When someone is dealing with a behavioral health issue, there are different therapy approaches that may be used depending on what they’re dealing with. Two of the most widely used are cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). CBT vs DBT is something people look into when they’re trying to understand therapy options and what might actually help.
CBT works more with thoughts. The patterns behind them. How they shape emotions and behavior. DBT is different in tone. It leans into emotional intensity, learning how to stay steady when things feel too much and reducing reactions that feel hard to control. They overlap in some areas, but they’re not used for the same focus. Choosing the right one can make a meaningful difference in how you overcome your mental health struggles.
What is Cognitive Behavior Therapy?
Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is a generic term that encompasses a variety of different therapy forms. All types of CBT share the same four core principles:
- Psychological issues occur partly as a result of unhelpful, problematic thinking.
- Psychological issues occur partly as a result of negative learned behavior patterns.
- Psychological issues occur partly as a result of problematic core beliefs, especially ones centered around yourself or your influence on the world.
- People suffering from negative psychological issues can improve through learned behaviors and coping skills.
CBT is very goal-oriented, as it focuses on addressing and overcoming a specific challenge over a series of sessions. It is often one of the most effective treatments for several mental health disorders including anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and eating disorders.
What is Dialectical Behavior Therapy?
Dialectical behavior therapy, or DBT, is a newer form of CBT. Specifically, DBT is a talk therapy that balances accepting yourself, your emotions, and your situation while learning to change dysfunctional behaviors. This is usually done through a blend of individual and group sessions, where individuals begin to understand and recognize their situation and develop skills to replace harmful behaviors with positive ones. To achieve this, DBT focuses on building four key skills: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.
Originally, DBT was created to help treat individuals with borderline personality disorder. However, today it is used to treat other mental health issues that also cause intense emotions and high-risk behaviors, including severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
DBT vs CBT Therapy: The Key Differences
- Focuses
CBT focuses on helping individuals to recognize how their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors influence one another in order to identify and change negative thought/behavior patterns.
While DBT does incorporate helping individuals to recognize the interaction between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, it focuses more on emotions and learning to accept negative thoughts without acting on them.
- Targeted Mental Health Issues
CBT is an extremely effective therapy treatment for many mental health issues. Due to being goal-oriented and having several flexible techniques, CBT can be adjusted to address very specific situations.
DBT was created to treat individuals with borderline personality disorder. Today, it has been adapted to help treat several other conditions, but it is most effective when individuals are experiencing interpersonal difficulties, intense emotions, and harmful/high-risk behaviors like self-harm.
- Time Duration
CBT is typically used as a short-term treatment lasting about 12-16 months.
DBT is often a long-term form of treatment and can last for upwards of a year.
How To Know What Will Work for Me
When trying to determine which form of therapy will work best for you, it is important to consult a therapist. There is no standard treatment, timeline, or roadmap for treating mental illness – the perfect treatment for one individual might make little-to-no difference for others. By meeting with a licensed professional, you can get a tailored treatment that will fit your unique situation.
Choosing the Right Fit Between CBT vs DBT
CBT vs DBT isn’t really about which one is better. It’s about what you’re dealing with and what kind of support fits that. CBT vs DBT both help with emotional and mental health struggles, just in different ways.
In practice, the choice between dialectical behavior therapy vs CBT depends on what feels most difficult right now. Some people need help with racing thoughts. Others need support handling emotional intensity. A lot of people benefit from understanding both before deciding.
At Embrace Now, we help guide that process. Whether you’re looking for a CBT therapist online or exploring DBT vs CBT therapy for more structured emotional support, our team works with you to know what fits best. We offer individual therapy in Conshohocken, PA, and across 41 states through telehealth. Call us today to find the right support and start from there.
Reviewed by Dr. Sandra, Licensed Psychologist
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What principle underlies cognitive-behavioral therapy?
A1. The main principle of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is that thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are connected. What we think about a situation affects how we feel and how we respond. CBT works by helping people notice and shift unhelpful thought patterns, so their emotions and actions improve.
A2. CBT is usually a short-term form of therapy. Most people work with a CBT therapist online or in person for about 5 to 20 sessions over a few months. In some cases, like long-term anxiety or depression, it may continue longer with added support sessions.
A3. CBT vs DBT refers to two different therapy approaches with different focuses. CBT targets unhelpful thoughts and behaviors to improve anxiety, depression, and similar concerns. DBT therapy for depression and emotional distress adds skills for handling intense emotions, relationships, and stress through mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal skills.
A4. DBT therapy works by teaching skills to manage strong emotions and reduce harmful reactions. It combines acceptance of your current feelings with strategies for change. Sessions usually include individual therapy, skills training, and real-life practice to help apply what you learn in daily situations.
CBT vs DBT – Free Consultation to Find the Right Therapy Approach
Schedule a free 10 minute consultation call with Dr. Nancy Vreeland to learn whether CBT or DBT may be right for your needs.
Dr. Nancy Vreeland specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for anxiety, OCD, panic disorder, phobias, and related conditions.