What Is Mental Health? How a Therapist Helps and Which Therapy You May Need
Mental health is your emotional, psychological and social well-being: how you think, feel, handle stress, relate to others and make choices. Everyone has mental health, just as everyone has physical health, and it can shift over time. A licensed therapist helps by giving you a safe, confidential space to understand what you’re going through and by using evidence-based therapies, such as CBT, DBT, EMDR or IFS, matched to your specific concern.
If you’ve been searching “what is mental health,” “do I need therapy,” or “what kind of therapy is right for me,” this guide explains the basics in plain language: what mental health is, the signs it may be struggling, how therapy works, and which type of therapy fits which concern.
What Is Mental Health?
The World Health Organization describes mental health as a state of well-being that lets people cope with the normal stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn and work well, and contribute to their community.
Put simply, mental health affects:
- How you feel: your mood, your emotions, and how you handle them
- How you think: your focus, your self-talk, and how you see yourself and the world
- How you act: your habits, your sleep, your energy, and how you cope with stress
- How you connect: your relationships with partners, family, friends and coworkers
Good mental health doesn’t mean being happy all the time. It means having the tools and support to get through hard times, bounce back, and live a meaningful life.
Mental Health vs. Mental Illness
Mental health and mental illness aren’t the same thing. Mental health is something everyone has, and it moves along a range, from thriving, to struggling, to needing more support. A mental health condition, such as an anxiety disorder, depression or PTSD, is a diagnosable condition that affects how a person thinks, feels or functions over time.
You don’t need a diagnosis to benefit from therapy. Many people see a therapist during a stressful season, after a loss, during a big life change, or simply to understand themselves better.
Common Mental Health Concerns
Some of the most common reasons people reach out to a therapist include:
- Anxiety: constant worry, panic attacks, feeling on edge
- Depression: low mood, loss of interest, feeling hopeless or empty
- Trauma and PTSD: lasting effects of abuse, accidents, medical events or difficult childhood experiences
- Grief and loss: after a death, a miscarriage, a divorce or another major loss
- Relationship problems: conflict, distance or broken trust between partners
- Stress and burnout: from work, caregiving or major life changes
- Postpartum and perinatal mood concerns: anxiety or depression during pregnancy or after having a baby
- Emotional dysregulation: big emotions that feel hard to manage
- Chronic pain linked to stress: pain that is worsened by anxiety or past trauma
- Children’s and teens’ emotional struggles: meltdowns, anxiety, neurodivergence, or trouble at school or with friends
Signs Your Mental Health May Need Support
Everyone has hard days. It may be time to talk to a therapist if, for more than a couple of weeks, you notice:
- Feeling sad, anxious, numb or irritable most of the time
- Trouble sleeping, or sleeping much more than usual
- Changes in appetite or energy
- Losing interest in things you used to enjoy
- Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
- Pulling away from friends, family or activities
- Relationships that feel constantly tense or distant
- Memories of a past event that still feel overwhelming
- Relying on alcohol, food or other habits to cope
- Feeling like you’re “just getting through the day”
You don’t have to wait until things feel unbearable. Reaching out early often makes the path forward easier.
How Does a Therapist Help?
A licensed therapist is a trained mental health professional who helps you understand your thoughts, emotions and patterns, and build practical tools for change. In therapy, a therapist will:
- Listen without judgment: create a safe, confidential space to talk openly
- Understand what’s going on: explore your history, your current struggles and your goals
- Identify patterns: notice the thoughts, emotions and behaviors that keep you stuck
- Use evidence-based therapy: apply approaches proven to help with your specific concern
- Teach coping skills: give you tools for stress, anxiety, conflict and difficult emotions
- Support lasting change: help you build healthier relationships, confidence and resilience
Therapy is a partnership. The best results usually come when you and your therapist work together toward goals you choose.
Types of Licensed Mental Health Professionals
In New Jersey, therapy may be provided by several kinds of licensed professionals:
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW): a master’s-level clinician licensed for independent clinical practice
- Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC): a master’s-level counselor licensed for independent practice
- Licensed Social Worker (LSW) and Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC): master’s-level clinicians who provide therapy under clinical supervision while working toward full licensure
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT): a clinician specializing in relationships and families
- Licensed Psychologist (PhD or PsyD): a doctoral-level clinician who provides therapy and psychological testing
- Psychiatrist (MD or DO): a medical doctor who can diagnose and prescribe medication, often alongside a therapist
The license tells you a therapist is qualified to practice. Their specialized training and certifications tell you which concerns they are best prepared to help with.
What Type of Therapy Do You Need?
Different concerns respond best to different therapies. Here’s a simple guide:
| If you’re dealing with… | Therapies that often help |
|---|---|
| Anxiety, worry or panic | CBT, ACT, DBT skills, mindfulness |
| Depression or low mood | CBT, interpersonal therapy, psychodynamic therapy |
| Trauma, PTSD or abuse | EMDR, IFS, trauma-focused CBT, somatic approaches |
| Big emotions or emotional dysregulation | DBT, IFS, mindfulness |
| Relationship conflict | Gottman Method, Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), IFIO |
| Grief and loss | Grief counseling, interpersonal therapy, IFS |
| Pregnancy and postpartum concerns | Perinatal mental health therapy |
| Chronic pain linked to stress | Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT), mind-body approaches |
| Children’s emotions and behavior | Play therapy, art therapy, family therapy |
| Life transitions and self-esteem | CBT, ACT, client-centered therapy |
A quick look at the most common therapies
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): helps you notice and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. Widely used for anxiety and depression.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): teaches skills for managing intense emotions, tolerating distress and improving relationships.
- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): helps the brain reprocess traumatic memories so they lose their emotional charge.
- Internal Family Systems (IFS): helps you understand and heal the different “parts” of yourself, such as the worrier, the critic or the protector.
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): helps you make room for difficult feelings while moving toward what matters to you.
- Psychodynamic therapy: explores how past experiences and patterns shape how you feel and relate today.
- Gottman Method and EFT for couples: research-based approaches that help partners communicate, resolve conflict and reconnect.
- Play and art therapy: help children express feelings and build skills through play and creativity.
You don’t need to choose the therapy yourself. A good therapist will assess your needs and recommend an approach, or a combination, that fits you.
What to Expect in Your First Therapy Session
Many people feel nervous before their first appointment. Typically, the first session includes:
- Talking about what brought you to therapy
- Sharing some background about your life, health and relationships
- Discussing your goals, meaning what you’d like to feel or change
- Asking any questions you have about the therapist’s approach
- Agreeing on next steps and how often to meet
You’re in control of what you share and how quickly. It’s also completely okay to try a consultation first to see whether a therapist feels like the right fit.
Mental Health Therapy at Light Street Psychotherapy in Short Hills, NJ
At Light Street Psychotherapy, a team of licensed therapists offers specialized care for individuals, couples, families, children and teens. Each therapist brings specific training and certifications, so clients can be matched with the right fit:
- Trauma, EMDR and IFS: Meredith Strauss, LCSW, founder, EMDR Level 3 Certified and IFS Level 3 Certified
- Anxiety, trauma and couples (EMDR, DBT, EFT, IFIO): Gina Totino, LCSW
- Chronic pain, trauma and grief: Randi Gelfand, LCSW, certified in Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT)
- Grief, postpartum and life transitions: Kathleen Murphy, LPC, certified in Perinatal Mental Health
- Children, teens, neurodivergence and big emotions: Abigail Cooper Marshall, LCSW, IFS Level 3 trained
- Trauma, abuse recovery and performing artists: Donna Scro Samori, Certificate in Violence Against Women and Children
- Anxiety, couples and mind-body therapy: Hunter Tarvin, LCSW, trained in the Gottman Method
- Grief, aging and family transitions: Tammie Maitlin, LSW
- Teens, young adults, anxiety and self-esteem: Alyssa Dordoni, LAC
The team meets regularly to discuss cases, so every client benefits from the insight of an entire clinical team. Explore all services, including individual therapy, couples therapy, family therapy, EMDR, DBT, IFS, play therapy and treatment for chronic pain.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is mental health in simple words? Mental health is how you think, feel and cope with life. It affects your mood, your relationships, your stress levels and the choices you make.
How do I know if I need a therapist? If difficult feelings or patterns have lasted more than a couple of weeks, or are affecting your sleep, work, relationships or enjoyment of life, talking to a licensed therapist can help. You don’t need a diagnosis to start.
What type of therapy is best for anxiety and depression? CBT is one of the most widely used and researched therapies for both. ACT, DBT skills, interpersonal and psychodynamic therapy can also help, depending on your needs.
What type of therapy is best for trauma? Trauma-focused approaches such as EMDR, IFS and trauma-focused CBT are designed specifically to help with trauma and PTSD.
Is online therapy as effective as in-person therapy? For many people and many concerns, yes. Telehealth makes it easier to attend consistently. Light Street Psychotherapy offers both in-person and telehealth sessions.
Is there a free consultation? Yes. Light Street Psychotherapy offers a free consultation to help you find the right therapist for your needs.
Visit Our Short Hills, NJ Office or Connect by Telehealth
In-person and telehealth sessions are available through our Short Hills office, serving Millburn, Springfield, Maplewood, South Orange, Summit, Madison, Chatham, Livingston, Florham Park, Westfield, Cranford, Whippany, Berkeley Heights, Union, Scotch Plains, Morristown, New Providence and Mountainside.
Contact: (973) 544-8617 | Book a free consultation