Which of 15 evidence-based therapies is right for you?
Most quizzes cover CBT and talk therapy. This one covers 15 modalities — including EMDR, brainspotting, ketamine, psychedelics, and intensive workshops. It also checks your lifestyle foundations first, which most therapists skip.
Built by someone who's personally tried 7+ of these therapies for anxiety.
Most therapy quizzes are too simple. This one isn't.
Typical quizzes ask a few questions and tell you to try CBT. This one covers 15 evidence-based modalities — including options most therapists won't bring up — and checks your lifestyle foundations first.
Why I built this
Chris GoodmacherI've dealt with high anxiety for most of my adult life. Over the years I've personally tried CBT, EMDR, TMS, ketamine therapy, LENS neurofeedback, and hypnosis, among others. Some helped more than others, but figuring out what to try next always felt like guesswork.
Every "which therapy is right for me" quiz I found online gave me the same answer: CBT. That's fine if you've never tried therapy, but useless if you've already been through it and need something different. And none of them mentioned the newer approaches — ketamine, neurofeedback, psychedelic-assisted therapy — that actually have real research behind them.
So I built the quiz I wished existed: one that covers 15 modalities, accounts for what you've already tried, and shows you exactly why it's making each recommendation.
What this quiz does differently:
- • Checks your lifestyle first — sleep, exercise, and diet can be as effective as medication. Most therapists skip this.
- • Goes way beyond talk therapy — covers EMDR, somatic work, brainspotting, ketamine, psilocybin, MDMA-assisted therapy, neurofeedback, and more
- • Considers intensive formats — 2-7 day workshops that can create breakthroughs faster than months of weekly sessions
- • Shows its work — transparent scoring so you can see exactly why each therapy was recommended
The 15 modalities we match you against:
CBT, psychodynamic therapy, DBT, EMDR, somatic experiencing, brainspotting, ACT, psychodrama, ketamine therapy, psilocybin-assisted therapy*, MDMA-assisted therapy*, ayahuasca*, TMS, LENS neurofeedback, and intensive trauma workshops.
*Psilocybin, MDMA, and ayahuasca remain illegal under U.S. federal law. Psilocybin therapy is available in Oregon and Colorado under state-regulated programs. MDMA-assisted therapy is available in some clinical trials. Ayahuasca is generally only accessible through international retreat centers. We include these because the research is promising and legal access is expanding, but availability is currently limited.
Takes about 4 minutes. Your answers stay in your browser unless you choose to email your results at the end.
Why we're asking about lifestyle first
Most therapists dive straight into your problems without checking the basics. But research shows that exercise, sleep, diet, and substance use can be as powerful as medication or therapy for many mental health conditions.
The research: A 2023 meta-analysis found that exercise was 1.5x more effective than medication or CBT for depression. Poor sleep doubles your risk of depression. The Mediterranean diet reduces depression risk by 33%.
This doesn't mean lifestyle replaces therapy—but addressing these foundations alongside therapy can dramatically improve your outcomes. As Neil Strauss puts it: self-care makes you "less vulnerable to past dysfunctional behaviors and beliefs."
We'll ask about 4 areas: exercise, diet, sleep, and substances. Be honest—this helps us give you better recommendations.
How often do you exercise?
Include any physical activity: walking, gym, sports, yoga, etc.
How would you describe your diet?
Think about your typical eating patterns over the past month.
How much sleep do you typically get?
Average hours per night over the past month.
How often do you use alcohol or cannabis?
These can affect mental health even in moderate amounts.
Your lifestyle snapshot
Now let's understand what's bringing you to consider therapy.
What's bringing you to consider therapy?
Select all that apply.
How much is this affecting your daily life?
Think about work, relationships, and day-to-day functioning.
How long have you been experiencing this?
Approximate duration of your main concerns.
Have you experienced events that still affect you emotionally?
Trauma isn't just "big" events. It can include: abuse or neglect, loss of a parent or loved one, growing up with an addicted or mentally ill parent, bullying, divorce, medical trauma, accidents, witnessing violence, or any experience that left you feeling unsafe or overwhelmed.
Have you tried therapy before?
This helps us calibrate recommendations.
Which approaches have you tried?
Select all that apply. This helps us recommend something different.
Are you currently taking psychiatric medication?
Antidepressants, anti-anxiety medication, mood stabilizers, etc.
Weekly sessions or intensive workshop?
Why this matters: Traditional therapy is weekly 1-hour sessions over months. Intensive workshops are 2-7 day immersive experiences that can create breakthroughs faster—especially for trauma. Many people find that an intensive followed by regular therapy is the most effective combination.
How much time can you commit?
Different therapies have different typical durations.
What's your budget situation?
This affects which options are realistic.
What therapeutic style appeals to you?
There's no wrong answer—this is about fit.
Your personalized recommendations
Know someone looking for a therapist?
This quiz covers options most people don't know exist. Share it with someone who could use it.
Link copied to clipboard
Get your results + new research
We'll email your personalized recommendations so you don't lose them. You'll also get our newsletter with new therapy research and mental health insights (typically 1-2x/month). Unsubscribe anytime.
Check your inbox — your results are on the way.