What type of therapy focuses on changing maladaptive thought patterns?

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses specifically on identifying and changing maladaptive thought patterns that contribute to emotional distress and problematic behaviors. The premise of CBT is that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected, and by altering negative or distorted thought patterns, individuals can improve their emotional well-being and modify their behaviors.

In CBT, therapists help clients recognize cognitive distortions—such as overgeneralizing, catastrophizing, or all-or-nothing thinking—and replace them with more balanced and constructive thoughts. This approach has a robust evidence base and is widely used to treat a variety of psychological issues, including anxiety, depression, and PTSD.

Other therapeutic approaches, while beneficial in their own right, do not emphasize the modification of thought patterns as explicitly as CBT does. Psychoanalytic therapy, for example, focuses more on unconscious processes and early life experiences rather than directly addressing current thought patterns. Humanistic therapy emphasizes personal growth and self-actualization, often focusing on the individual's subjective experience rather than cognitive distortions specifically. Behavioral therapy primarily targets observable behaviors and uses reinforcement strategies instead of altering cognitive processes.