It’s through practice that you’ll begin to see long-term results with your cognitive behavioral therapy program. In essence, CBT depends on a positive change in either a thought or behavior during a single experience. Your CBT therapy will continually add to an overall improvement of intense emotions, thinking, and actions in your life.
What is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)?

Key components include acceptance and change strategies, mindfulness exercises, and distress tolerance techniques. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, commonly known as CBT, is a widely recognized form of psychotherapy centered around the core belief that our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are interconnected. By identifying and altering negative thought patterns, CBT asserts that individuals can create positive changes in their emotional well-being and overall functioning to help them feel better. If you have spent time exploring different therapeutic approaches, you will have come across both cognitive behavior therapy and dialectical behavior therapy (CBT vs DBT). Both are evidence-based forms of psychotherapy that help you restructure your thoughts and help you deal with your emotions better. You may also learn how to change your maladaptive behaviors to improve your quality of living.
- It has also been shown to be effective for conditions such as eating disorders and substance-use disorders.
- Another common type of therapy is called Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
DBT has four primary areas of focus, and although it’s a type of cognitive behavioral therapy, it’s much different in how it’s used. DBT helps you learn how to regulate emotions, stay in the present moment, deal with crises, and be effective in your relationships. Your therapist and a comprehensive care team will provide support from admission to aftercare, so that you can enjoy individualized treatment throughout every step of the therapeutic process. Our compassionate mental health professionals are here to support you throughout your mental health journey with sustainable healing and evidence-based treatment approaches—including CBT and DBT.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy vs Psychotherapy: Key Differences and Effectiveness
DBT emphasizes mindfulness, healthy coping skills, and the acceptance of difficult or complicated circumstances. DBT counselors help clients explore how opposing ideas can be true at the same time so that they can work to change their habits without engaging in harsh self-criticism. Acknowledging the validity of one’s thoughts and emotions is crucial to healing, even if these feelings are uncomfortable. Both CBT and DBT have demonstrated significant effectiveness across various mental health conditions.
It’s often used to treat dialectical behavioral therapy borderline personality disorder, but can also be helpful for other mental health conditions. This method of therapy has also been proven beneficial in treating anxiety, as it gives patients control over their recovery. DBT focuses on helping people change their behavior patterns, as opposed to trying to think or talk through the issues they are struggling with.
How CBT Works
- DBT places a heavy emphasis on mindfulness, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.
- Your health and wellness is unique to you, and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances.
- Skyland Trail offers both CBT and DBT in our residential treatment and day treatment programs.
- ACT has been found to be effective in treating a variety of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and substance abuse 5.
- Some people can feel better after a few weeks while others benefit more from several months of sessions.
On the other hand, for those dealing with specific phobias, generalized anxiety, or depression without significant emotional dysregulation, CBT might be the more direct route to symptom relief. CBT, on the other hand, focuses more directly on challenging and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. It’s more like learning to build a sturdy boat to Sober living house navigate life’s waters, focusing on your ability to steer and control your direction.
How Does Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Work?
DBT was developed to treat BPD, particularly for people with BPD who show self-harm or suicidal ideation or behaviors. It has also been shown to be effective for conditions such as eating disorders and substance-use disorders. It is currently being researched to see if it may help in other situations.
It was originally developed to help with managing intense emotions and self-destructive behaviors, which are common symptoms of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Today, it’s used when treating other conditions, such as substance use disorders, bipolar, and major depressive disorder. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a structured, goal-oriented form of talk therapy, also known as psychotherapy. It teaches you to identify unhelpful thought and behavior patterns so you can make changes. DBT is often used to treat borderline personality disorder and parasuicidal behaviors. https://dev-voicethepeopleofficial.pantheonsite.io/sober-living/what-happens-if-you-get-drunk-on-blood-thinners In DBT treatment, there is often a focus on emotional dysregulation and learning skills for more adaptive ways of dealing with emotions.
Mode of Approach
In addition to CBT skills, individuals in DBT learn techniques for emotion regulation, building relationships, coping with distress, fostering acceptance, and practicing mindfulness. CBT is effective for a wide range of mental health conditions, including anxiety disorders, depression, phobias, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an enhanced form of CBT that incorporates mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness skills.

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based treatment for long-term mental health conditions such as personality disorders, substance abuse disorders, and eating disorders. Marsha Linehan developed it for the treatment of borderline personality disorder in 1993. Since then, it has been proven effective for a range of chronic conditions that regular CBT sessions cannot address.
- The main difference between CBT and DBT is that CBT is a short-term process whereas DBT is a long term process.
- DBT stresses the practice of mindfulness, increasing distress tolerance, strengthening emotional regulation skills, and growing relationships.
- Its comprehensive approach and focus on distress tolerance and emotion regulation can be particularly beneficial for these challenges.
- CBT, classified as a form of psychotherapy or “talk therapy,” involves collaboration with a mental health professional.
What if a DBT therapist is unable to arrange group sessions?
CBT, while it can include group therapy, is often conducted primarily through individual sessions, with a strong emphasis on between-session homework and skill practice. It has been successfully adapted to treat a wide range of mental health conditions, from depression and anxiety to phobias and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Its structured approach and emphasis on measurable outcomes have made it a favorite among researchers and clinicians alike.