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Picture this: you’re on Psychology Today or Therapy Den and you’re trying to find a therapist. But you’re confused about the different types of therapy and therapy modalities. You’ve had therapy in the past and have a general sense of what works and doesn’t, but you're not a therapist and have no clue what “EMDR” or “ACT” means under the specialty categories.

Hi, I’m Stevie, a licensed therapist specializing in trauma and anxiety disorders, and I’m here to help.

What are Therapy Modalities?

Therapy modalities are the different approaches or methods that therapists use to help people navigate emotional, psychological, or behavioral challenges. Each modality offers its own unique tools and techniques, often grounded in specific psychological theories and research. Some focus on understanding and changing thought patterns, while others emphasize body awareness or storytelling as a path to healing. By learning about different types of therapy, you can better understand how a therapist might work with you and find a therapy approach that resonates with your personal needs and goals.

While I certainly cannot provide an exhaustive list of all the therapy modalities out there, I hope to be able to give you a feel for different ways therapists work and the best therapy modalities for trauma healing. And if you’re unsure of what somebody does when they say “CBT,” don’t be afraid to email them and ask. That’s what therapists are here for!

Popular Therapy Modalities Explained

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

What is EMDR and how does it work? EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. You might have actually seen people doing it in movies or articles. I know I got excited when I saw a segment a while back which explored Prince Harry’s journey with EMDR therapy.

This therapy modality was discovered by Francine Shapiro, who, after getting a cancer diagnosis, was walking around a park and started looking left and right at the trees along her path. She noticed that she started to feel better emotionally, which started a flood of research about how eye movements or bilateral stimulation helps the hemispheres of the brain to talk to each other. EMDR is a wild looking therapy, but once you get over the absurdity of it, it is remarkable.

Think about trauma as a large thanksgiving dinner - extremely hard to digest. It is hard to remember what you even ate, and oftentimes if you ate enough, it could make you sick. That’s how trauma is - a horrific experience that cannot be digested by the brain because it was too scary to do so. EMDR therapy helps the brain to “digest” the content of the memory so that it isn’t as triggering anymore.

Find more information on EMDR at emdria.org

Somatic Experiencing

Somatic Experiencing is another therapy modality for trauma. It was created by Peter Levine in the 1970’s and addresses how trauma impacts the physiology and the nervous system. We have found through research that all animals, including humans, need to complete self-protective responses in order to move through trauma.

There are various books about this phenomenon, such as Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers, Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma, and The Body Keeps the Score. All of these books speak about, in their own unique ways, the toll that chronic stress and/or trauma take on the body and the hopeful message that we can actually do something about it. Somatic Experiencing helps individuals heal from this trauma.

For a more detailed description of Somatic Experiencing, visit my blog here.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a mindfulness-based talk therapy that helps clients to become less distressed and distracted by their thoughts and focus on the present. In this therapy modality, instead of allowing thoughts to come into the mind and wreak havoc on your mood and physical body, the therapist will help the client to see those thoughts as simple distortions that don’t always need to be paid attention to.

ACT has a big focus on personal values, and helps the client to simply notice the distress going on in their life and refocus on what their value system is and find ways to honor that. We all go through stressful seasons of life, or even have chronic stressors that have no end in sight. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy focuses on helping the client to understand that they don’t have to be okay with things they can’t fix, but they can have some power over their focus and shift their awareness to things that serve them better. Click here to read more about this methodology.

Narrative Therapy

You could probably guess what narrative therapy is getting at. We all have stories, or narratives, that shape our lives. Sometimes, parts of our narrative are less than helpful and if they go unchallenged, they can create disturbances.

Narrative therapy is a therapy modality that helps clients to look at the ways in which they view their life, helping them to deconstruct specific plots within that narrative in order to understand the reality of the situation better, therefore understanding themselves better. It emphasizes the malleability of our thoughts and feelings, and the empowerment of each client to change their narrative.

Narrative therapy can be particularly helpful for those who find metaphor and journaling meaningful. It does require clients to have a higher level of self-insight which can be cultivated in session with the therapist.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is one of the most popular therapy modalities due to its effectiveness and robust body of research. It is popular for behavioral change and has a wide array of applications for Dissociative Identity Disorder, Depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, eating disorders, and so on. Most therapists, whether they are explicit about it or not, use components of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to some degree with their clients. This therapy modality is a nice framework to use in order to set the stage for other interventions as well.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy was developed by Dr. Aaron Beck with the goal of helping clients to understand that their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are all interconnected. The idea here is that if you impact one, the others will most likely follow. With Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, there is emphasis placed on thoughts and how they can be distorted in different ways. Here is a concise list of common types of thought distortions which can be helpful for clients to get used to noticing and reframing in order to help themselves feel better and behave in a way that honors their value systems.

Brainspotting

I like to think about brainspotting as EMDR’s relaxed and cool cousin. Brainspotting utilizes the field of vision as a cue to where some difficult memory can be accessed. In a way, it fuses some of the somatic and EMDR therapies.

Oftentimes, when clients are discussing difficult content in therapy, they will tend to look in a certain direction. A “brainspot” is a point in visual space that a client has a strong reaction to. By focusing on this brainspot (which is connected to the subcortical brain), the therapist is able to really target the difficult emotion or trauma content in order to help the client process more effectively.

Just like with other therapy modalities, the goal of brainspotting is to help reduce the activation (heightened emotional and/or physical response) to the topic being worked on. There are various ways to check and make sure that it has been effective with the client, just like EMDR and Somatic Experiencing.

So Which Therapy Modality is Right for Me?

So, some disappointing news: I can’t really tell you.

You might be drawn to a specific modality because of the way you see the world and relate to your own distress. You also might know what “vibes,” for lack of better words, are attractive to you based off of your own experience with different therapy modalities. Perhaps your friend tried Somatic Experiencing with her therapist and found it super helpful and you’re intrigued and want to give it a go. There is no bad reason for wanting to try a specific type of therapy, and I highly encourage clients to be open with this about their therapist, especially if the therapist uses multiple therapy modalities. Don't be afraid to ask to switch it up in a session so you can get a feel for different ways your therapist can work with you, or while looking for a new therapist to go with an intervention that you feel drawn to “just because.” The best way to find out if something is for you is to try it!

Ready to Start Your Healing Journey?

If you’re feeling drawn to explore EMDR or Somatic Therapy, I’d be honored to work with you. As a therapist specializing in these modalities, I offer a compassionate and personalized approach to help you process trauma, reduce stress, and reconnect with yourself. Whether you’re new to therapy or looking to try something different, I’m here to support you every step of the way.

Click here to schedule a free consultation or reach out to learn more about how we can work together. Let’s find the approach that feels right for you.

Happy healing, friends :)

CONTACT STEVIE

Frequently Asked Questions About Therapy Modalities

Therapy modalities are different approaches or techniques that therapists use to help clients address emotional, psychological, and behavioral concerns. Each modality offers unique methods for healing and personal growth, from talk therapy to body-based techniques like Somatic Experiencing and EMDR.
Choosing a therapy modality depends on your personal experiences, needs, and preferences. You might be drawn to a specific approach, like EMDR for trauma, or prefer talk therapy for general support. It’s always okay to ask your therapist about different modalities and explore what feels right for you.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a therapy modality designed to help people process and heal from traumatic memories. It uses guided eye movements or other forms of bilateral stimulation to help the brain reprocess distressing experiences, reducing their emotional impact.
Somatic Experiencing is a body-focused therapy that helps people release stored tension and trauma from their nervous system. It’s helpful for anyone experiencing the effects of chronic stress, anxiety, or trauma, especially if you notice physical symptoms like tension or fatigue.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focuses on mindfulness, acceptance, and living according to your values, helping you shift your focus from unhelpful thoughts to what matters most. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps identify and change negative thought patterns that influence feelings and behaviors. Both are effective, but they approach healing in different ways.
Yes! Many therapists, including myself, integrate different modalities to best support each client’s needs. For example, we might combine EMDR with talk therapy or incorporate Somatic techniques to help process difficult emotions more effectively.

Guide to Popular Therapy Modalities: EMDR, CBT, ACT & More

What are Therapy Modalities?

Popular Therapy Modalities Explained