Therapy vs. Therapeutic

Caring for your mental health can be accomplished in many ways. What works for you may not work as well for someone else, and that's OK. It's important to find tools that fit you. Incorporating therapy and therapeutic practices are both helpful, however... therapy and therapeutic are NOT the same!

Is it Therapy or is it Therapeutic?

Types of Therapy

In addition to there being many different methods to use during therapy, there are also different types of therapy. Here are the most common types of therapy that people may encounter.

Individual: A person works with a trained professional one-on-one to navigate their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors

Couples: A couple seeks help and insight to work through their relationship struggles

Family: Members of a family join in therapy sessions to address family dynamics and issues. Sessions can include caregiver and child, all children, extended family as needed, and more.

Group: A small group of people with similar struggles work on solutions together alongside a mental health provider. Groups are about 4-10 people.

Play/Art: Uses sensory activities to help people process their experiences. Can be used one-on-one or with multiple people

Therapeutic Activities

Therapeutic activities are NOT therapy. They are activities that you can do to help you relieve stress or cope with your emotions. They can also be used to maintain a healthy stress level.

• Spending time with friends

• Playing video games

• Spa-like activities

• Going to yoga

• Doing arts and crafts

• Watching a TV show or movie

• Exercising

• Spending time in nature

• Gardening

• Reading

• Listening to music

• Cooking or baking

• Meditating

• Journaling