Five types of behavioral therapy and their applications

Most mental health concerns involve some kind of dysfunction with a person’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. These are all closely connected, so challenges with one of them tend to affect the others. Fortunately, there are many different treatments for mental health conditions. 

Behavioral therapy is one that can help people living with substance use disorders, mood disorders, and more. And behavioral therapy does more than simply target unwanted behaviors. While behavior change is a key part of this type of therapy, it also focuses on the underlying thoughts and feelings related to behavior so that people can learn to respond differently to their triggers. 

What is behavioral therapy?

There are many types of behavioral therapy, and they have some things in common. These types of therapy come from behaviorism in the mid-20th century. At that time, behaviorists saw behavior as a learned process that people can unlearn. Early behaviorists also believed that identifying and changing unwanted or unhelpful thoughts was an important first step in behavior change. 

Modern behavioral therapists continue to focus on the connection between thoughts and actions. But they also focus on how a person’s environment shapes their core beliefs. These beliefs can affect the way they see themselves and the world around them. So the goal of behavioral therapy is to identify and challenge unhelpful thoughts. After that, people can work on changing behavior patterns that no longer serve them. 

Types of behavioral therapy

There are many different types of behavioral therapy. Learning more about them can help you feel empowered to have a conversation with your therapist about the best treatment option for you.

1. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of talk therapy that can treat mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, substance use disorders, relationship issues, and eating disorders. It can also help with severe mental health conditions like schizophrenia. 

CBT therapists see mental health concerns as the result of unhelpful thought patterns and learned behavioral responses. They believe that it’s important to recognize and challenge your dysfunctional thoughts. Then, you can replace them with new ideas and beliefs. This approach can help you understand yourself better, change your response to triggers, and develop healthy coping skills for difficult situations.

2. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)

DBT is a form of CBT that is often used to treat complex mental health challenges like borderline personality disorder (BPD), suicidality and self-harm, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), mood disorders, and substance use disorders.  It is especially useful for treating any condition that causes an intense imbalance of emotions.

Traditional CBT focuses on the relationship between thoughts and behaviors as a way to challenge unhelpful patterns. DBT, on the other hand, encourages participants to accept their current thoughts and behaviors, even when they’re unhelpful. DBT usually involves structured activities and homework that focus on four core skills: 

1. Mindfulness
2. Distress tolerance
3. Emotion regulation
4. Interpersonal effectiveness

3. Applied behavior analysis (ABA)

ABA is a form of behavioral therapy that can support people with autism, especially children. It can help improve social and problem-solving skills and reduce behaviors like self-harm. ABA rewards desired behaviors, which makes it more likely that a person will repeat those behaviors. 

In the past, ABA practitioners also used punishment when people showed unwanted behaviors. But today, that’s no longer the case. Instead, modern ABA validates the ways neurodiverse people think and feel. It also helps them build on their existing strengths so they can engage with society in healthy ways.

4. Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT)

REBT sees thoughts as the main cause of unwanted feelings and behaviors. This form of support is used to treat depression, anxiety, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), eating disorders, and more.

REBT is a goal-focused approach that helps people overcome challenging situations by focusing on the present. It encourages people to uncover and challenge the underlying beliefs that are causing distress through a process called “disrupting.” This process helps people release unwanted thoughts and emotions, adopt new behaviors, and improve their quality of life.

5. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)

ACT is a mindfulness-based form of behavioral therapy. It can effectively treat depression, anxiety, psychosis, OCD, and health conditions like chronic pain. 

This type of therapy encourages participants to uncover and accept the inner thoughts and feelings that they’ve previously suppressed. They will also practice mindfulness techniques to regulate emotions and focus on the present. Unlike other common therapies, the goal of ACT is not symptom reduction alone. While symptom relief can occur with ACT, the focus is on helping people increase their mental flexibility so they can manage distress better.

Find a therapist with Rula

If your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are taking a toll on your life and your relationships, know that you’re not alone. At Rula, we know how much courage it takes to ask for help and to find a mental health professional you connect with. So we built a platform that takes the guesswork out of finding behavior-focused therapists who take your insurance. 

In just a few minutes, our therapist-matching tool can connect you with a provider you can begin seeing as soon as tomorrow from the comfort of home. From there, we’ll be there to answer your questions along the way and support you as you work toward healing.

Find a therapist with Rula