Therapy Guides: Learn, Compare, Decide
Plain-language guides for anyone thinking about therapy in Colorado, for yourself, your teen or your relationship. Start with what the terms mean, compare your options, then check what to ask and what happens next. Every guide lists its sources.
In crisis or thinking about suicide? Call or text 988 now (in Colorado it reaches the 988 Colorado Mental Health Line). If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
Learn
What the terms mean and what therapy involves, explained plainly.
- LearnThe DBT diary card, explainedWhat goes on a DBT diary card, why your therapist reads it first, and how to keep it private.
- LearnEncouraging someone to try therapyTiming, words and practical help for nudging a partner, sibling, adult child or friend toward therapy.
- LearnHow long therapy takesTypical lengths for CPT, PE, EMDR, CBT-I and DBT skills, what changes the timeline, and how therapy ends.
- LearnSigns a teen may need supportTypical teen ups and downs vs signs worth a closer look, urgent warning signs, and who to call first.
- LearnTherapy confidentiality in ColoradoWhat your therapist must keep private under Colorado law and HIPAA, and the few exceptions the law sets.
- LearnWhat a therapy treatment plan isHow intake becomes a written plan with goals you can track, and your part in shaping it.
- LearnWhat CBT homework looks likeConcrete examples of CBT practice between sessions, how therapists use it, and what to do when you skip it.
- LearnWhat counts as traumaSAMHSA's definition of trauma, common reactions, how trauma differs from PTSD, and when to reach out for care.
- LearnWhat is emotion dysregulationA plain explanation of emotion dysregulation, the biosocial idea behind DBT, and what tends to help.
- LearnWhat is validationWhat validation means in DBT, what it is not, and what to say to a teen, a partner or yourself.
Also on this site
- How CBT Works: A Beginner’s Guide for Denver Residents
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Techniques You Can Use Today
- Behavioral Health vs. Mental Health: What’s the Difference?
- Signs You Might Benefit From CBT: A Checklist for Denver Residents
- How Long Does CBT Take? What Denver Clients Can Expect From Treatment
- School refusal resource center
Compare
Options side by side, with who each one tends to fit.
- CompareComprehensive vs DBT-informed vs skills groupThree things that all get called DBT, what each one includes, and who each tends to fit.
- CompareGrief or depressionHow normal grief, depression and prolonged grief disorder differ, and when grief may need extra support.
- ComparePaying for therapy: insurance vs self-payCompare in-network, out-of-network and self-pay therapy on cost, choice, paperwork and privacy.
- ComparePsychologist vs psychiatrist vs therapistTraining, roles and prescribing rules for each kind of mental health professional, so you know who to call first.
- CompareStress, burnout or depressionHow everyday stress, work burnout and depression differ, where they overlap, and when to get evaluated.
- CompareTeen DBT vs adult DBTHow DBT for adolescents adds caregivers and a family skills module, and what it keeps from adult DBT.
- CompareTeen therapy vs family therapy vs parent trainingYour teen alone, the whole family, or parents only: what each setup is for and how they often combine.
- CompareTherapy vs coaching vs support groupLicensed therapy, life coaching, peer groups and skills groups compared: who leads them, who they fit, and their limits.
- CompareTherapy vs medication vs bothWhat NIMH says about therapy, medication and combined care for depression and anxiety, and who prescribes.
- CompareTrauma therapies comparedCPT, PE, CBT, EMDR, TF-CBT and DBT-PE side by side, with what sessions involve and how to choose.
Decide
What to check, what to ask and what happens next.
- DecideCheck a Colorado therapist's licenseUse DORA's free lookup to confirm a therapist's credential, decode the letters after a name, and check for discipline.
- DecideChoosing a level of careWeekly therapy, intensive programs, inpatient and crisis care: what each involves and how to tell which fits now.
- DecideColorado therapy disclosure statementWhat the disclosure form in your intake packet must say under Colorado law, and how to read it before you sign.
- DecideFree therapy consultation callWhat a free 15-minute consult covers, what to have ready, and how to judge fit afterward.
- DecideGood Faith Estimate for therapyYour federal right to a written cost estimate when you pay for therapy without insurance.
- DecideHow to talk to your teen about therapyWords to use, words to skip, and how to handle "I'm not going" before the first session.
- DecideIs therapy workingHow to read progress in therapy, raise concerns with your therapist, switch if needed and end well.
- DecideStarting couples therapyCouples or individual therapy, what to agree on first, what sessions are like, and when joint sessions are not safe.
- DecideTelehealth therapy in ColoradoDecide if video therapy fits, and learn why your location during each session matters.
- DecideWhat comprehensive DBT asks of youThe weekly time, homework and agreements full DBT usually involves, with a self-check before you sign up.
More from Mountainside
Looking for something else? Browse the Denver therapy best-of lists, the school refusal resource center, the comprehensive mental health FAQ or the articles archive.
Facts in these guides were checked against official and professional sources on November 8, 2026. This guide is general education, not medical advice, a diagnosis or a treatment plan. It does not create a therapist-client relationship. For advice about your situation, talk with a licensed clinician.