
When it comes to effective therapies that can benefit people suffering from various mental health challenges, CBT and DBT are the most successful. You can choose the best therapy by knowing their differences and considering your specific goals and needs. Liz Chelak is a qualified mental health professional and works closely with you to identify your unique problems and determine which approach is right for you. Liz understands that therapy can be challenging and creates a treatment plan individualized to you and your life. She provides a safe, supportive, and confidential environment that empowers you to overcome your problems.
Begin personalized therapy, online or in-person, in West Palm Beach, and Boca Raton, FL.
Mental illnesses can be difficult to deal with, but psychotherapy offers effective treatment. It can help with various mental health issues and life stressors, as well as restore your emotional and physical well-being. Cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy are the most commonly recommended treatments by experts for treating various mental disorders.
Read on to learn what makes CBT and DBT different from each other, how they can help with emotional and behavioral problems, and which therapy would work best for you.
They may have similar names but this does not make them similar. CBT and DBT are different, each having its own set of advantages. With so many options, determining which technique is most suitable for your condition can be a challenge.
Understanding CBT
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) helps you deal with emotional and behavioral problems by changing negative thought patterns and beliefs. Our thoughts, ideas, and behaviors are interacted due to which we react in certain ways. This form of psychotherapy focuses on changing the way we think so we can alter our responses and feel better.
CBT works on the following principles:
- Collaborative approach – CBT delivers the best results as it is a collaborative approach between the therapist and patient where the patients learn to trust the caregiver. The therapist works with you to determine the problems you are facing and comes up with solutions that help you achieve your goals.
- Cognition and rationale – CBT teaches you the right way to apply logic and reason so you can identify and respond to traumatic situations rationally without getting influenced by emotions.
- Focus on the present – CBT therapists encourage you to identify and change the thoughts and behaviors that are creating problems. It helps you changing the way you think about and react to certain situations so you can feel better and begin to focus on the present.
- Structured sessions – therapists use specific techniques that are best suited for your emotional needs. CBT sessions are structured and your therapist will keep an eye on progress to see how therapy is benefiting you. Each session usually lasts between 45 and 60 minutes.
- Homework assignments – Therapists give you homework assignments so you can practice the skills you learn during the therapy in your daily life for desired outcomes.
Techniques Used in CBT
Four DBT components help individuals develop coping skills and emotional regulation.
They include:
- Cognitive restructuring – It is all about finding and changing negative thought patterns and beliefs that can create issues. A therapist can help you get rid of these unhelpful thoughts and think and respond positively.
- Behavioral activation – This technique addresses the negative behaviors that result in mental health problems. Your therapist creates the right plan to eliminate the negative aspects and foster positive behaviors.
- Exposure therapy – This technique gradually exposes you to stressful situations in a safe and controlled environment to treat anxiety-related disorders.
- Relaxation techniques – It helps you manage symptoms of stress and anxiety by teaching deep breathing and progressive muscle relative techniques.
- Controlling automatic thoughts – The therapist helps you recall your core beliefs and reshape the negative thoughts that you may experience randomly. It is natural to develop thoughts of failure if anything goes wrong in your life but therapy teaches you to stay positive.
CBT can successfully treat several mental health issues, including anxiety disorders, depression, and PTSD. It works best for people with emotional or behavioral problems. However, it is important to know that standard CBT cannot treat all types of mental illnesses. Your therapist may use Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) if you experience extreme emotional responses when you interact with the environment around you to ensure your responses are more controlled and healthier.
Understanding DBT
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)is a form of CBT that encourages you to identify the problems you have. It is meant for people who may still feel safe and can make the decision to choose healthy responses instead of harmful or impulsive emotions. This therapy focuses on dealing with thoughts.
It teaches patients to recognize the triggers that can affect their mental well-being and use the right coping mechanisms to respond.
Techniques used in DBT
DBT helps you develop coping skills and regulate your emotions with these four components:
- Mindfulness – It helps you to develop a sense of calm and equilibrium by staying in the present without being judgmental. It is necessary for people with inconsistent thinking patterns who find it difficult to stay in the present. Regular mindfulness breaks their habit of thinking negatively by forcing them to focus on the here and now.
- Emotional regulation – Learning to control intense emotions and dealing with strong or upsetting emotions is a part of DBT. It teaches you to identify triggers that can give rise to emotional responses and avoid them.
- Tolerance adversity – DBT equips you with coping mechanisms to tolerate things that don’t work your way. You learn to identify unhelpful situations and rein your emotions and actions to prevent emotional outbursts or actions.
- Effectiveness in relationships – Creating healthy boundaries with others is essential for developing healthy relationships. Listening to others, avoiding conflict and friendship building results in effective communication and rapport with others.
Differences Between CBT & DBT
CBT and DBT differ from each other in the following aspects:
Focus
CBT emphasizes on thoughts and the way your feelings and behavior impact each other. On the other hand, DBT focuses on emotions and interpersonal relationships. DBT also focuses on thoughts and behaviors, it is more concerned on regulating emotions, being mindful and learning to accept pain.
Treatment Length
CBT takes less time than DBT and may require 5 to 20 sessions to deliver therapy. On the other hand, DBT is more involved and may take 6 to 12 months or even longer to ensure healing.
Treatment Methods
CBT is one-on-one therapy between the therapist and the patient, but CBT can include individual sessions as well as group sessions for better outcomes.
Treatment Goals
CBT strives to establish new patterns, while DBT focuses on accepting negative emotions and improving interpersonal relationships.
CBT and DBT vary in validation and relationships. CBT gives you a chance to realize when your thoughts turn negative and helps you redirect them to positivity. DBT makes you accept these thoughts or experiences as they are, regardless of the challenges. It also promotes better relationships, including the relationship between you and your therapist.
DBT teaches you to accept things as they are. It makes you feel safe and manage your emotions so you can prevent harmful or destructive emotions. Along with the CBT skills, you will also learn skills to manage emotions, develop better relationships with others, and coping mechanisms, such as acceptance and mindfulness.
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(561) 363-7994Cbt vs Dbt – Which Can Treat You Better?
It is essential to know that mental illnesses are not easy to treat, and every individual may not respond to treatment in the same way. A therapy technique that works for depression or anxiety may fail to help with personality disorder.
CBT is the most effective treatment for depression. It has helped patients manage symptoms of anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, phobias, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and sleeping issues successfully. It works by giving you control over your recovery.
In comparison, DBT works best for people diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. It encourages you to change behavior patterns instead of making you go through the issues you are already struggling with. It is a type of CBT that empowers you to develop the right responses to intense emotional behaviors such as pain, rejection, and negativity. It works best for people with thoughts of self-harm and suicidal behaviors, as well as those who have been through sexual trauma.
As you learn DBT skills and regulate your emotions, practice mindfulness, and improve relationships with others, you can become a part of standard CBT groups for addressing negative thoughts or recurring harmful responses.
Begin personalized therapy, online or in-person, in West Palm Beach, and Boca Raton, FL.
How to Determine if Cbt or Dbt Is Right for You?
Your mental health professional will tell you which treatment and therapy would work best for you based on your symptoms. it could be a therapist, psychiatrist, or psychologist. They will review your personal and medical history as well as the treatment goals you have in mind to recommend the best plan of action to guide you toward recovery.
It is important to know that each mental condition is different and may respond differently to treatment. Thus, it is best to opt for a treatment method that has shown the most favorable results for your condition and its symptoms. Your therapist will not only identify the best treatment option but also guide you in developing strengths and skills that ensure quick and lasting recovery. In case of more than one diagnosis, elements from both CBT and DBT are used to cure your symptoms successfully.
Even though they have their differences, CBT and DBT are effective therapies that offer complete recovery from various mental health disorders. At Trauma Therapy Center, Liz Chelak offers both individual and group CBT and DBT so you can gradually make a series of small changes that add up to less pain and better control over your emotions. These therapy sessions give you a chance to heal from your past, build a bright future, and enjoy an improved quality of life.