Why We Launched This Initiative, Why We Call it ‘Therapy That Sticks’, and Why It Matters Now
TL;DR
Psychotherapy Action Network launched Therapy That Sticks to educate the public on psychotherapy and empower everyone to seek and receive therapy that gets to the root cause of their challenges and creates meaningful, enduring relief.
As an organization, Psychotherapy Action Network is dedicated to protecting access to human-centered, relationship-based psychotherapy. This kind of care creates lasting change, change that ‘sticks’. But it's under threat from insurance restrictions, private equity consolidation, and AI-driven models that prioritize efficiency over depth. We’re standing up for psychotherapy because it sees the whole person and supports real healing over time, resulting in positive mental health outcomes that are likely to last.
Why We Launched This Initiative
At Psychotherapy Action Network (PsiAN), we know (and have the research to back that knowing) that psychotherapy is most effective when it is rooted in human connection, deep understanding, and unhurried care. When therapy is given the space to unfold in a trusting relationship, people don’t just feel better in the short term; they develop insight, heal from the inside out, and experience change that ‘sticks’.
Why We Named It Therapy That Sticks
The name Therapy That Sticks is both a declaration and a call to action. It speaks to the lasting benefits of psychotherapy when it is delivered in a way that respects the complexity of human experiences. It also points to what is too often missing from the dominant models of mental health care today.
Therapy That Sticks is about expanding access to positive mental health outcomes that last, not just symptom management.
We wanted a name that was accessible, memorable, and clear about our focus: advocating for therapy that supports lasting change, not just short-term solutions.
What’s Happening to Psychotherapy Right Now
Psychotherapy, particularly in its deeper, relational, and long-term forms, is being squeezed by forces that prioritize efficiency over effectiveness. Among the most concerning trends:
Insurance companies often reimburse only for short-term, highly structured care. Many policies limit the number of sessions or deny coverage for work that does not fit into a narrow treatment model.
Private equity firms are acquiring mental health providers and prioritizing volume and profit over relationship, continuity, and lasting outcomes.
Artificial intelligence is being developed to replace, rather than enhance, human therapists. These tools may offer convenience and help support therapists, and they may ultimately expand access if they can be shown to be safe and effective, but that’s not where the technology is at now. We’ve already seen tragic outcomes when it comes to mental healthcare in the hands of AI.
We are witnessing the slow erasure of human connection in mental health care.
At the same time, the public need and demand for mental healthcare continues to rise. People want and deserve support that not only helps them function but also helps them understand themselves, heal deeply, and move forward in meaningful ways.
Worries About Cost Shouldn’t be a Barrier to Getting Help
From our research, we learned that 35% of people don’t seek out therapy because they think they cannot afford it. These concerns are significant, and there are also many clinics and individual therapists around the country dedicated to offering low-cost, affordable mental healthcare.
We built a nationwide directory of these clinics; the first directory of its kind that we’re aware of. We don’t want cost to be a barrier to people seeking the help they need.
Also, while teletherapy increased dramatically during the pandemic, it did not fulfill its promise of expanding access to those in under-resourced communities. What it did do was mainly offer another option, more convenience, to people who would have sought out or been able to afford therapy previously.
We want to change that and make effective psychotherapy available to all in need, regardless of their circumstances or resources.
Why Relationship-Based Therapy Matters
Decades of research show that psychotherapy is highly effective, especially when the therapeutic relationship is strong and the process is given time.
Studies of long-term psychodynamic therapy show sustained improvement in depression, anxiety, and personality disorders, often continuing after therapy ends (Leichsenring & Rabung, 2008).
The quality of the therapist-client relationship is one of the most consistent predictors of positive outcomes, regardless of the specific approach used (Norcross & Lambert, 2019).
The most powerful part of therapy isn’t the technique, it’s the relationship.
In short, psychotherapy works. But it works best when it is relational, reflective, and allowed to go beyond initial symptom relief. What makes it effective is not a quick fix, but a meaningful process supported by a trained, attentive, and experienced therapist.
Why This Campaign Matters Now
The Therapy That Sticks campaign was created to educate and speak directly to the public. Our message is simple:
You deserve access to therapy that helps you change, grow, and heal over time. You deserve to know what types of treatment can deliver those outcomes and how to access them. You deserve the often-buried and misrepresented facts about psychotherapy.
This is not just about protecting a professional standard. It is about protecting the human dimension of mental health care: care that sees the whole person, not just a diagnosis, and supports people in finding clarity, resilience, and connection.
In a world where algorithms, cost-cutting, and standardization increasingly drive mental health care, we know psychotherapy needs defending.
