Saturday, Jan 24th, 2026

Mental Health Resources and Blog

Octave Therapy has curated a selection of mental health articles to help you effectively manage daily challenges and achieve emotional well-being. Dive into articles covering therapy, relationships, mental health disorders, self-help and self-care, therapist advice and more.

Categories

What is Anger Management?

Everyone has their own perception of whether anger is ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Often, these value judgments are at odds with each other. Some people view anger as a negative feeling they should stuff down lest it cause harm. Others view anger as an important driver of personal agency or even social justice. Differing approaches to anger have also been a sticking point in psychological theory throughout the decades. Today, as is often the case, the consensus falls somewhere in the middle. Anger is a perfectly normal emotion that everyone experiences. When regulated, it is healthy and useful. However, chronic anger can be harmful to oneself and one’s relationships. In cases where anger is uncontrollable, it can be particularly dangerous. In this article, we will explore a broader understanding of anger to clarify when it is healthy and when it becomes harmful. We will look at the causes and symptoms of chronic or uncontrollable anger and provide management strategies. We will then delve further into how therapy can help with anger management.

Disorders & Conditions
8 min read

Is Online Therapy Affordable? Comparing Costs Across Platforms

One of the most common barriers to mental health treatment is cost. In a national survey of 1000 therapy seekers that Octave conducted in January 2025, 64% of therapy seekers said that the cost of therapy made them hesitate to begin. However, over the past decade, there has been an increase in availability and insurance coverage for online therapy services that have generally made therapy more accessible to more people.

Insurance & Cost
4 min read
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How Does Couple's Counseling Work?

Couples counseling is like individual therapy in that it helps people learn new coping skills. But couples counseling focuses on developing coping skills within a relationship, such as communication, emotional connection, and trust. It also ensures that both partners feel heard. Couples counseling is effective in its goals, with about 70% of couples attending couples therapy saying that it’s had a positive impact on their lives.  Many people feel uncertain about couples counseling, worrying that they’ll be blamed for their relationship problems or feeling uncomfortable about being so vulnerable. But a counselor is there to be a neutral party and can help you share things at a pace that feels comfortable to you. Not knowing what to expect can also raise anxiety levels for people. So, in this article, we’ll explain more about couples counseling and how it works so that you have a better understanding of what the process looks like.

Relationships
5 min read

In Person vs Virtual Therapy: Pros, Cons, and How It Compares to In-Person Care

Many people reach a moment in their lives when they know they need support, yet they are not entirely sure how to begin. For some, the idea of sitting with a therapist in a quiet room feels grounding. For others, that same sense of ease appears when they can speak openly from home, with a cup of tea nearby and no commute waiting on either side of the conversation. Virtual therapy provides this second possibility. It allows you to meet with a licensed clinician through a secure video session and turns a familiar space into one where you can reflect, pause, and understand yourself more clearly. In-person therapy offers a different kind of steadiness, shaped by the comfort of sharing physical space. Neither option is automatically better. Each offers its own kind of support. We will explore in-person vs virtual therapy so you can understand how they differ, how they overlap, and how Octave helps clients choose the approach that feels most supportive for the life they are living now.

Therapy
6 min read

Expert Comparison: CBT, DBT, and EMDR Programs

Many people seek therapy when life feels heavier than expected. Stress might feel unmanageable, emotions may rise quickly, or past experiences might return in ways that continue to shape the present. In those moments, it can help to understand the types of therapy modalities that can offer you support. Three of the most widely used, research-backed approaches are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. Each of these programs was created with a different purpose in mind, and each offers a distinct path toward emotional steadiness. People exploring these options often want to know how they compare. This is why we created a guide to provide a clear comparison of CBT vs DBT vs EMDR, including how these therapies work, who they support, and what you might expect from each one. By the end, you will have a grounded sense of what sets these modalities apart and how Octave’s licensed therapists can help you find the right fit.

Modality
8 min read

What is Stress Management?

“I’m stressed.” This is one of the most commonly uttered phrases in the twenty-first century. Everyone can relate to it: whether you are managing the demands of work, the stress of finances, dealing with parenting challenges, the pressure of exams, or trying to stay physically and mentally healthy. It’s natural that we’ve begun to think of stress as a problem. After all, we’re bombarded with information about all of the negative consequences of stress. Unfortunately, this approach doesn’t help. You cannot stop yourself from being stressed by stressing about it! The good news is that stress itself is not always a bad thing. Stress can help boost motivation and focus, can help us get organized, and can help us take action. It can also trigger adrenaline and other hormones which can improve reaction time and problem-solving. Stressful experiences can also lead to positive growth and personal development. Therefore, the best way to approach stress is not to try and get rid of it, because you don’t want to lose those positive benefits, but rather to learn to manage it. In recent years, mental health and mindfulness experts have developed practical tools for effective stress management. Before we get into these techniques, it’s important to understand what stress is and how it actually helps us.

Modality
6 min read