Talk Therapy vs. Behavioral Therapy: What’s Right for You?

There are hundreds of different therapeutic models and treatments that therapists across the globe use to be of service to their clients. It can be difficult to know what treatment is right for you and the symptoms you are experiencing, and it can take time and effort before figuring out that something is or isn’t the best fit.

Though there are many different ways of categorizing therapies, they can largely be sorted into types: talk therapy and behavioral therapy. Each will include elements of the other, but feel free to read further to learn more about what might be the best approach for you.

Talk Therapy

Talk therapy primarily involves the exploration and/or processing of your thoughts and feelings. It can help you gain a deeper understanding of yourself and the patterns of your experiences throughout your life. Trained therapists can help cultivate a safe space for you to feel validated and seen. Talk therapy can help you deal with smaller relational conflicts and help provide coping tools to manage various life stressors.

Behavioral Therapy

Behavioral therapy models often include a combination of cognitive (talk) therapy and behavioral work. Behavioral therapies strive to not just explore and process emotions, but also to change and alter behavioral patterns that are not serving you. There are a variety of models, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and more. Behavioral therapies are effective for more intense or symptomatic mental health experiences, like severe depression and anxiety, life-interfering phobias, or suicidal ideation.

Which is right for me?

Someone looking to talk about daily stressors might find it confusing to have a therapist suggesting the more in-depth or structured work of behavioral therapies. Meanwhile, someone who has more intense symptoms might find just talking about their stressors to be largely unhelpful in leading to a change in their emotional experience. One is not inherently better than the other, but an improper fit might lead to the opinion that therapy is ineffective, if not outright harmful.

To learn more about our range of therapeutic services and what might work best for you, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

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