Therapy and counseling

Therapy, also called counseling or psychotherapy, helps people build skills and make positive changes in their lives. It gives you a safe place to talk about your thoughts, feelings and challenges. Therapy can also help you build skills to manage stress and change habits that may be creating struggles in your life.

Therapy can help improve your relationships, well-being and daily life.

Therapy sessions are confidential and follow strict privacy rules, with some legal and safety exceptions. This means your therapist will usually keep what you share private. You and your therapist work together at your own pace. Sharing openly when you feel ready can help your therapist better support you and your goals.

What to expect during therapy and counseling

Therapy usually starts with a conversation with your therapist. They will use this time to learn about:

You and your experiences
What you’re struggling with
How your struggles are affecting your life
Your accomplishments
Your strengths

From there, you and your therapist will work together to create a plan based on your needs and goals.

Sessions are usually held weekly—in person or virtually. You and your therapist will adjust your sessions to fit your needs and concerns. You may talk about your thoughts, feelings, relationships and experiences. Your therapist may help you set goals and track your progress over time. They may also ask you to complete short worksheets or practice skills between sessions.

Depending on your needs, your therapist may recommend other types of support, too.

How therapy and counseling can help

Therapy may help people manage many kinds of mental health concerns, including:

Anger or strong emotions
Anxiety
Depression
Eating disorders
Feeling stuck
Living with a chronic illness
Low self-esteem
Stress
Substance use and addiction
Difficult feelings after a traumatic experience

Therapy can also help people cope with life events and challenges, such as:

Family conflict
Grief
Hard experiences
Job loss
Major life changes
Relationship problems
School or work stress

Benefits of therapy and counseling

Therapy may help you:

Understand your thoughts and feelings
Learn about and accept who you are
Improve your daily life and health
Reduce stress, anxiety and depression
Communicate better
Cope with the impact of an illness
Manage grief and loss
Strengthen relationships
Build coping skills and make helpful changes in your thoughts, feelings and behaviors

Find the right care for you

Caring, personalized support for your mental health. Connect with a mental health professional and get started today.

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Footnotes

American Psychiatric Association, What is Psychotherapy? April 2023.

American Psychological Association, Understanding psychotherapy and how it works. December 12, 2023.

Optum, Comparing Types Of Therapy. Accessed May 20, 2026.