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Sonia Garcia

Co-Founder & Chief Growth Officer

LinkedIn

Sonia Garcia is the co-founder and Chief Growth Officer of Amae Health. Her mission is deeply personal—after losing her father to suicide at 16 and supporting her brother through his journey with schizoaffective disorder, Sonia has dedicated her life to transforming the mental health system with compassion, innovation, and urgency. A Knight-Hennessy Scholar with an M.S. in Engineering Design Impact from Stanford University’s d.school, Sonia’s expertise lies at the intersection of human-centered design and mental healthcare innovation. Her thesis explored new models of care delivery, a vision she has since brought to life. Before launching Amae Health, she was instrumental in scaling Brightline, the nation’s first digital pediatric behavioral health company. Sonia’s leadership and impact have earned her national recognition, including being named to Inc.’s Female Founders 2025 and Business Insider’s 30 Under 40 in Healthcare. She continues to be a driving force in behavioral health, advocating for accessible, high-quality care that meets people where they are.

Academic Background

Professional Certifications

Recognitions and Scholarly Work

Memberships and Affiliations

Perspectives from Sonia

# min read

Lithium vs Lamictal for Bipolar Disorder: How They Compare

By

Sonia Garcia

|

November 9, 2026

People researching lithium vs Lamictal usually want a winner, and the evidence does not crown one. Lithium and Lamictal (lamotrigine) are both used to prevent mood episodes in bipolar disorder, and they differ in ways that matter: which pole of the illness each protects against best, how much monitoring each requires, and what risks each carries. Those differences, not a ranking, are what actually decide which one a psychiatrist reaches for. This comparison walks through how each medication works, what the research shows, their side effects and safety considerations, and the questions that shape the choice, including pregnancy planning and whether the two can be combined.

How Each Medication Works and What It Is Approved For

Lithium is the oldest mood stabilizer in psychiatry and still one of its most effective tools. It is used to treat acute manic episodes and as maintenance treatment, meaning ongoing medication that lowers the risk of future episodes.

Lamotrigine, sold as Lamictal, came to psychiatry from epilepsy treatment. It is an anticonvulsant, and its FDA approval in bipolar disorder covers maintenance treatment of bipolar I disorder, to delay the time to new mood episodes. It is not approved for treating acute mania, which means a person in the middle of a manic episode needs something else. In practice, lamotrigine's role is prevention, and clinicians most often think of it in connection with the depressive side of the illness.

Lithium vs Lamictal: Side-by-Side

Factor Lithium Lamictal (lamotrigine)
Role in treatment Acute mania and maintenance Maintenance only (bipolar I)
Strongest against Manic and hypomanic episodes Depressive episodes
Dosing Dose guided by blood levels Slow, gradual dose increase over weeks
Monitoring Regular blood levels, kidney and thyroid checks No routine blood level monitoring
Common side effects Tremor, thirst, more urination, weight gain, thyroid effects Headache, dizziness, nausea; generally weight-neutral
Key safety warning Narrow gap between a helpful and a toxic level FDA boxed warning for serious skin rash
Pregnancy Needs individualized planning Needs individualized planning

What the Research Shows

The cleanest head-to-head data comes from an 18-month placebo-controlled trial in people with bipolar I disorder who had recently been depressed, with 463 patients randomized to lamotrigine, lithium, or placebo (Calabrese et al., Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 2003). Lamotrigine beat placebo at delaying depressive episodes: at one year, 57% of people on lamotrigine had needed no intervention for depression, compared with 45% on placebo. Lithium beat placebo at delaying manic and hypomanic episodes, with 86% intervention-free for mania at one year versus 72% on placebo.

A 2021 Cochrane review pooling 11 trials and 2,314 participants filled in the comparison between the two drugs (summarized in American Family Physician, 2022). Lamotrigine and lithium had similar rates of depressive recurrence. Lamotrigine was less effective than lithium at reducing manic recurrence at one year. And fewer people on lamotrigine reported side effects than people on lithium over 6 to 12 months, a practical signal about tolerability.

You will often see this compressed into a slogan: Lamictal for depression, lithium for mania. The slogan is directionally useful and too simple. Lamotrigine's depressive-prevention results were similar to lithium's in the Cochrane data, and the absolute differences in the Calabrese trial were modest. Episode history, side effects, and monitoring preferences do more work in the real decision than the slogan suggests.

Monitoring and Safety

Lithium's prescribing information builds monitoring into the treatment: regular serum level checks, because the gap between a helpful and a harmful level is narrow, plus periodic kidney and thyroid testing, since the label identifies both as organs lithium can affect. For many people this becomes an unremarkable part of the routine, a few blood draws a year once stable. It is a real commitment, and a manageable one.

Lamotrigine does not require routine blood level monitoring, which is one of its practical appeals. Its defining safety issue is different: an FDA boxed warning for serious skin rashes, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Per the label, serious rash is rare, nearly all cases appear in the first 2 to 8 weeks of treatment, and the slow dose escalation the label requires exists to reduce that risk. This is why lamotrigine cannot be started quickly, and why any new rash during those early weeks should be reported to the prescriber right away. Neither safety profile is a reason for alarm. Both are reasons the medication belongs under a psychiatrist's supervision.

Side Effects Compared

The side effects most commonly reported with lithium in its labeling and the clinical literature are tremor, increased thirst and urination, weight gain, and thyroid effects, usually an underactive thyroid that is itself treatable. Lamotrigine is generally described as weight-neutral in the literature, with headache, dizziness, and nausea its commonly reported side effects, along with the rash risk described above. For someone whose previous medication caused significant weight gain, that difference alone can shape the conversation. For someone whose illness leans heavily manic, lithium's strength against that pole can outweigh its side-effect burden.

Suicide Risk and Lithium: What Is and Is Not Established

Lithium is frequently described as the mood stabilizer that prevents suicide, and the research record deserves more precision than that. A 2013 meta-analysis in The BMJ (Cipriani et al.) reported fewer suicides among people taking lithium than among controls. A 2022 reanalysis in Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences (Nabi et al.) reached a different conclusion: restricted to randomized trials, the evidence is inconclusive, because suicide is rare and a handful of events drive the estimates. Researchers are actively debating which analysis handles the data better. Lithium may protect against suicide, but the randomized evidence can't yet confirm it, so the question remains open.

Pregnancy and Planning Ahead

Lithium and lamotrigine carry different considerations in pregnancy, and this is a planning conversation rather than a verdict. For anyone who could become pregnant, the time to discuss medication is before conception, with a psychiatrist who can weigh episode history against the specific risks and benefits of each option, sometimes alongside an obstetrician. Untreated bipolar disorder in pregnancy carries its own serious risks, so the goal of that conversation is a plan that protects both the pregnancy and the person's stability, not a reflexive stop.

Can Lithium and Lamictal Be Used Together?

Yes, and the combination is common in clinical practice. The usual logic pairs lithium's protection against manic episodes with lamotrigine's role on the depressive side. Whether that combination fits any individual person is a psychiatrist's call, made from their episode pattern, their response history, and how they tolerate each medication.

Talking to a Psychiatrist About the Right Fit

The lithium vs lamotrigine decision runs through a short list of personal questions. Which pole of the illness has dominated your history, mania or depression? How do you feel about regular blood tests? Which side-effect profile is more livable for you? Are pregnancy plans on the horizon? A psychiatrist who knows your full history turns those answers into a plan, and adjusts it as your life and your illness change. Medication changes should never be self-directed, including stopping a drug that seems to have done its job.

Bipolar disorder treatment at Amae Health pairs that medication expertise with therapy and whole-person support in one coordinated care model, built for people whose illness has been hard to stabilize. If you are weighing these medications, or your current one is not working, talk with an Amae psychiatrist about what fits your history. Our guide to effective bipolar disorder treatment covers the bigger picture beyond medication.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is lithium or Lamictal better for bipolar depression?

Neither is simply better. Lamotrigine is often used to prevent depressive episodes, and in the 2021 Cochrane review its depressive-recurrence results were similar to lithium's. The right choice depends on a person's episode pattern, side-effect tolerance, and history, judged by their psychiatrist.

Is Lamictal effective for mania?

It is not approved for treating acute mania, and in the Cochrane review it was less effective than lithium at preventing manic recurrence at one year. People whose illness runs manic usually need a different or additional medication.

Do I need blood tests on Lamictal?

Routine blood level monitoring is not typically required for lamotrigine, unlike lithium. A clinician still tracks response and side effects, especially during the first weeks.

Why does Lamictal have to be started so slowly?

Slow dose escalation lowers the risk of serious skin rash, the subject of the medication's FDA boxed warning. Nearly all serious rashes occur in the first 2 to 8 weeks, so any rash in that window should be reported promptly.

Does lithium cause weight gain?

For some people, yes. Weight gain is a recognized lithium side effect, alongside tremor, thirst, and thyroid changes, while lamotrigine is generally considered weight-neutral. Individual experience varies widely.

Can you take lithium and Lamictal together?

Yes, the combination is common in clinical practice, often pairing lithium's anti-manic protection with lamotrigine's depressive-side coverage. It is a decision for you and your psychiatrist, never a self-directed change.

What if I am having thoughts of suicide?

The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline offers free, confidential support by call or text, 24/7. If you are in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Citations

  1. Calabrese JR, Bowden CL, Sachs G, et al. "A placebo-controlled 18-month trial of lamotrigine and lithium maintenance treatment in recently depressed patients with bipolar I disorder." Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 2003;64(9):1013-1024. psychiatrist.com. Tier 1 (peer-reviewed RCT).
  2. Hashimoto Y, et al. Cochrane review (2021) on lamotrigine for bipolar maintenance, summarized in American Family Physician, 2022. aafp.org. Tier 1 (Cochrane systematic review).
  3. Cipriani A, Hawton K, Stockton S, Geddes JR. "Lithium in the prevention of suicide in mood disorders: updated systematic review and meta-analysis." BMJ, 2013;346:f3646. Tier 1 (peer-reviewed meta-analysis).
  4. Nabi Z, Stansfeld J, Plöderl M, Wood L, Moncrieff J. "Effects of lithium on suicide and suicidal behaviour: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials." Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, 2022;31:e65. Tier 1 (peer-reviewed meta-analysis).
  5. 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. 988lifeline.org. Tier 2 (FAQ only).

# min read

ADHD in Women vs Men: How Symptoms and Diagnosis Differ

By

Sonia Garcia

|

November 8, 2026

Last updated: November 2026.

ADHD in women vs. men is the same condition. What differs is how visible the symptoms are, especially in childhood, and how quickly people get diagnosed. Boys are around three times more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD in childhood, according to the Duke Center for Girls and Women with ADHD. By adulthood, the same source notes, rates are equal. So the gap is less about who has ADHD and more about who gets noticed, and when.

ADHD in Women vs. Men at a Glance

Boys and menGirls and women
Common pattern in childhoodMore often outward behavior, such as leaving their seatMore often inattention
When diagnosis usually happensMore likely in childhoodMore likely than men to be first diagnosed as adults
How symptoms get noticedDisruptive behavior tends to prompt referral from school or familySymptoms are often missed or misread as other conditions
Commonly co-occurring conditionsVaries by personAnxiety and mood disorders are common
In adulthoodSymptom picture largely similar to women'sSymptom picture largely similar to men's; some symptoms reported slightly more often

These are tendencies, not rules. Plenty of girls are hyperactive, and plenty of men mostly struggle with focus. The sections below explain where each row comes from.

The Three ADHD Presentations Apply to Everyone

The National Institute of Mental Health describes ADHD as a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that are frequent, show up across settings, and interfere with daily life. The CDC uses the term "presentations" and names three:

  • Predominantly Inattentive Presentation: trouble organizing, finishing tasks, following details, or keeping track of things.
  • Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation: fidgeting, talking a lot, trouble waiting, acting before thinking.
  • Combined Presentation: symptoms of both are present.

Any of the three can occur in anyone, of any sex. Because symptoms can change over time, the CDC notes, a person's presentation can change too. ADHD symptoms can continue into adulthood but may look different in adults. If attention problems overlap with reading or math difficulties, our guide to learning disabilities vs. ADHD explains how the two differ.

ADHD Symptoms in Women vs. Men

When people compare ADHD symptoms in women vs. men, they're usually comparing tendencies within the same three presentations. Here's how those tendencies often look.

How ADHD Often Shows Up in Boys and Men

In boys, ADHD more often shows up in outward behavior that other people can see. In a 2025 study of adults with ADHD, men were more likely than women to recall leaving their seat as children (45.97% vs 34.96%). Common examples:

  • Leaving a seat in class, fidgeting, or seeming always "on the go"
  • Blurting out answers and interrupting
  • Making quick, impulsive decisions

Because these behaviors disrupt a classroom or a household, adults tend to notice them early.

How ADHD Often Shows Up in Girls and Women

In girls and women, ADHD more often turns inward. Inattention is common: losing the thread of a conversation, misplacing things, drifting off during long tasks.

Some women describe compensating: making lists, redoing work late at night, putting in extra effort. That effort can make symptoms harder for others to see. It also wears people down.

For the full picture of how this looks in daily life, including masking, see our guide to high-functioning ADHD in women.

ADHD in Girls vs. Boys: Why the Diagnosis Gap Starts in Childhood

The difference between ADHD in girls vs. boys starts with who gets referred. Disruptive behavior gets attention fast. A child who is quietly lost in thought doesn't.

The bias has deep roots. In 1902, the pediatrician George Still published some of the earliest clinical descriptions of what we now call ADHD. Of his 20 cases, 15 were boys. For much of the following century, the textbook picture of the condition looked like those boys.

Girls' symptoms still don't fit that picture well. The Duke Center notes that ADHD in girls and women is often missed completely or misinterpreted as other conditions, and that co-occurring anxiety and mood disorders can make it harder to identify. A girl who can't focus may be told she's anxious. A girl who is anxious because she can't keep up may only get treated for the anxiety.

None of this means girls have milder ADHD. It means their ADHD is easier to overlook.

Do Women and Men With ADHD Look More Alike in Adulthood?

Largely, yes. This is the part of the comparison most articles skip.

The Duke Center reports that adult rates of ADHD are equal in men and women, and that women are more likely than men to be first diagnosed as adults. Many of those women went through childhood without anyone naming what was going on.

A 2025 study in Frontiers in Global Women's Health looked at 2,257 adults diagnosed with ADHD at clinics in the Netherlands. The researchers concluded that ADHD shows up in a remarkably similar way in men and women. Where differences existed, they were small. In several adult symptoms, women reported higher rates: 80.38% of women said they lose things, compared with 71.40% of men. Looking back on childhood, men more often recalled classroom hyperactivity, with 45.97% reporting leaving their seat, compared with 34.96% of women.

The study has limits. It included only people who had already been diagnosed, it came from one country, and the authors call it exploratory. Still, it fits the larger pattern. The sharpest differences between ADHD in males vs. females appear in childhood, when outward behavior drives who gets seen. By adulthood, the symptoms themselves look much the same.

Hormones and ADHD Symptoms Across the Lifespan

Hormones come up often in this comparison. The science is early. The Duke Center describes emerging research into how hormone changes, such as those across the menstrual cycle and in menopause, may affect ADHD symptoms and treatment. It also states plainly that more research is needed.

Some women do notice that their focus or mood shifts at certain points in their cycle or around menopause. Keeping track of those patterns gives a clinician who knows your history something concrete to work with. But the research doesn't yet support firm conclusions about why it happens or what to change. Any decision about medication belongs in that clinical conversation, not in an article.

When ADHD Comes With Depression, Anxiety, or Bipolar Disorder

ADHD rarely travels alone. The Duke Center notes that girls and women with ADHD often also have anxiety and mood disorders.

That overlap makes diagnosis harder for everyone. Poor concentration, restlessness, sleep problems, and mood changes can come from ADHD, depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. They can also come from more than one at once. Sorting out which is which takes a careful psychiatric evaluation that looks at your full history, not a quick checklist.

This is where we can help. ADHD on its own isn't an Amae specialty. But our psychiatry-led teams work with adults whose ADHD occurs alongside depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder, where the mood or anxiety symptoms are a large part of what's making life hard. You can read about bipolar disorder treatment at Amae or learn more about our care model.

Conclusion

ADHD in women vs. men is one condition with two common patterns of visibility. Boys are more often noticed early because their symptoms are louder, while girls are more often missed and diagnosed later, sometimes as adults. In adulthood, the symptoms look much more alike. If ADHD is showing up alongside depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder, you can contact us to talk with our team about whether our care fits what you need.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ADHD more common in men or women?

It depends on whether you mean diagnosis or occurrence. Boys are around three times more likely than girls to be diagnosed in childhood. In adulthood, rates are equal, according to the Duke Center for Girls and Women with ADHD. Much of the childhood gap reflects who gets noticed, not who has ADHD.

Why is ADHD underdiagnosed in girls?

Girls' symptoms are often less disruptive, so they're less likely to prompt a referral. When symptoms are noticed, they're often missed or misread as other conditions, and co-occurring anxiety or mood disorders can make ADHD harder to spot. Our guide to high-functioning ADHD in women covers how this plays out in adult life.

What are the main differences in ADHD symptoms in women vs. men?

In childhood, boys more often show outward symptoms like leaving their seat, while girls more often show inattention. In adults with ADHD, a 2025 study of 2,257 diagnosed patients found the symptoms remarkably similar between men and women, with only small differences.

Can women be diagnosed with ADHD as adults?

Yes. Women are more likely than men to be first diagnosed with ADHD as adults. An evaluation by a psychiatrist or another qualified clinician usually looks at current symptoms and at how things were in childhood.

Do hormones affect ADHD symptoms in women?

Researchers are beginning to study how hormone changes, such as the menstrual cycle and menopause, may affect ADHD symptoms and treatment. More research is needed before firm conclusions can be drawn.

Can ADHD be mistaken for depression or anxiety?

Yes. Trouble concentrating, restlessness, and low mood can appear in all three conditions, and they often occur together. A thorough psychiatric evaluation helps tell them apart. If you're having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

# min read

7 Key Benefits of Mental Health Counseling

By

Sonia Garcia

|

November 7, 2026

The benefits of mental health counseling come down to a few concrete things: relief from symptoms, coping skills you can use between sessions, steadier emotions, and better relationships. Those same benefits of therapy hold whether your provider calls it counseling, talk therapy, or psychotherapy, because the words are often used to mean the same thing. Below are the seven benefits in more detail, what the research supports, and how to tell when weekly sessions aren't enough on their own.

What Are the Benefits of Therapy and Counseling?

People start counseling for very different reasons. A breakup. A diagnosis. Months of sleeping badly and not knowing why. The benefits of counseling tend to show up in the same seven areas, though which ones matter most depends on what brought you in:

1. Relief from mental health symptoms 2. Coping strategies that work outside sessions 3. Better emotional regulation and stress management 4. Improved communication and relationships 5. Problem-solving and conflict resolution 6. Self-acceptance and self-esteem 7. A clearer sense of values and direction

1. Relief From Mental Health Symptoms

This is the benefit with the strongest evidence behind it. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, evidence-based therapies have been shown to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the best-studied approaches. It helps you notice troubling thoughts, question them, and change the behavior patterns that keep you stuck. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) teaches skills for managing intense emotions and reducing self-destructive behaviors, and it draws on mindfulness.

Therapy can be used as an alternative to medication or alongside it. That choice depends on your needs and medical situation, and NIMH is clear that it should be made under the guidance of a mental health professional.

2. Coping Strategies That Work Outside Sessions

An hour a week only goes so far. What carries over is the set of tools you practice in that hour and then use on a Tuesday afternoon when things go sideways. Common ones include:

  • Breathing exercises
  • Progressive muscle relaxation
  • Cognitive restructuring (catching and reframing unhelpful thoughts)
  • Mindfulness practices

Counseling also looks at the strategies you already use. Avoiding hard situations, pushing feelings down, or leaning on alcohol or other substances can feel like coping in the moment. A therapist helps you swap those for options that hold up over time, built around your own life rather than a generic list.

3. Better Emotional Regulation and Stress Management

Emotional regulation means noticing what you feel, naming it, and choosing how to respond instead of reacting on autopilot. It sounds simple. It rarely is.

In counseling, you learn to spot your triggers, the situations or thoughts that reliably set off anger, panic, or shutdown. Mindfulness helps you stay in the present moment long enough to pick a response. Over time, stress becomes something you can manage in smaller pieces instead of something that builds until it spills over.

4. Improved Communication and Relationships

Many problems that bring people to therapy are, at some level, relationship problems. Counseling gives you a place to practice saying what you need clearly, listening without preparing a rebuttal, and setting boundaries while respecting other people's.

Group therapy and family therapy give you room to practice this. In a group, you try new ways of talking with people who aren't your family or coworkers, which lowers the stakes. In family therapy, everyone hears the same thing at the same time.

5. Problem-Solving and Conflict Resolution

When you're overwhelmed, every problem looks like one tangled knot. Therapy helps you pull it apart: what's actually happening, what's in your control, and what a reasonable next step looks like.

The same goes for conflict. You practice staying steady in tense conversations and looking for compromise, which can help relationships feel less like a series of standoffs.

6. Self-Acceptance and Self-Esteem

A harsh inner voice is one of the most common reasons people reach out. Therapy works on the self-critical beliefs underneath it: where they came from, whether they're accurate, and what a fairer view of yourself might sound like. If that voice has gotten loud, our guide on what to do if you hate yourself goes deeper.

7. A Clearer Sense of Values and Direction

Some people come to counseling without a crisis. They feel flat, or stuck, or unsure what they want. Therapy can help you sort out what matters to you, set goals that fit those values, and break them into steps small enough to start this week.

What Does the Research Say About Therapy?

Psychotherapy doesn't go through a formal approval process the way medications do with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. So the evidence comes from research instead. NIMH notes that for many therapies, studies involving large numbers of patients have shown the treatment is effective, and these evidence-based therapies reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other mental disorders.

That's a meaningful finding, but it isn't a promise for any one person. Results depend on the condition, the type of therapy, the fit with your therapist, and whether therapy is the right level of care for what you're dealing with. Many popular articles quote precise success rates. We've left those out because we couldn't trace them to a source we trust.

Counseling vs. Therapy: Is There a Difference?

In everyday use, not much. "Counseling," "therapy," "talk therapy," and "psychotherapy" are often used interchangeably, and people searching for help use all of them.

The bigger difference is who provides it. NIMH lists psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, counselors, and psychiatric nurses among the professionals who offer psychotherapy. Their training differs, and so does what they can do. Psychiatrists are medical doctors and can prescribe medication. Psychiatric nurse practitioners can also prescribe, though state rules on physician oversight vary. Counselors, social workers, and most psychologists can't. If that matters for your situation, ask a provider directly about their training and licensure before you start.

Signs You Might Benefit From Counseling

Seeking help isn't a sign of weakness. It's a reasonable response to something that's been hard for a while. Signs that counseling could help include:

  • Persistent sadness, anxiety, or helplessness
  • Trouble keeping up with daily tasks at work, school, or home
  • Ongoing problems in relationships
  • Alcohol or substance use that's increasing or hard to control
  • Intrusive or disturbing thoughts
  • Changes in sleep, appetite, or energy

If you're having thoughts of hurting yourself, don't wait for a counseling appointment. See the crisis answer in the FAQ below.

How to Get Started With Mental Health Counseling

Start with where you'd look for any health care: your primary care doctor, your insurance plan's provider directory, or FindTreatment.gov, a directory run by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Once you have a few names, a short first conversation helps you judge fit. NIMH suggests asking:

  • What are your credentials, and do you have a specialty?
  • What approach will you use, and what's the evidence behind it?
  • Do you have experience with my concern and my age group?
  • Can you prescribe medication?
  • Are sessions confidential, and what are the limits of confidentiality?
  • What are the fees, and do you take my insurance?

Rapport matters. If you've given therapy a fair amount of time and things aren't improving, NIMH's advice is to raise it with your therapist and, if needed, try another professional or approach. If you're looking for help for someone else, our guide on how to help someone with mental health issues covers how to start that conversation.

When Counseling Alone Is Not Enough

Weekly counseling is the right fit for a lot of people. For some, it's one piece of what's needed.

Severe mental illness (SMI), such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, or suicidal thoughts and attempts, usually calls for more than a weekly session. People living with SMI often need psychiatric care for diagnosis and medication, closer follow-up, and support with physical health, daily routines, and relapse warning signs. This is where the benefits of mental health treatment go beyond what one therapist can offer alone.

At Amae Health, we provide in-person, psychiatry-led care for adults 18 and older. Psychiatrists, therapists, primary care physicians, dietitians, health coaches, peer mentors, and care coordinators work as one team on one plan. You can read more about our care model.

Some people need a more structured level of care for a period of time, such as a Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) or an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). Our guides on PHP vs. IOP and inpatient vs. outpatient care explain how these options differ.

Taking the First Step

The benefits of mental health counseling are real, and they're grounded in research, not guesswork. The first step is finding a provider who fits your needs and the level of care your situation calls for. If you or a family member is living with a severe mental health condition and you want to talk through options, you can request an intake appointment. A member of our team can help you understand what kind of care fits.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of therapy?

Therapy can relieve symptoms of conditions like depression and anxiety, teach coping skills you use between sessions, and help you manage emotions and stress. It can also improve communication, problem-solving, self-esteem, and your sense of what matters to you.

Why is therapy important for mental health?

Psychotherapy is one of the two most common forms of mental health treatment, along with medication. It helps people relieve symptoms, keep up daily functioning, and improve quality of life. It can be used instead of medication or alongside it, depending on a person's needs.

Is counseling the same as therapy?

The terms are often used interchangeably. What differs is the provider's training: psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, counselors, and psychiatric nurses all offer talk therapy, and only some can prescribe medication. Ask any provider about their credentials before you begin.

How long does it take for therapy to work?

It varies by person, condition, and type of therapy. Some people come for a handful of sessions to work on one specific problem, while others with ongoing conditions stay in therapy longer. Set goals with your therapist early and check progress together. If you don't see improvement after what feels like a reasonable amount of time, bring it up and talk about changing the approach.

Can counseling help with severe mental illness?

Yes, therapy is part of care for conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, but it usually works alongside psychiatric care rather than on its own. Learn how a coordinated team approach works in our care model.

What should I do if I am having thoughts of suicide?

Call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.