Difference Between Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy

By: | Updated: Aug-13, 2022
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Therapy is an important tool for helping patients overcome their problems. The main goal of therapy is to identify the causes of a patient’s problems and implement solutions to those problems. Cognitive therapy and behavioral therapy are two different types of therapy that are commonly used to treat various psychological disorders. Behavioral therapy is more hands-on and relies on the patient’s efforts to improve his or her situation. Cognitive therapy focuses on changing a patient’s thoughts and behaviors through the use of talk therapy.

Summary Table

Behavioral Cognitive
Behavioral therapy aims to change the way a person thinks and behaves In cognitive therapy, the focus is on how the patient thinks
Less effective More effective
Used for shorter periods of time Used for a longer periods of time

Difference Between Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy

In this article, we will look at the difference between behavioral and cognitive therapy. We will also take a look at some of the main differences between these two types of therapy.

What is Behavioral Therapy?

Behavioral therapy is a type of therapy that is aimed at helping people to change their behavior. It aims to help people change the way they think and act in order to improve their mental health. This therapy can be used with a variety of disorders, such as anxiety, depression, panic attacks, phobias and OCD.

Behavioral therapy is based on the idea that behaviors are formed from a combination of thoughts and emotions. Therefore, if a person’s behavior changes in response to an emotional trigger or event, then it is likely that their thought processes will also change.

What is Cognitive Therapy?

Cognitive therapy is a type of psychotherapy that helps patients to deal with a wide range of mental health issues. It works by teaching patients how to identify and change negative thought patterns. This is achieved by learning how to recognize and challenge negative thoughts. It also helps patients to learn how to manage the thoughts that cause anxiety and depression.

The Similarities Between Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy

There are a number of similarities between behavioral and cognitive therapy. For example, both of these types of therapy focus on how the patient thinks about themselves, their problems, and their emotions. Behavioral therapy is more about helping the patient change their thoughts and behaviors by providing them with positive reinforcements and suggestions.

Cognitive therapy, on the other hand, is more about helping the patient change their thoughts and feelings by giving them positive reinforcements and suggestions. Cognitive therapy is not about changing the way the patient thinks, but it is about helping them to recognize the way they think.

Behavioral Therapy VS Cognitive Therapy

The differences between behavioral and cognitive therapy are as follows:

The focus

Behavioral therapy aims to change the way a person thinks and behaves. This means that the focus of this type of therapy is on how the patient behaves, as opposed to how they think. In cognitive therapy, the focus is on how the patient thinks.

The mode of treatment

Cognitive therapy is usually more effective in treating depression than behavioral therapy. Cognitive therapy focuses on the patient’s ability to make sense of his or her problems and then use this understanding to change behavior. Behavioral therapy is usually used in treating people with depression who are not making any progress with cognitive therapy.

The duration of treatment

Cognitive therapy is generally used for longer periods of time. Behavioral therapy, on the other hand, is generally used for shorter periods of time.

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