Going Beneath the Surface: What People Want from Therapy

Therapies of depth, insight, and relationship have been missing from, if not pushed out of, the public conversation on mental health treatment. After decades of attack from multiple fronts, these therapies are misunderstood, undervalued, and overlooked by the general public. In order to address this challenge and change this trajectory, we must start by listening to the public and understand their needs, values, and preferences about therapy. We conducted an extensive research project, leveraging qualitative and quantitative tools and techniques widely used in the corporate world, focused on “listening” to the public and understanding what people want and need from therapy. It’s indisputable that therapies of depth, insight, and relationship are highly effective. What we know now is not only that these therapies work, but that they resonate with a large segment of the public. We learned that many people intuitively know that there is more beneath the surface, believe that therapy is a process that takes time, and are willing to make that investment. Our research also provides a blueprint for communicating the value of depth therapies to the public, grounded in what we heard from the people themselves, based on four key messages. Considerations for ongoing engagement with the public and future research are provided.