How Behavioral Therapy Works – Treatment Types & Techniques

When people seek help to overcome mental health conditions and substance use disorders, they typically look to treatment centers like The Los Angeles Outpatient Center to achieve their treatment goals. As part of treatment to overcome the symptoms of a mental health condition or to put struggles with drug and alcohol abuse in the past, clients of a treatment center will participate in therapy as part of their comprehensive treatment program. Behavioral therapies are often the most widely used and most effective treatment models.

Part of what makes behavioral therapies so ideal is the fact that they are proven effective across a wide range of conditions and age groups. This also means behavioral therapies are highly effective treatment models to use when addressing co-occurring (dual diagnosis) conditions. Unfortunately, the rate at which dual diagnosis conditions occur is relatively high. It is believed as many as half of those who seek help to overcome various mental health conditions at a professional treatment facility also struggle with a co-occurring substance use disorder. Additionally, a large percentage of those who seek help primarily to overcome a drug or alcohol use disorder also have an underlying mental health condition. A significant reason for this is that many people who struggle with mental health conditions use drugs or alcohol to help manage difficult or challenging symptoms. This often leads to dependency and eventually addiction to drugs or alcohol.

What Is the Purpose of Behavioral Therapies in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment?

The purpose of behavioral therapies in mental health and addiction treatment is to provide a comprehensive approach that encompasses several therapy models as part of evidence-based treatment plans. These therapies aim to assist individuals struggling with substance use disorders or mental health conditions by helping them identify, examine, and ultimately change their thoughts and behaviors. 

The underlying principle is that harmful and unhealthy behaviors are learned responses, which can be modified in favor of healthier and safer thoughts and actions. Behavioral therapies typically concentrate on improving one’s current situation.

What are the Types of Behavioral Therapy?

The types of behavioral therapies include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Exposure Therapy, and Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy. Each of these therapies offers unique strategies to help individuals manage their symptoms and improve their mental health. 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is a widely used behavioral therapy model effective for various mental health diagnoses and is often the first-line treatment for substance use disorders. CBT aims to help individuals identify and examine negative thoughts and actions contributing to their symptoms, enabling them to learn healthier coping skills for future symptom management and relapse prevention. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is also beneficial for those with co-occurring disorders, as comprehensive treatment programs improve outcomes for individuals facing both addiction and mental health conditions.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a modified form of CBT initially designed for borderline personality disorder but effective for various mental health and substance use disorders. DBT focuses on helping individuals manage symptoms by living in the present, improving emotional regulation, and developing healthier coping strategies. It is particularly beneficial for those with emotional regulation issues, self-destructive behaviors, and conditions like PTSD.

Exposure Therapy

Exposure therapy is a behavioral therapy that helps individuals confront and overcome anxiety or fear-related stimuli. The goal is to gradually expose individuals to their fears in a safe environment while teaching relaxation and anxiety management techniques. This therapy is commonly used for treating specific anxiety disorders, such as social anxiety and phobias.

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is an action-oriented form of cognitive behavior therapy that focuses on managing irrational beliefs and emotions leading to symptoms. REBT posits that negative outcomes arise from harmful beliefs about oneself or the environment. By acknowledging and changing these irrational thoughts, individuals can better manage their emotions and behaviors, leading to healthier outcomes.

Other Behavioral Therapies

Other less common behavioral therapies include applied behavior analysis, social learning theory, and cognitive-behavioral play therapy, each tailored to specific needs. Not all therapies work equally for everyone, so it is essential to collaborate with a treatment team to select the most appropriate therapy model aligned with individual treatment goals.

What Are Behavioral Therapy Techniques?

Common Behavioral Therapy Techniques mainly include operant conditioning, classical conditioning, and various exposure therapies. These methods focus on using rewards and punishments, associating responses with stimuli, and gradually exposing individuals to feared situations.

Operant Conditioning

Operant conditioning focuses on using reward or punishment to either increase or decrease the occurrence of specific behaviors. When using operant conditioning, desired behaviors are followed by positive outcomes and negative or undesirable behaviors by undesirable outcomes. Operant conditioning approaches produce quick and effective results. The most common tools used in operant conditioning treatments include contingency management, behavior modeling, and extinction.

Classical Conditioning

Classical conditioning is based on the premise of associating responses with stimuli. A stimulus (or trigger) is presented, and a reaction occurs. Consider the example of a dog with a treat. If a treat is offered and the “sit” command given together multiple times, the dog will inevitably sit when it sees a treat, likely without need for the command. Classical conditioning is a way to alter negative behaviors. There is a range of tools used by therapists to achieve classical

conditioning responses. These include systematic desensitization, flooding, and aversion therapy. Many of these approaches are used to help induvial overcome phobias by slowly exposing them to the source of fear while providing a positive “reward.”

Depending on the condition for which you are seeking help, behavioral therapy may or may not help you meet your treatment needs and goals. It is essential to reach out to a professional treatment center like The Los Angeles Outpatient Center, where members of your treatment team will work with you on a treatment plan explicitly designed around your physical, psychological, and spiritual needs. 

Treatment models, although highly effective in many cases, are not always beneficial for everyone. This is why cookie-cutter mental health and substance use disorder treatment programs are frequently ineffective. At The Los Angeles Outpatient Center, we understand the most successful treatment outcomes come from personally designed treatment.

When you choose our Los Angeles area treatment center, the first step on your journey to recovery will be an intake assessment. The intake process helps your medical and mental health providers understand your needs and goals as you start treatment to learn to manage mental health symptoms or overcome drug or alcohol addiction challenges. As you progress through treatment, we will continually monitor your progress and, if necessary, alter your plan to ensure it continues to help you heal.

If you or a loved one would like to learn more about the wide range of behavioral therapies and how they may be able to help you, contact our admissions team today. We are here to answer your questions and help you learn more about how treatment at The Los Angeles Outpatient Center can help you start over with a new, healthy outlook.