It’s rooted in Freudian ideas but way more modern now. Psychodynamic therapy is about exploring your unconscious patterns — the things you might not even realize are influencing your relationships, emotions, and decisions.

Your therapist might ask about your childhood, your family dynamics, recurring dreams, or patterns in your relationships. Together, you and your therapist become kind of like detectives — gently uncovering what’s beneath the surface.

This modality is often less structured than CBT, and it tends to take its time. But if you’re someone who wants to understand yourself more deeply, uncover hidden patterns, or work through long-standing emotional wounds, psychodynamic therapy can be really powerful.

HUMANISTIC THERAPY – THE POWER OF PRESENCE

Next up: Humanistic Therapy — which sounds kind of philosophical, and it sort of is.
This is the “you are worthy exactly as you are” type of therapy. It’s based on the belief that we all have an inner drive toward growth, healing, and self-actualization. Therapists who use this approach — like in Person-Centered Therapy (developed by Carl Rogers) — focus on creating a deeply empathetic, nonjudgmental space.

They’re not going to give you homework or try to fix you. They’re going to be with you. Fully present. Listening. Offering reflections. Helping you tap into your own wisdom.

This kind of therapy can be incredibly healing if you’ve never had someone just sit with you — with full acceptance — as you are. Especially if you’ve experienced shame, rejection, or trauma.

It’s less about specific tools and more about relational healing. And sometimes, that’s exactly what we need.

DBT – FOR BIG FEELINGS AND COMPLEX CHALLENGES

Let’s shift gears to Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT.

DBT was originally developed for people with Borderline Personality Disorder, but it’s now used for all kinds of issues — especially those involving big, intense emotions. So if you ever feel like your emotions go from zero to a hundred real fast, DBT might be worth exploring.

It’s structured, like CBT, but it also brings in mindfulness, emotional regulation, and interpersonal skills. DBT is all about holding two truths at once — like “I’m doing the best I can” AND “I want to do better.” That’s the “dialectic.”

It’s especially great for people struggling with self-harm, suicidal ideation, trauma, or really intense relationship challenges. It usually involves group and individual sessions, and there’s a big emphasis on learning concrete skills.

Think of DBT like a life raft for stormy emotional seas. It doesn’t make the waves go away, but it helps you stay afloat and steer through.

EMDR – HEALING TRAUMA THROUGH THE BODY

Okay, now let’s talk about something a little different: EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.

This one sounds a little out-there at first — I mean, eye movements and trauma healing? But EMDR is actually one of the most well-researched and effective treatments for trauma out there.

The basic idea is that when we go through something traumatic, our brain sometimes can’t fully process it. It gets kind of “stuck,” and that stuckness shows up later as flashbacks, anxiety, nightmares, or emotional overwhelm.

In EMDR, you revisit those traumatic memories while doing bilateral stimulation — usually eye movements, tapping, or sounds. That stimulation seems to help the brain “digest” the memory properly and rewire how it’s stored.

You don’t have to talk in detail about your trauma, and many people feel relief much faster than with traditional talk therapy. EMDR can be especially helpful for PTSD, abuse survivors, or anyone carrying a memory that still feels too “alive.”

SOMATIC THERAPIES – WHEN TALKING ISN’T ENOUGH

Sometimes, talking just isn’t enough. That’s where somatic therapies come in.
“Soma” means body — and somatic therapy focuses on how trauma and emotion live in the body. It’s not just in your head. It’s in your chest, your jaw, your posture, your breathing.

There are lots of kinds of somatic therapy — like Somatic Experiencing, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, or body-based mindfulness work. But they all share a belief that healing involves reconnecting with your physical self.

You might work on noticing tension, exploring physical sensations, grounding yourself through breath, or even movement. This can be incredibly helpful for trauma survivors, especially those who’ve disconnected from their bodies in order to cope.

If traditional talk therapy has felt flat or stuck for you, somatic work might offer a new path.

IFS – Internal Family Systems: Making Peace with Your Inner World

Have you ever felt like there are different parts of you pulling in opposite directions? Like one part of you wants to be productive, and another just wants to crawl under a blanket and hide?

Internal Family Systems, or IFS, is all about that. It’s based on the idea that we’re made up of many “parts” — kind of like an internal family — and each part has a role, even if it’s causing pain. Maybe there’s a critical part trying to protect you from failure. Or a sad part that’s holding onto an old wound.

In IFS, you learn to meet these parts with compassion, curiosity, and care — instead of trying to silence or shame them. The goal isn’t to get rid of parts, but to build a more trusting relationship between them… and with your core, wise self.

It’s incredibly healing for trauma, self-esteem, and inner conflict. Think of it as learning to lead your inner world with kindness.

ACT – Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Values Over Struggle

ACT — which stands for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy — is all about living a meaningful life, even when things feel hard.

Instead of trying to “get rid” of painful thoughts or emotions, ACT helps you accept them, and focus on committing to actions that align with your values. So rather than fighting your anxiety or avoiding discomfort, you learn how to carry those feelings with you while still moving toward the life you want.

It blends mindfulness, behavioral strategies, and values-based work — and it’s great for folks who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected from what really matters to them.

ACT says: Life will be messy. Pain is part of it. But you can still choose what kind of person you want to be in the middle of it all. That’s powerful.

Narrative Therapy – Rewriting the Story

Here’s a beautiful idea: You are not the problem. The problem is the problem.
That’s one of the core beliefs in Narrative Therapy, which sees our struggles as shaped by the stories we tell — and have been told — about ourselves.

Maybe you’ve been living under a story like “I always mess things up” or “I’m too sensitive.” Narrative therapy invites you to step back, explore where that story came from, and start rewriting it in a way that honors your strengths, values, and resilience.

It’s creative, empowering, and especially meaningful for people who’ve felt defined by trauma, culture, systems, or relationships. You’re not erasing your past — you’re reclaiming the pen.

Gestalt Therapy – Here and Now, Fully Felt

Gestalt Therapy is kind of like a mindfulness practice wrapped in a therapy session. It’s all about being present — not just in your thoughts, but in your body, your emotions, and your interactions.

In Gestalt work, you might explore unfinished business, unspoken feelings, or roles you’ve internalized. There’s often a focus on dialogue — sometimes even talking to different parts of yourself, or role-playing important people in your life.

It’s experiential and expressive. It doesn’t just ask, “What are you thinking?” — it asks, “What are you feeling right now, in this moment?”

If you’re someone who tends to live in your head, Gestalt can be a powerful way to reconnect with your whole self.

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy – Future First

Sometimes, when things feel overwhelming, what we need isn’t to dig into the past — but to focus on what’s working, and build from there.

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, or SFBT, is all about short-term, goal-oriented support. Instead of unpacking everything that’s wrong, your therapist will help you identify your strengths, successes, and small steps that can make a big difference.

You might be asked questions like, “What would be different if this problem disappeared tomorrow?” or “When was the last time things felt a little better?”
It’s hopeful, practical, and empowering — perfect if you’re looking for focused help with a specific challenge and want to move forward without going too deep into your history.

Attachment-Based Therapy – Healing Through Connection

At our core, we’re wired for connection. And how we learned to attach — especially early on — deeply shapes how we relate to others… and to ourselves.

Attachment-Based Therapy focuses on those foundational relationships and how they show up in the present. If you find yourself struggling with trust, intimacy, fear of abandonment, or emotional dependency, this kind of therapy can help you make sense of your patterns — not with blame, but with compassion.

It often involves building a secure relationship with your therapist — one that becomes a kind of “corrective emotional experience” — so you can learn what safe, healthy connection feels like.

Because sometimes, healing begins not with insight, but with being felt and held in a new way.


INTEGRATIVE AND ECLECTIC APPROACHES

And here’s a little secret: most therapists don’t stick to just one modality. Many are integrative or eclectic — meaning they draw from different styles depending on your needs.

So you might start with some CBT tools, explore your past with psychodynamic work, and do some somatic grounding — all with the same therapist. It’s kind of like cooking with a spice rack instead of just salt and pepper.

The important thing is finding a therapist who’s attuned to you — who listens, who’s open, and who’s willing to adjust their approach based on what actually helps.

PART 3: SO… HOW DO YOU PICK?

Okay, so how do you know what kind of therapy to choose?

Well, here are a few questions to think about:
• Do you want tools and structure, or space to explore?
• Are you dealing with trauma, anxiety, depression, relationship issues… or all of the above?
• Do you want short-term problem-solving, or long-term insight and growth?
• Do you feel more comfortable talking, or do you want to include your body and emotions more fully?

And honestly? It’s okay not to know. Many people start therapy not knowing what they need — and that’s perfectly fine. The first few sessions can be about figuring that out together with your therapist.

PART 4: FINAL THOUGHTS – YOU’RE ALLOWED TO BE CURIOUS

If you take one thing from today’s episode, let it be this:

You are allowed to be curious.

Therapy isn’t about being broken. It’s about being human — and having a safe place to sort through the messiness that comes with it.

You don’t have to pick the “perfect” therapy on the first try. You might try one modality and decide, “Hmm… not for me.” That’s okay. That’s part of the process.
You’re learning about yourself. You’re tuning into what feels helpful, what feels supportive, and what doesn’t. That is healing.

So wherever you are in your journey — just starting out, deep in the work, or therapy-curious — I hope this episode gave you a little clarity… and maybe even a little courage.

Because you deserve support that fits you. That honors your story. That helps you feel more connected to yourself and the people around you.

Thanks for spending this time with me today.

If you found this episode helpful, feel free to share it with a friend or leave a review — it really helps others find the show. And if there’s a therapy style you want me to explore more deeply in a future episode, let me know!

Take care of yourself — and I’ll see you next time.