Therapy, formally known as psychotherapy, is a form of treatment that helps to improve mental health, resolve emotional distress, and cope with challenges in everyday life. It offers a safe and confidential space where individuals can talk openly about their feelings, thoughts, and behaviors, with the support of a trained therapist. The goal of therapy? To help people develop coping skills, deepen their self-awareness and understanding, and make positive, meaningful changes for a better quality of life.

While the benefits of therapy are there (and backed by evidence), many people are skeptical when considering therapy for the first time. Perhaps that is why you are here, too. You might be wondering, “Will therapy actually work?” and “Will therapy help me feel better?” You might have questions around how therapy actually helps people, and whether it’s something you need.

You are in the right place. Below we’ll explore why therapy is helpful, who might need the support of therapy, and what to do if it’s not quite working for you.

The Evidence Behind Therapy for Mental Health

Before we unpack the science behind mental health therapy, it’s important to note that there are many different forms and modalities. Each type of therapy is backed by its own evidence, with varying degrees of effectiveness. In general, however, studies consistently show that psychotherapy brings about long-term benefits and change. As explained by Mental Health America (MHA), psychotherapy literally modifies gene expression and brain structure, strengthening connections between neurons and thereby reducing mental health symptoms. MHA experts state:

“Studies consistently show that behavioral and emotional interventions work just as well or even better than medication to treat various mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).”

The effectiveness of therapy lies largely in its effects on the prefrontal cortex. This is the part of our brain that controls executive functions like decision-making, rational thinking, stress response, emotional regulation, memory, attention, and social behaviors. Evidence-based therapies – specifically Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – have been shown to increase gray matter and cognitive function in this area of the brain. CBT has been linked to better emotional control, reduced negative thoughts, and less reactivity in response to stress and fear.

More broadly, science suggests that psychotherapy overall can reduce disability, morbidity, mortality, psychiatric hospitalization, and relapse of mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. Other types of therapy, like Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), have been found to reduce self-injury, suicide, and hospitalization in young people.

How Will Therapy Help You? Key Benefits

The effectiveness of professional therapy is clear, but how does this translate to you and your life? By attending therapy, or receiving professional mental health treatment, you can expect a variety of benefits, including an overall reduction in mental health symptoms. 

As outlined in our article, “The Benefits of Therapy for Mental Health,” here are some key advantages of therapy that you can look forward to:

1. Learn real coping strategies. Professional therapy can help you learn (and practice) healthy techniques for managing difficult feelings, situations, and stressors that arise.
2. Sharpen your problem-solving skills. Talking things through with a therapist can strengthen how you approach and solve challenges in your everyday life. 
3. Work through past trauma. A mental health professional can support you in uncovering and understanding unresolved pain or trauma, ultimately helping to reduce its impact on your life. 
4. Build better relationships. Therapy can help you understand patterns in your connections with others and guide you toward healthier relationships.
5. Boost self-esteem and confidence. As therapy teaches you more about yourself and your emotions, you’ll develop a higher level of confidence and self-love.
6. Communicate more clearly. Regular dialogue in therapy often improves your ability to express thoughts and feelings outside of sessions, too.
7. Make positive life changes. Therapy can help you shift habits, routines, or perspectives that aren’t serving you well, and turn them into something more positive.
8. Develop and reach your goals. Working with a therapist can help you define what you want for the future. Further, therapy can help plan ways to reach those goals and hold you accountable.
9. Adjust to life’s ups and downs. Therapy gives you a safe space to talk openly about life’s challenges. It also offers you tools to better handle both expected and unexpected changes that arise.
10. Feel more in control of your life. As you grow emotionally and develop tools for handling stress, you may feel more empowered overall after leaving therapy sessions.

How Long Until Therapy Really Helps?

When it comes to mental health treatment, you cannot rush the process. Treatment, including a variety of therapies, is a gradual process, not a quick fix. Progress happens over time. You will not have one, singular “aha!” moment where you feel like therapy fixed everything. However, you will feel it helping you a little more each session or each day. As explained by Mental Health America, “It’s slow and steady growth. You will know therapy is working for you when you notice a change in your general mood or mindset.”

This might mean challenging a negative thought, reacting to stress in a calmer way, or taking time to think before acting on impulse. It might mean pushing yourself to do something that scares you, and finding it easier each time.

Experts suggest that most people start to feel better after two to three months of regular mental health treatment or therapy. Early reduction of symptoms can occur before this point, but the longer bouts of treatment are associated with longer-term positive outcomes.

What if Therapy Doesn’t Help You?

Now, what if therapy doesn’t seem to be helping you? This doesn’t necessarily mean that you, or your treatment, have failed. Rather, a lack of progress typically signals that the current approach (or therapist) isn’t the right fit for your needs. Mental health care isn’t one-size-fits-all; different people respond better to different therapy modalities, levels of care, or therapeutic styles. Sometimes, it takes some trial and error to find the right match.

If this is the case for you, reach out to your physician or a mental health treatment professional for advice on adjusting your treatment plan. You might require a change of therapeutic approach, or an increase in the cadence of therapy sessions. You may find that you’d benefit from a different therapist, with whom you feel more open and comfortable. Or, depending on the severity of your symptoms, you may need to transition a higher or more structured level of care (like a residential therapy program).

When therapy isn’t effective, it’s often a sign that a different type of support is needed—not that treatment won’t work at all. Reassessing treatment can open the door to options that are better aligned with your individual challenges and needs, ultimately leading to more meaningful and lasting progress.

Is Therapy Right for You?

Anyone can benefit from therapy, but there are signs that can indicate it’s an essential next step for you. For example, if mental health symptoms (like persistent sadness, anxiety, trauma, lack of motivation, self-effacement) are getting in the way of your ability to carry out daily activities and simply enjoy life, therapy can significantly help you.

Check out our article “Do I Need Therapy?” to learn whether therapy is right for you.

If you are considering professional therapy or treatment, and are unsure where to turn, you can always reach out to Turnbridge for guidance. We are a professional treatment center specializing in mental health and substance use disorders. We help young men and women overcome difficult symptoms through evidence-based therapy and support. We’re just one call away at 877-581-1793.