Behavior Therapies

Overview

Behavior therapy is an umbrella term for behavioral treatments that can be applied to a variety of psychological symptoms and disorders. Based on the idea that behavior is learned and therefore can be changed, this form of therapy helps identify and change potentially unhealthy or self-destructive behaviors. Treatment focuses on current symptoms and encourages individuals to engage in new, more helpful and adaptive behaviors that can reduce distress and build mastery, self-esteem and positive and/or social reinforcement.

Behavior therapies can play an important role in an overall treatment plan, equipping individuals with needed skills, tools and supports to manage their symptoms and more fully engage in their lives.

Most people who receive behavior therapy see improvement and a reduction of symptoms through use of the skills learned in treatment. They build awareness about their behaviors, fears and obsessions, when and why they happen and how they prevent them from leading a fulfilling life.

Behavior Therapies Offered at CFI

Exposure Response Prevention

Exposure and response prevention (ERP) or exposure therapy gradually exposes people to situations designed to provoke and desensitize fears or obsessions in a safe environment. It is highly effective for anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and selective mutism (SM).

Behavioral Activation

Behavioral activation (BA) for depression aims to help individuals re-engage in activities that may foster enjoyment, meaning, mastery and positive and/or social reinforcement. It may include a values-based re-setting of short, medium and long-term life goals.

Habit Reversal Therapy

Habit reversal therapy (HRT) for tic and habit disorders is a highly effective treatment that significantly reduces the severity of unwanted repetitive behaviors, helping to improve quality of life and reduce reliance on medication. In addition, HRT is effective with other focused therapies:

Comprehensive applied behavioral analysis (CBIT) guides those with tics, including children and adults with Tourette syndrome, to gradually change their behavior and reduce tics.
Stimulus control strategies for body-focused, repetitive behavior (BFRB) helps identify and implement behaviors and strategies that make it more difficult to do the behavior, as well as make changes to the environment to reduce the likelihood that these behaviors can occur.
Acceptance-based behavioral therapy (ABBT) for habit disorders incorporates techniques to promote the acceptance of urges or feelings, decrease the inﬂuence of averse internal states on behavior and increase the ability to accept—rather than avoid or deliberately alter—these experiences.

Executive Function Training for ADHD

Organizational skills and executive functioning (EF) training for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) includes a range of behavioral interventions targeting planning, attention, organization, time management and study skills deficits that predict poorer academic and occupational functioning.

Social Skills Training

Social skills training for those with social-communication disorders—especially for those with severe social anxiety disorder (SAD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or ADHD—uses a behavioral approach to teaching age-appropriate skills, such as communication, problem-solving, decision-making, self-management and peer relations.

Applied Behavior Analysis

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) for ASD and other behavioral disorders applies highly targeted, behavioral interventions to change and improve socially significant skills, while decreasing challenging behaviors.

Motivational Interviewing

Motivational interviewing (MI) approaches behavior change within an atmosphere of acceptance and compassion, strengthening individuals’ personal motivation and commitment to improving their lives. MI is more a collaborative method of communication than an intervention: therapists are experts in helping individuals change; individuals are experts of their own lives. Together the therapist and client create a process meant to naturally unfold over time.

Values-Based Behavioral Therapy

Values-based behavioral therapy can increase awareness and understanding of the values that affect lifestyle decisions and actions, which can be useful for self-improvement, increased wellbeing and more fulfilling interactions with others.

Anger Management Training

Anger management training guides anyone experiencing anger or aggressive behavior in emotional regulation, anger management and healthy communication skills.

Relaxation Techniques

Relaxation techniques can help decrease mind and body stress that leads to physiological attenuation of negative emotion states and facilitate cognitive and behavioral change and skills practice.

Coping Skills Training

Coping skills training refers to a wide range of emotion regulation and stress management strategies, ranging from quick “mood boosters” to structured exercise routines or from music, art, journaling and meditation practices to talking to a friend or loved one.

Medication in Conjunction with Behavior Therapy

Medications are most effective when combined with psychological therapy, but may be especially helpful for patients who do not get better with behavior therapy alone.

Antidepressants are the most commonly used medications to treat anxiety, depression, OCD and eating disorders that involve binge-eating or purging behavior. Other medications can be prescribed for physical health problems that co-occur with or are a consequence of psychiatric disorders.

Medication for individuals with ADHD can help reduce symptoms and improve EF. However, alone it may be insufficient due to lack of compliance, parental reservations about medication use and failure to target academic and social functions.

Treatment at Home

Once clients can manage therapist-guided steps in a clinical setting, therapists can provide clear instructions for clients to continue behavioral therapy skills practice and maintenance on their own at home, in real-life situations.

The last step of the treatment process is typically to discuss relapse prevention planning. Therapists talk with clients about how to manage new or recuring symptoms and prevent higher level symptoms and impairment from returning.