NEWSLETTER

Behavioral Therapy

Medically reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, PhD, CRNP on November 14, 2016 — Written by Ana Gotter

Who benefits

Types

Effectiveness

For children

Finding a therapist

What is behavioral therapy?

Behavioral therapy is an umbrella term for types of therapy that treat mental health disorders. This form
of therapy seeks to identify and help change potentially self-destructive or unhealthy behaviors. It
functions on the idea that all behaviors are learned and that unhealthy behaviors can be changed. The
focus of treatment is often on current problems and how to change them.

Who can benefit from behavioral therapy?

Behavioral therapy can benefit people with a wide range of disorders.

People most commonly seek behavioral therapy to treat:

depression

anxiety
panic disorders

anger issues

It can also help treat conditions and disorders such as:

eating disorders

post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

bipolar disorder

ADHD

phobias, including social phobias

obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

self-harm

substance abuse

This type of therapy can benefit adults and children.

Types of behavioral therapy

There are a number of different types of behavioral therapy:

Cognitive behavioral therapy

Cognitive behavioral therapy is extremely popular. It combines behavioral therapy with cognitive
therapy. Treatment is centered around how someone’s thoughts and beliefs influence their actions and
moods. It often focuses on a person’s current problems and how to solve them. The long-term goal is to
change a person’s thinking and behavioral patterns to healthier ones.

Cognitive behavioral play therapy

Cognitive behavioral play therapy is commonly used with children. By watching children play, therapists
are able to gain insight into what a child is uncomfortable expressing or unable to express. Children may
be able to choose their own toys and play freely. They might be asked to draw a picture or use toys to
create scenes in a sandbox. Therapists may teach parents how to use play to improve communication
with their children.

System desensitization

System desensitization relies heavily on classical conditioning. It’s often used to treat phobias. People are
taught to replace a fear response to a phobia with relaxation responses. A person is first taught
relaxation and breathing techniques. Once mastered, the therapist will slowly expose them to their fear
in heightened doses while they practice these techniques.

Aversion therapy

Aversion therapy is often used to treat problems such as substance abuse and alcoholism. It works by
teaching people to associate a stimulus that’s desirable but unhealthy with an extremely unpleasant
stimulus. The unpleasant stimulus may be something that causes discomfort. For example, a therapist
may teach you to associate alcohol with an unpleasant memory.

Is behavioral therapy effective?

Behavioral therapy has successfully been used to treat a large number of conditions. It’s considered to
be extremely effective.

About 75 percent of people who enter cognitive behavioral therapy experience some benefits from
treatment.

One study found that cognitive behavioral therapy is most effective when treating:

anxiety disorders

general stress

bulimia

anger control problems

somatoform disorders

depression

substance abuse

Studies have shown that play therapy is very effective in children ages 3 to 12. However, this therapy is
increasingly being used in people of all ages.

Behavioral therapy for children

Applied behavior therapy and play therapy are both used for children. Treatment involves teaching
children different methods of responding to situations more positively.

A central part of this therapy is rewarding positive behavior and punishing negative behavior. Parents
must help to reinforce this in the child’s day-to-day life.

It may take children some time to trust their counselor. This is normal.

They’ll eventually warm up to them if they feel they can express themselves without consequences.

Children with autism and ADHD often benefit from behavioral therapy.

How to find a behavioral therapist

Finding a therapist can feel overwhelming, but there are many resources that make it easier.

When finding a provider, you can choose from:

social workers
faith-based counselors

non-faith-based counselors

psychologists

psychiatrists

You should make sure that the provider you choose has the necessary certifications and degrees. Some
providers will focus on treating certain conditions, such as eating disorders or depression.

If you don’t know how to get started finding a therapist, you can ask your doctor for a recommendation.
They may recommend you to a psychiatrist if they think you might benefit from medication. Psychiatrists
are able to write prescriptions for medication.

Most insurance plans will cover therapy. Some providers offer scholarships or sliding-scale payment for
low income individuals.

A therapist will ask you many personal questions about yourself. You will know you have found the right
therapist if you feel comfortable talking to them. You may have to meet with several therapists before
you find the right one.

Article resources

Behavioral therapy for children with emotional disorders. (n.d.)

kidsmentalhealth.org/behavioral-therapy-for-children-with-emotional-disorders/

Bratton, S., Ray, D., & Rhine, T. (2005). The efficacy of play therapy with children: a meta-analytic review
of treatment outcomes. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 36(4), 376-390

hbftpartnership.com/documents/uploadResources/EfficacyPT-Bratton2005.pdf

Guidelines for choosing a therapist. (2010)

abct.org/Help/?m=mFindHelp&fa=HowToChooseTherapist
Hofmann, S., Asnaani, A., Vonk, I., & Sawyer, A. (2012, October 1). The efficacy of cognitive behavioral
therapy: a review of meta-analyses. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 36(5), 427-440

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3584580/

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2016, February 23). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cognitive-behavioral-therapy/home/ovc-20186868

Understanding psychotherapy and how it works. (n.d.)

apa.org/helpcenter/understanding-psychotherapy.aspx

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