Are you looking to get the absolute most out of your therapy?
Most people think that choosing one therapy type will check all the boxes when it comes to treating their mental health struggles. However…
Unless you’re highly knowledgeable on therapy, there’s a good chance just going with one type of therapy isn’t going to be enough. Mental health conditions respond better to different treatments. And part of figuring out the right therapy type is understanding how to combine multiple therapies to maximize your results.
The problem?
People often go with one therapy approach that only targets one aspect of their mental health. This can produce results after a time. But eventually they hit a roadblock and wonder why they’re no longer improving. Frustrating… right? It doesn’t have to be that way.
Great news! The standard for quality mental health treatment is shifting toward combining different therapy types. And science has proven it too.
Let’s dive into why.
You’ll learn
- Why One Type of Therapy Isn’t Enough
- How Combining Therapies Trumps Single Methods
- The Best Therapy Combinations to Know
- Finding the Right Combination for You
Why One Type of Therapy Isn’t Enough
Think about all the factors that contribute to your mental health.
Pretty complex, right?
Well, that’s why there isn’t just ONE therapy approach that works for everyone.
Look at two of the most common treatments…
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, helps rewire negative thought patterns. But it doesn’t directly address the emotional trauma that causes a lot of those thought patterns in the first place. On the flip side, medication can help correct imbalances in your brain. But won’t teach you how to deal with certain situations or manage stress.
Different methods focus on different things.
That’s why so many treatment centres and providers are starting to offer combined therapies. By meshing together different treatment styles, you can target your mental health from all angles.
One of the first steps to choosing the right therapy type is knowing that there’s rarely a one-and-done solution. If you want to see the full benefits of therapy, work with providers that specialise in combining treatments. You can learn more about their programs to see what an integrated therapy plan looks like.
Even data from the CDC shows that mental health treatment of any kind is on the rise. Between 2019 and 2023, the percentage of adults that sought treatment for their mental health went from 19.2% to 23.9%. This means more people are receiving mental health treatment than ever before. And when people begin therapy, many find out that just one type of treatment isn’t enough.
How Combining Therapies Trumps Single Methods
If you combine two types of therapy that target different aspects of mental health, what happens?
You get better results.
One study published in Psychological Medicine showed that combining psychotherapy and medication had a greater impact than using either method alone. Not only did patients in the study report improved quality of life, but they also noticed their day-to-day functions got easier.
Combining therapy types don’t just have to include medication. Psychotherapy comes in many different shapes and forms. And when you take two types that target different areas of your mental health, you’ll experience the benefits of both.
Take Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and mindfulness practices for example.
CBT helps you change your thought patterns.
Mindfulness and meditation help you manage stress in the present moment.
By combining the two, you get this:
- New ways to think about stressful situations
- Tools to keep you level when you’re feeling overwhelmed
When you look at it that way, it only makes sense to combine different types of treatment. It’s like trickling your mental health dry with the right therapies.
The Best Therapy Combinations to Know
Believe it or not, certain combinations work better than others. While there are countless ways to combine different therapies, these are some of the most effective combinations backed by research.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy + Medication
This combination is a classic for a reason. Medication can help you feel stable enough to participate in your therapy sessions. While CBT gives you the tools to change your mindset and thought patterns over time.
Some conditions that respond extremely well to CBT + medication include:
- Major Depression
- Generalised Anxiety Disorder
- Panic Disorder
- OCD
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy + Mindfulness-Based Therapy
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, or MBCT was created to help reduce the risk of relapse for people who suffered from depression. It combines traditional CBT with mindfulness strategies.
The end result? Patients learn how to recognize their emotional triggers. While also providing them with tools to better manage those triggers when they appear.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy + Individual Therapy
This might be a combination you’ve never heard of. DBT or Dialectical Behaviour Therapy is a form of psychotherapy that consists of group skills training and individual therapy.
It’s most commonly used to treat people who experience extreme emotions and have trouble maintaining relationships.
During DBT, you learn four different skills:
- Mindfulness
- Distress Tolerance
- Emotion Regulation
- Interpersonal Effectiveness
You then apply those skills to your individual therapy sessions to learn how to best handle situations that may arise.
Talk Therapy + Holistic Healing Practices
This combination is quickly gaining popularity. Things like yoga, exercise, and meditation can help your body cope with stress better. And when your body isn’t flooded with stress hormones, talk therapy becomes that much more effective.
It’s like laying the perfect groundwork for your therapy sessions.
How To Know Which Combination Is Right For You
Here’s the kicker…
There’s no hard and fast rule for what therapy combination will be best for you. Everyone’s mental health is different and requires a unique approach.
A skilled therapist will take into consideration:
- What health condition you’re treating
- How severe your condition is
- Your personal history and trauma
- Your preference
- How you’ve responded to treatment in the past
The goal is to create a well-rounded treatment plan that attacks your mental health from every direction. Not only will this treat the issues you’re currently experiencing, but it also sets you up for long-term recovery.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions either. A good treatment provider will walk you through their process and explain why they think a certain combination will work for you.
Wrap Up
You don’t have to rely on just one type of therapy to reach your mental health goals. In fact, by combining different types of treatment you can fill in the cracks that might be missing from your mental health treatment.
Here are the biggest takeaways from this article:
- Every therapy type addresses different aspects of mental health
- A combination of therapies will treat your mental health more thoroughly
- There’s no one-size-fits-all therapy combination
- Talk to a professional to learn more about different types of therapy
Mental health treatment is always advancing. Thanks to new research and better overall treatment facilities, people have more options than ever to get their mental health under control.
Don’t settle for just one type of therapy if there’s a possibility combining different ones could have you living your best life.
