Therapy basics
Do you actually need a therapist, or is a workbook enough?
Read first
A clinician's threshold framework for when self-help is enough, when to talk to someone, and the grey-zone signs in between.
Guides
Background reading on the therapy ideas I write about.
Longer pieces on cognitive behavioural therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, journaling, and how to think about choosing support. No product picks on this page — just the background you might want before reading a review.
Where to start
Four guides are live. If you're not yet sure whether you need a therapist at all, read the first card. For a side-by-side of actual tools (therapy platforms, apps, workbooks, journals), the comparison of therapy and tools is the buying-side companion.
Quick answer
- Read first: "Do you actually need a therapist?" — the threshold framework for self-help vs talking to someone.
- Then pick by problem: "Which type of therapy fits which problem?" maps CBT, DBT, ACT, psychodynamic, and EMDR to common reasons people come in.
- Considering online? "Is online therapy actually effective?" is the clinician's read of the evidence — not the marketing version.
- Before your first session: "What I'd want you to ask" is the pre-booking checklist.
The four guides
Each guide stands alone. Read them in any order, or follow the sequence in the quick answer above.
Therapy types
Which type of therapy fits which problem?
Map of methods
A plain-English map of CBT, DBT, ACT, psychodynamic, and EMDR — and which one I'd start with for the problem you're bringing.
Online therapy
Is online therapy actually effective?
What the research shows
A clinician's read of what the research really shows about online therapy, and where the marketing runs ahead of the evidence.
First session
What I'd want you to ask before booking your first therapy session
Pre-booking checklist
A working clinician's checklist of the questions that actually matter, including the online-specific red flags most platforms won't surface.
How I write these
I'm Antonia Moosmann, a licensed clinical psychologist. The way I write these guides is in the editorial policy and how I review. I name what I'm sure about, what I'm guessing at, and where I haven't tested something myself.