Since you like to read...if you haven't already, I hope you will read "Talk is Not Enough: How Pyschotherapy Really Works" by Willar Gaylin.

I have been in behavioral therapies that helped minimally.
I am currently in psychodynamic/psychoanalytic psychotherapy that has been very helpful. I cannot always say exactly why. It is just the experience of the therapist in the psychotherapy that is helpful. I suppose I have internalized the experience(s).
I only know my life is immensely more comfortable most of the time, compared to where I was several years ago when I began this therapy. I also know that having the analysis of what I'm experiencing in my life is relieving and clarifying. I am learning to see other perspectives. I am learning (and this one takes much practice!) to see that there can be many feelings about one thing, that those feelings/thoughts can be 180 degrees from one another and all of the feelings/thoughts are valid. I have a lot more and deeper work to do.

Therapy is very helpful to me right now, at age 56. My life feels so much better. That's all I know.