Article Summary: Therapy for complex mental health issues doesn’t have to be complicated. By taking the proper, methodical approach, you can achieve a deeper understanding of yourself and greater control over your actions, thoughts, and behaviors. We explore in more detail with Associate Therapist Kennedy Sobon, LSW, MSW.
If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Does therapy really work?”—you’re not alone. It’s one of the most common questions we hear, especially from individuals dealing with complex mental health challenges like trauma, depression, anxiety, or multiple diagnoses at once.
And it’s a fair question. When life feels overwhelming, confusing, or even mislabeled by past diagnoses, it’s hard to know what will actually help.
The truth? Therapy isn’t a quick fix—but it is a powerful, proven process for creating meaningful, lasting change. With the right therapist and approach, you can begin to untangle the complexity of your experiences, understand the root causes of your struggles, and develop the tools needed to move forward.
We explored this topic in more detail with Associate Therapist Kennedy Sobon, LSW, MSW. Continue reading to learn more.
Table of Contents
The Shame of Mental Health
The Problem With Mental Health Diagnoses
Therapy for Complex Diagnoses
Find A Therapist for Complex Mental Health Issues
FAQ About Therapy and Complex Mental Health Issues
The Shame of Mental Health
One hundred years ago, issues like stuttering or post-partum depression were enough to have you locked away in a sanitarium.
We’ve come a long way as a society. BetterHelp, for example, has spent millions on promoting its online therapy options—and that wouldn’t be possible if society wasn’t ready to better understand mental health.
But we still have a long way to go. Although it’s “OK” to talk about depression, anxiety, and PTSD, we still have issues that are too taboo to talk about or witness in public—issues like:
- OCD
- Auditory Hallucinations
- Suicidality
- Schizophrenia
“People don’t talk about these issues enough,” Kennedy says. “People don’t want to talk about scary, complicated things, so they continue to retreat every time these topics are brought up.”
As a result, individuals suffering from OCD, hallucinations, suicidality, schizophrenia, and other issues often try to hide their issues—and they may even cut themselves off from friends and family because they’re too embarrassed or ashamed to be seen.
That’s why we’re here: to help others navigate the complicated web of mental health care and the shame spiral associated with being different.
Related Article: PTSD Acute Vs Chronic: Differences And Similarities
The Problem With Mental Health Diagnoses
Not every mental health diagnosis is accurate, and that’s damaging for many of the clients we see on a regular basis.
Kennedy has a perfect example: “I had a client who came in with a Bipolar Disorder diagnosis. She had been sexually assaulted, and in response, she took a bunch of her dad’s medication. When she arrived at the hospital, she had a ‘break’ with reality, so they diagnosed her as Bipolar.”
As therapists, we look at the evidence differently. “Here is a young woman who was sexually assaulted, and she was so overwhelmed that she tried to commit suicide by taking pills. Of course she had a tenuous grip on reality when she arrived at the hospital; she took a bunch of pills that weren’t prescribed to her.”
“Unfortunately,” Kennedy says, “sometimes clinicians just need a diagnosis for billing. But they don’t always have the experience, knowledge, or time to dig in and give an accurate diagnosis.”
But this is incredibly damaging. When an individual receives a diagnosis, they spend their life trying to compensate for that diagnosis. If they’re misdiagnosed, they may only treat the symptoms of a much larger problem—without ever treating the real issue.
And that leads us to an even deeper issue: Sometimes clients have multiple diagnoses—and sometimes none of them are 100% accurate.
Related Reading: Complex PTSD Life Expectancy: What’s the Impact?
Therapy For Complex Diagnoses
Therapy works for complex mental health issues, and we see that evidence each and every day.
It’s not uncommon for people to have multiple diagnoses. A few examples:
- 50%–60% of people with depression also have an anxiety disorder, and vice versa.
- 80% of people with PTSD have at least one comorbid condition.
- 50% of individuals with a substance use disorder also have a co-occurring mental illness.
What to Know Before You Go
1. Your therapist is human, too. Society occasionally puts therapists on a pedestal, as if they have everything figured out and life is perfect. That’s rarely the case.
Yes, struggle as well—we just have access to knowledge and resources that make life easier for us.
“Sometimes it’s useful for clients to know that I’ve had my own Bipolar Disorder diagnosis,” Kennedy says. “When I was a teenager, I honestly didn’t think I was going to make it past 20 years old. I had issues at home, and I didn’t think I was going to survive those teenage years.”
Such brutal honesty occasionally spans that initial gulf between the therapist and the client—quickly establishing a new layer of trust.
2. Your therapist might not have a rigid plan. Sometimes, success comes from keeping an open mind.
“I don’t always know what we’re going to do together in a session,” Kennedy says. “That’s especially true at the beginning. I’ll get all of the paperwork about your diagnoses and mental health history, but what I’m really interested in is you. I want to know what you think, what you’ve experienced, and what your goals are—not what a bunch of people have written down over the years.”
4. You might need time to find the right therapist, especially if you have multiple issues to address. Some therapists are more comfortable niching down into specific topics, like PTSD, anxiety, or PTSD.
That’s perfect if you have one of those issues.
But for more acute mental health concerns, you’ll want to shop around.
“It’s a little like buying a house for the first time,” Kennedy says. “You usually have an idea of what you’re looking for, but you really don’t know what you want or need until you start touring the homes, knocking on the walls, and really working to understand houses. Therapy is the same way; it takes time to find the right fit.”
How Long Do You Need to Go To Therapy?
This is one of the most common questions we hear, and the answer really depends on you, your willingness to work on yourself in and out of therapy, and how complex your concerns are.
While the timeline varies, here’s a general guide:
- After 6–8 Sessions – We start getting into the nuance of what you’ve experienced, your concerns about the future, and how to respond to the world around you.
- After 6 Months – This is where we really start to see real, gradual improvements.
- After 12 Months – This is where we might shift to bi-weekly sessions—assuming you’ve made enough progress in the last year.
Again, everyone is unique. You might experience a different rate of progress!
Find A Therapist for Complex Mental Health Issues
If you’re struggling with multiple mental health concerns, help is here. Contact us.
Our compassionate team—Kennedy included—is ready to meet you!
To learn more, read all about us or check out our blog.
FAQ About Therapy and Complex Mental Health Issues
Does therapy really work for complex mental health issues?
Yes. Therapy can be highly effective for complex mental health concerns, especially when it focuses on the root causes of symptoms rather than just the diagnosis itself.
What are “complex” mental health issues?
Complex mental health issues often involve multiple diagnoses, overlapping symptoms, or deeper underlying factors like trauma, making them more nuanced than a single, isolated condition.
Can therapy help if I’ve been misdiagnosed?
Absolutely. A skilled therapist will look beyond past labels to better understand your full story and help identify what’s really going on beneath the surface.
What types of therapy are used for complex cases?
Therapists may use approaches like Internal Family Systems (IFS), psychodynamic therapy, trauma-informed care, and other flexible methods tailored to your unique needs.
How long does therapy take for complex mental health issues?
It varies. Some people begin to see progress within a few months, while others benefit from longer-term therapy to fully address deeper patterns and experiences.
What if I have multiple diagnoses?
That’s more common than you might think. Therapy can help untangle overlapping symptoms and focus on the core issues driving your experiences.
Do I need a diagnosis to start therapy?
No. You don’t need a formal diagnosis to begin therapy—many people start simply because they’re struggling and want support.