We are a community that cares. When a child is sick, we seek the best doctors. When someone needs help, we show up. And Baruch Hashem, when it comes to mental health, we’ve come a long way. People are going to therapy. We’re talking more openly. The stigma is breaking.

But something isn’t adding up.

People are spending years in therapy — and still suffering.
The anxiety is still there.
The depression hasn’t lifted.
The trauma still haunts.
Relationships remain broken.
And families feel like they’re drowning.

Too many people go to therapy hoping for healing — and walk away with little more than “processing,” “insight,” or “support.” While that can be meaningful, it’s often not enough. Not when someone is truly struggling. Not when they need to get better.

And here’s what most people don’t realize:
There are treatments that work.
Not just in theory. Not just emotionally. But practically. Clinically. Measurably.

These are called evidence-based therapies — approaches tested through decades of research, refined through thousands of clinical cases, and shown to consistently reduce symptoms. For real.

Here’s what that looks like:

• CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) — 12 to 20 sessions for anxiety, depression, and more 
• ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) — 12 to 20 sessions for OCD 
• DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) — 6 to 12 months for emotion dysregulation and self-destructive behavior 
• PCIT (Parent-Child Interaction Therapy) or PMT (Parent Management Training) — 12 to 20 sessions for childhood behavior challenges like ADHD 
• CPT and PE — 8 to 15 sessions for trauma and PTSD 

Compare that to therapy that drags on for years, with no clear direction, and no measurable change.

(And think of the savings! Therapy just isn’t so expensive anymore when you are talking about these timelines.)

When you choose evidence-based therapy, you’re not just paying to be heard.
You’re investing in progress.

Let’s be clear. Evidence-based therapy isn’t cold or rigid. It’s not robotic. And it’s definitely not shallow. It doesn’t ignore emotions — it uses them. It doesn’t avoid the past — it teaches you how to stop being controlled by it. These treatments are structured, collaborative, and deeply respectful. And they’re designed to work.

CBT doesn’t just explain why you feel stuck. It helps you get unstuck.
DBT doesn’t just teach you skills. It helps you use them when it counts.
ERP doesn’t help you avoid your fears. It helps you face them and win.
PCIT doesn’t just calm your kid. It transforms your parenting.
And trauma therapy isn’t endless. It’s targeted. It’s focused. And it brings relief.

So why haven’t more people in our community heard of these approaches?

It’s not because therapists don’t care. It’s often because they weren’t trained in them. Many talented, well-meaning therapists never learned how to use these treatments. That’s not their fault — but it’s a gap we need to talk about. Because when people are in pain, they deserve more than good intentions. They deserve tools that are proven to help.

This isn’t about criticizing therapists. It’s about protecting clients.
It’s about saying: if you’re suffering, you deserve to know what works.
And if you’re investing time, money, and hope in therapy, you deserve to understand what you’re getting.

Every person in therapy should feel empowered to ask:

• What treatment are we doing? 
• What is it meant to treat? 
• What does the research say? Is this treatment proven by tens of clinical trials? 
• How will we know if it’s working? 
• How long will this take? 

This is not about choosing between warmth and effectiveness. Good therapy should have both.

If you want support and space to reflect — that’s valid. If you want symptom relief and real change — that’s valid too. The key is that clients should be informed and empowered, not left guessing.

Therapy should feel supportive. But it should also move you forward.

We don’t accept subpar care for heart disease or diabetes. We shouldn’t accept it for mental health either. We are capable of expecting more. Of learning more. Of doing better.

That’s why, as part of our mission to increase access to effective care, The CBT/DBT Center is hosting a FREE, virtual event: The Therapy Should Work Event, now until May 15.

This five-day event is an educational opportunity for the frum community to upgrade its understanding of what effective mental health care looks like. It features interviews with over 30 of the world’s leading experts — including the developers of CBT, PE, ERP, CPT, DBT, and more. These are the people who designed the protocols and trained the field.

Whether you’re in therapy, considering therapy, supporting a loved one, or simply want to understand how real healing happens, this summit is for you.

To register FREE or learn more, visit www.therapyshouldwork.com/