Cognitive vs. Behavioral Therapy: How Are They Different?
Written by:
Wilson College
• Nov 4, 2024
Research has consistently found that, with effective treatment, many individuals can overcome their mental health challenges. In fact, a comprehensive review of multiple studies published in Administration and Policy in Mental Health found that therapy significantly reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Among the many therapeutic approaches available, cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy have proven especially effective in treating individuals struggling with certain mental health conditions.
By examining cognitive vs. behavioral therapy to better understand the differences between these two methods, mental health professionals can make treatment decisions that best address each of their patient’s individual needs. Aspiring mental health professionals can develop an in-depth knowledge of various therapeutic approaches and different types of psychology by earning a degree in psychology .
What Is Cognitive Therapy?
Cognitive therapy focuses on changing people’s unhelpful thoughts and beliefs. This therapy model is based on the idea that people’s thoughts significantly influence their emotions and behaviors. For example, if someone consistently thinks they are not good enough, they may start to feel depressed or anxious. Cognitive therapy works by helping people identify their negative thought patterns and then challenge them.
What does this look like? An individual with social anxiety who fears that others are always judging them could be led through a process that helps them recognize their negative thoughts about how they are perceived by others and gives them tools to help reframe these thoughts.
This shift in thinking could significantly reduce the person’s anxiety and improve their ability to interact socially.
What Is Behavioral Therapy?
Rather than focusing on people’s thoughts, behavioral therapy zeroes in on people’s behaviors. This type of therapy helps individuals change the way they act as a method for altering how they feel and think. This approach is particularly effective for people struggling with phobias, compulsions, and certain types of anxiety.
For example, a person with social anxiety may avoid social situations altogether. As a result, the individual misses any opportunity to have their fears challenged. Ultimately, the person stays stuck in a cycle of fear and avoidance.
A practitioner using behavioral therapy could design structured exercises that gradually expose the person to social situations in a way that feels less threatening. This could involve role-playing a social interaction such as ordering coffee at a café or asking a store clerk for help. Then the therapist could provide the person with guidance and strategies for trying out the interaction in real life.
This method helps the individual confront their fears in a controlled and supportive manner and allows them to see that their fears of being judged are often exaggerated or unfounded.
Cognitive vs. Behavioral Therapy: Similarities and Differences
Cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy both help individuals address their mental health issues. While they share commonalities, they differ in their focus and methods. Understanding these similarities and differences is important for individuals who are considering a career in mental health.
Similarities Between Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy share a fundamental goal: to help individuals overcome their mental health challenges. Both approaches aim to empower individuals to lead more fulfilling lives by tackling the underlying issues that can hinder their personal growth and happiness.
A key similarity of these therapies is their focus on identifying and modifying unhelpful thoughts and beliefs. Whether they are targeting fears, negative self-perceptions, or pessimistic worldviews, both therapies work to replace unproductive patterns with healthier alternatives.
Individuals’ common unhelpful thoughts and beliefs that both therapies address include:
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Catastrophizing: Expecting the worst-case scenario in every situation. For example, believing that making a single mistake at work will lead to them losing their job.
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Overgeneralization: Drawing negative conclusions based on one isolated event. For instance, thinking, “I failed this exam, so I’ll fail all my classes.”
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Mind Reading: Assuming others are thinking negatively about them without any real evidence. For example, believing that everyone at a social event thinks they’re awkward or incompetent.
By identifying and seeking to change these thought patterns, both therapies can reduce their impact on an individual’s emotions and behavior.
Differences Between Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy
While cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy share common goals, they differ in their approach and techniques. To start, cognitive therapy focuses primarily on changing thoughts, while behavioral therapy targets behaviors directly.
Cognitive vs. Behavioral Therapy Techniques
Cognitive therapy techniques include:
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Cognitive Restructuring: This involves identifying and challenging negative, distorted thoughts. Therapists help their clients recognize their irrational thinking patterns, evaluate the accuracy of these thoughts, and replace them with more balanced, realistic thoughts. For example, instead of thinking, “I’m a failure,” clients may learn to think, “I made a mistake, but I can improve.”
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Thought Records: Individuals keep a log of their automatic thoughts, emotions, and behaviors in various situations. By tracking their responses, clients can start to see patterns in their thinking, learn to challenge their unhelpful thoughts, and gradually change their reactions to different situations.
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Socratic Questioning: Therapists ask open-ended, probing questions to guide clients in examining their own thought processes. This helps individuals reach new conclusions about their thoughts and beliefs without being directly told what to think.
Behavioral therapy techniques include:
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Behavioral Activation: This method encourages individuals to engage in positive, rewarding activities, even if they don’t feel motivated to do so. The goal is to break the cycle of avoidance and inactivity that often accompanies depression or anxiety, helping to lift a person’s mood and reinforce positive behavior.
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Reinforcement: This technique involves encouraging positive behaviors through incentives and feedback. Therapists may set up a system where a person earns praise or other rewards for achieving specific behavioral goals. The approach provides immediate positive feedback, which increases the likelihood that the behavior will be repeated.
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Systematic Desensitization: Through a step-by-step process, individuals are taught relaxation techniques and then exposed to anxiety-provoking situations. The goal is to desensitize clients to their fears by pairing a feared situation with relaxation, thus reducing the anxiety response over time.
While cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy both aim to improve people’s mental health, they approach problems differently. However, these therapies often complement each other. When combined in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) they provide a comprehensive approach that addresses both thoughts and behaviors.
Explore the Many Potential Career Opportunities for Psychology Degree Holders
Learning about cognitive vs. behavioral therapy and other treatment methods can help aspiring mental health professionals develop important insights into the most effective ways to approach different mental health issues. Additionally, students of psychology can apply the insights they’ve gained regarding changing thoughts and behaviors to a variety of roles in nonclinical settings including in education, marketing, and business. This opens the door to a range of alternative careers for psychology majors .
Explore how Wilson College Online’s Bachelor of Arts in Psychology program prepares students for exciting careers in a range of roles in mental health care and beyond.
Recommended Readings
Online Therapy vs. In-Person Therapy
Psychology vs. Social Work: How Are These Fields Different?
Sources:
American Institute for Cognitive Therapy, “What Is Cognitive Therapy”
PostivePyschology.com, “What Is Behavior Therapy? Your Ultimate Practitioner’s Guide”
Verywell Mind, “10 Cognitive Distortions That Can Cause Negative Thinking”
