The Differences Between CBT, DBT, & ACT

There are many strategies when it comes to therapeutic help. As a licensed professional counselor, we have studied many different types of therapy, and often use a combination of them depending on the situation. The three primary types of therapy that we practice here at In Sight Counseling Connections in Denver are Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Theory (DBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Though they all are slightly different, these types of therapy can help anxiety, trauma recovery, post-divorce, depression, and so much more. To share our education with you, we’ve put together a comparison between these three.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy forms the foundation for these 3 therapy methods, as the primary basis is to encourage mindfulness with behavior and thought processes. The other two therapies are offshoots of CBT, which explains their similarities. CBT works by acknowledging negative thoughts and perceptions, and then re-framing those thoughts to change behavior. This type of therapy is often effective because it focuses on the practical root of the problem. First the problem or concerns are identified, then strategies such as relaxation training, biofeedback, hypnosis, and desensitization are used to correct the problem, allowing an individual to form a new frame of mind for coping.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy also has an emphasis on behavior, but it adds a social component to the therapy. The idea is that accepting thought patterns and talking them through helps cope with painful emotions. Because of this, DBT is a highly collaborative process. It typically involves not only meeting with the counselor, but having a support system to talk things out, which provides a new direction for negative feelings and behaviors. During sessions, the client and the counselor discuss past problems and emotions, and then come up with a strategy to improve quality of life.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

While DBT focuses on the social aspect of talking, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy emphasizes taking action towards painful emotions and behavior. This helps the client stop avoiding, denying, and struggling, and instead, allows them to accept their feelings for what they are. Like CBT and DBT, the idea is to re-frame negative statements and emotions into positive ones. However, ACT goes further by taking a strong approach to accepting oneself and committing to changing behavior. This commitment includes allowing the emotions, then taking action towards becoming more optimistic. The thought process behind this therapy is that suppressing emotions is harmful and counterproductive for the client.

Each therapy seeks to acknowledge painful emotions and remove the negative behaviors associated with them. However, each method has its own way of helping clients cope. If you want to learn more about these therapies, or to see how they can help you, please contact us at In Sight Counseling Connections for more information. Our practice in Denver offers free 30 minute consultations for new clients!