Taking A “What Type Of Therapy Do I Need?” Quiz (UK)

The UK has seen a significant rise in the popularity of talk therapy for mental health in recent years. According to the most recent Public Perceptions Survey by the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP), approximately 30% of adults in the UK sought therapy or counselling over the past 12 months. While more and more people are interested in seeking mental health services, deciding what type of therapy might be best for an individual’s unique situation can be confusing. Here, we’ll discuss a few common therapy types as well as online quizzes that may help you determine therapy options to explore. Taking a short quiz online is a quick task, and a simple quiz such as this can move you along your path.

Why do people seek support through therapy

People seek support through therapy for a variety of reasons—from emotional struggles to physical symptoms. They may be experiencing difficult emotions such as anger, depression, or anxiety. Or, they may be experiencing stress from a life transition such as moving, divorce, or losing a job. Some people seek therapy to understand and overcome trauma. And yet others go to therapy to learn to cope with physical symptoms such as gastrointestinal issues or insomnia.    

How a quiz can offer guidance

A short quiz on therapy types isn’t meant to have all the answers, yet it can be incredibly helpful. This type of simple quiz isn’t diagnostic, meaning it won’t tell you what’s going on with you emotionally or diagnose a mental disorder. Instead, it will offer guidance on which therapy type might fit best and can point towards some meaningful next steps.

What’s in a “What type of therapy do I need” quiz (UK)?

A therapy quiz may ask about your emotional tendencies and preferences for problem-solving. Some therapy quizzes may also ask about any pre-existing mental illnesses, such as mood disorders or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Some ask about medical conditions and chronic pain, too. These can often affect a person’s mental health, so individuals who experience such conditions may benefit most from specific types of therapy. 

Where can I find a quiz that matches people with various types of therapy?

Several organizations offer online quizzes that may orient people toward appropriate types of therapy for their circumstances. One such quiz can be found through Therapy Finders, which also offers information about various therapy types. This organization provides a brief quiz with multiple-choice questions that ask about how the person prefers to express themselves and how they tend to approach challenges in life. 

Another quiz that may help people identify some suitable options for therapy approaches can be found on ProProfs.com. Users can answer a series of 10 questions about emotion regulation, mental health diagnoses, behavioural challenges, functioning in daily life, and other topics. These results may help guide individuals toward a type of therapy that might be a good match for their personality and mental health needs. 

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for mental health

CBT is one of the most extensively studied and widely practiced forms of therapy today, and a common result of “What type of therapy do I need?” quizzes. It focuses on helping clients learn how to identify and replace inaccurate or negative thoughts. This process may, in turn, help them shift negative emotions, which may lead to more desirable behaviours over time, too. CBT is used to treat a wide variety of mental health challenges, from depression and stress to low self-esteem and social anxiety.

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)

Acceptance and commitment therapy typically focuses on helping people accept their thoughts and emotions as valid responses to various situations. Rather than judging those thoughts and emotions, individuals can learn to recognize them and use this self-awareness to make decisions that are in line with their values. ACT is commonly used to treat substance use disorder as well as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety, among others. 

Psychodynamic therapy

Psychodynamic therapy comes from the psychoanalytic field, which focuses on the role of unconscious processes in the human experience. According to the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, psychodynamic therapy may help with depression, anxiety, addiction, and eating disorders. A therapist might use this modality to help individuals see how their unconscious mind and past experiences can shape their current feelings and behaviours.

Humanistic therapy

Humanistic therapy is a broad term that encompasses several modalities, including existential therapy, person-centred therapy, Gestalt therapy, and solution-focused therapy. Humanistic therapy tends to be a client-led form of care, and the therapist often helps the client through a process of self-exploration and personal growth as they discover their own answers to any challenges they’re facing. This modality is often used to treat anxiety and personality disorders, among other challenges. 

The role of a trained professional in therapy

A therapist is a trained professional with an advanced degree and clinical training. They don’t tell a client what to do or give advice. Instead, they form a strong therapeutic relationship with the client, and they guide the client through a collaborative process. This joint therapeutic process can help people gain insight into themselves and their challenges.

Finding a therapist for the type of therapy you need

If you’d like to pursue a specific or specialized form of therapy, you may be able to find an independent therapist nearby who practices that modality by searching therapist websites for the types of therapy they tend to practice. Or, it may be easier to search an online therapist directory and filter by therapy type or mental health conditions that therapists treat. You can also look for a therapist who aligns with your needs and preferences in other ways—such as someone who has experience working with LGBTQIA+ individuals or trauma survivors—and arrange a consultation to hear about the types of therapy they specialize in. 

Or, if you choose to seek free talk therapy through the NHS, you can receive a recommendation on what type of therapy could be helpful for you based on your situation. When you self-refer to talking therapies through the NHS, a practitioner will contact you to ask questions about your needs and symptoms, and a provider who practices a recommended form of therapy will then contact you.

It’s important to understand that different therapy styles address specific challenges such as anxiety, grief, or self-esteem. But no matter what a client’s experience is and what type of therapy they decide is right for them, therapy can be a path for both healing and self-development, leading to a healthier, more fulfilling life.

Online therapy for mental health

Another way to get help in finding the right type of therapy for you is to go through an online platform. For example, BetterHelp has a network of more than 5,000 therapists and counsellors in the UK. When you sign up for the service, you can get matched with a therapist according to your needs and preferences as outlined in a brief questionnaire. Online therapy also allows you to choose how you’d like to communicate with your therapist, whether by audio, video, live chat, or a combination of these methods. 

Over the last 15 years, numerous studies have suggested the effectiveness of online therapy for addressing a variety of conditions. In one systematic review and meta-analysis, for example, researchers suggest that online cognitive behavioural therapy can often be effective for addressing a number of disorders, including social anxiety, panic disorder, depression, bipolar disorder, substance use disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), among others.