Therapy 101

Starting therapy can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to figure it out alone. These guides cover the basics—from what to expect in your first session, to understanding the costs, to exploring different approaches and finding support for challenges like anxiety. Each resource is designed to make the process clearer and less intimidating, so you can focus on what matters most: taking care of your mental health.

Getting Therapy

How to find a therapist

Finding the right therapist can make a difference in the success of your therapy. This article walks you through where to look and how to decide which therapist is right for you.

Your first therapy session

Your first therapy session is the start of something meaningful. This article walks you through what to expect, how to prepare, and how to feel more comfortable from the start.

Therapy myths

Misconceptions about therapy can hold you back from getting the support you need. Learn what’s true and what’s not. This article clears up the most common myths that keep people from going to therapy. We're here to help you better understand what therapy is really like.

Types of therapy

This is your starting point for understanding the different types of therapy. This overview walks you through each of the common categories of therapy and who they work best for.

Read the full Getting Therapy guide

Paying for Therapy

Therapy covered by Medicaid

Learn about Medicaid’s role in covering mental health treatment, including eligibility, therapy costs, types of services covered, coverage limits, differences from Medicare, and how to find therapists who accept Medicaid for accessible care.

Therapy covered by insurance

Learn about how health insurance covers therapy, including copays, deductibles, telehealth, couples therapy limitations, pros and cons of using insurance, and steps to verify coverage, in-network providers, referrals, and reimbursement options for affordable mental health care.

Therapy covered by EAP, HSA or FSA

Learn about HSAs, FSAs, and EAPs as financial tools to make therapy and mental health care more affordable, including eligible expenses, key differences, and how employers support access to mental health services.

Common insurance challenges

Learn about navigating mental health insurance, including verifying coverage, common therapies covered, handling preauthorization, billing errors, denied claims, and reimbursement. Gain practical strategies to manage costs, maximize benefits, and access care with less stress and confusion.

Read the full Paying for Therapy guide

Anxiety

Talking about anxiety

It isn’t always easy to talk about anxiety, whether you’re the one feeling anxious or supporting someone who is. This article offers supportive ways to start the conversation, ask for help, or offer comfort when it matters most.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

Learn about generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), its causes, symptoms, risk factors, and how treatments like cognitive-behavioral therapy, medication, and professional support can help manage persistent and overwhelming worry.

How to relieve anxiety

Anxiety can feel intense and unpredictable, but you can build relief skills that work now and over time. In this article you will learn quick grounding techniques, lifestyle shifts, support options, and how to choose therapy or medication.

Panic disorder

Learn about panic disorder, including its causes, risk factors, symptoms, diagnostic process, and effective treatments like CBT, medication, and lifestyle changes, to better understand and manage this common anxiety condition.

Read the full Anxiety guide

Types of Therapy

Polyvagal therapy

Based on understanding the vagus nerve's role in stress responses, polyvagal therapy teaches your body to choose calm over fight-flight-freeze reactions through breathing exercises and social engagement practices.

Schema therapy

Schema therapy is like rewiring the mental patterns you developed as a child to survive difficult situations. Learn how this approach helps you understand intense emotional reactions and build healthier adult responses.

Brainspotting therapy

Brainspotting uses eye positions to access deep brain regions where trauma is stored. This article explains its origins, how sessions work, what conditions it treats, evidence of effectiveness, and how to find a trained therapist

Prolonged exposure therapy (PE)

Prolonged exposure therapy uses controlled, gradual confrontation of trauma triggers to treat PTSD symptoms. Discover how this evidence-based approach works, when it's recommended, and what session experiences are like.

Read the full Types of Therapy guide