Behavior therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy have similarities, but they should not be confused with each other. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a branch of psychotherapy that focuses on identifying negative behavioral and thought patterns and replacing them with more positive ones. It helps patients understand how their thoughts and emotions impact their actions. Conversely, behavior therapy aims to address problematic behaviors. It focuses more on harmful behaviors than the thoughts behind them.
A closer look at behavior therapy and CBT
Let us take a closer look at cognitive behavioral therapy and behavior therapy to better understand their similarities and differences.
1. Cognitive behavioral therapy
Unlike some other types of talk therapy that focus on exploring a patient’s past and past trauma, cognitive-behavioral therapy focuses on exploring the connections between a patient’s emotions, thoughts, and actions. For example, if a person is under excessive stress, they might make decisions that they would not make if things were calmer around them.
CBT works off the assumption that harmful thought processes partially cause psychological problems. These harmful ways of thinking can come from learned patterns of behavior. Fortunately, people can improve their symptoms by learning effective coping mechanisms and ways to manage their thoughts. Examples of how a person’s emotions and thoughts can influence their behavior include:
- Negative or inaccurate thoughts and perceptions can lead to poor mental health and emotional distress.
- Such thoughts can also lead to unhelpful behaviors.
- Learning how to identify such thoughts and behaviors and correct them improves a person’s mental health.
2. Behavior therapy
Behavior therapy is a broader term for different types of therapy used to address mental health disorders. This type of therapy is used to identify and change unhealthy and destructive behaviors. It works off the idea that all behaviors are learned and can be changed. The treatment focuses on pinpointing the patient’s destructive or self-sabotaging behaviors and replacing them with more positive habits. Issues that can be treated with behavioral therapy include:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Panic disorders
- Bipolar disorder
- Phobias
- Substance abuse
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Popular branches of behavioral therapy include the following:
Cognitive-behavioral play therapy
This form of therapy is often used with children. Therapists can gain valuable insights about things that a child is unable or unwilling to express by watching them play with toys. The child might be asked to create a sandbox scenario or draw something. This type of therapy can also help improve communication between parents and children.
System desensitization
This form of therapy works off classical conditioning. It is typically used to address phobias, the irrational fears about specific things. It often starts with the patient being taught breathing techniques before being gradually exposed to things that trigger their phobias.
Take control of your mental health
Cognitive-behavioral and behavior therapy can help you put your mental health issues behind you. Give us a call or stop by our Phoenix clinic to set up a consultation with our therapist.
Request an appointment or call Push Wellness Health at 480-737-4658 for an appointment in our Phoenix office.
Related Posts
Psychotherapy for depression involves the patient talking to a therapist about factors that might be making them feel depressed during sessions that can be as long as 90 minutes.Also called talk therapy, psychotherapy is one of the first forms of treatment recommended for people with depression. Identifying the patient’s triggers and teaching them more effective…
Seeing a therapist for a consultation can help improve your mental wellness. Having this type of consultation can help you go through different types of challenging situations. The consultation may start with talk therapy and end with prescription medications. Its aim is to improve your symptoms. If you want to know more about your coming…
Using therapy as a way to treat depression is a common method for therapists. If you or someone you love is suffering from this illness, you should seek help right away. The treatment will be different for every patient. The therapist will cater the treatment to your needs. Still, the goals for any type of…