Approaches / Compare

Compare approaches

Each page sets two approaches side by side and describes where their emphasis differs.

The comparisons describe method, origin and focus. They do not say which approach is more effective, because that depends on the person, the problem and the setting.

• CBT and ACT: How two behavioural traditions differ in what they emphasise when working with difficult thoughts and feelings.
• ERP and prolonged exposure: How two exposure-based therapies differ in the problems they were developed for and what the exposure involves.
• CBT and psychodynamic therapy: How a structured cognitive behavioural approach and a psychodynamic approach differ in focus, session structure and attention to earlier experience.
• CBT and person-centred therapy: How a structured, problem-focused approach and a non-directive humanistic approach differ in who leads the session and what the therapist offers.
• EMDR and prolonged exposure: How two trauma-focused therapies for post-traumatic stress differ in how trauma memories are revisited and whether between-session exposure is used.
• ACT and MBCT: How two mindfulness- and acceptance-informed approaches differ in format, theoretical roots and the problems they were designed for.