Cognitive therapy contains several approaches, with each having unique methods to help individuals modify unhelpful thinking patterns.

These are some widely used types of cognitive therapy:

1. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
   • CBT is one of the most well-known forms of cognitive therapy that combines cognitive restructuring with behavioral techniques.
   • It targets negative thinking patterns and behaviors that add to depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
   • CBT promotes healthier thought processes and actions by finding, challenging, and replacing negative thoughts.
2. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
   • DBT was originally developed for borderline personality disorders and combines cognitive and behavioral techniques with mindfulness.
   • It teaches skills in four key areas: distress tolerance, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness.
   • DBT is very useful for people who experience intense emotional swings and need strategies to manage their emotions.
3. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
   
   • ACT chains mindfulness with cognitive strategies, focusing on accepting rather than avoiding difficult thoughts and emotions.
   • The goal is to align actions with personal values, even in the presence of discomfort.
   • ACT is especially helpful for chronic depression, anxiety, and other conditions where acceptance and value-driven behaviors are essential for well-being.
4. Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT)
   • REBT concentrates on detecting and disputing irrational beliefs, such as “I must be perfect” or “I’m worthless if I fail.”
   • It promotes replacing these beliefs with rational, inspiring thoughts to lower emotional distress.
   • It’s effective for overcoming self-criticism and unrealistic expectations.
5. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT)
   • MBCT links mindfulness techniques with cognitive therapy and is mostly convenient for preventing relapses in individuals with recurrent depression.
   • MBCT helps people recognize early signs of negative thought patterns by increasing present-moment awareness and disengaging from them before they escalate into full-blown depressive episodes.
6. Schema therapy
   
   • Schema therapy mixes cognitive, behavioral, and psychodynamic approaches to deal with deeply ingrained negative beliefs (schemas) formed in early life.
   • It’s often used for complex mental health issues like personality disorders and chronic depression, as it targets core beliefs about relationships and the world.
7. Cognitive processing therapy (CPT)
   • CPT is developed specifically for trauma survivors and assists in processing traumatic experiences by addressing the maladaptive beliefs and “stuck points” that arise from shock.
   • This coordinated form of therapy aims to reduce post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and improve overall mental health.
8. Metacognitive therapy (MCT)
   • MCT focuses on understanding how people reason about thinking.
   • Rather than targeting specific thoughts, MCT attends to problematic thinking processes, like rumination and worry.
   • MCT decreases symptoms of depression and anxiety by modifying these metacognitive processes.
9. Cognitive remediation therapy (CRT)
   • CRT is primarily used for people with cognitive impairments due to depression, schizophrenia, or neurological conditions, and concentrates on improving cognitive skills such as attention, memory, and executive function.
   • That can indirectly improve mood and quality of life due to increasing cognitive abilities.
10. Self-compassion-based cognitive therapy
    
    • This approach incorporates self-compassion principles into traditional cognitive therapy.
    • It focuses on reducing self-criticism and promoting self-kindness.
11. Functional analytic psychotherapy (FAP)
    • FAP is a relationally directed rehabilitation that chains cognitive principles with an emphasis on improving interpersonal relationships.
    • It works by aiding people to develop more effective ways of relating to others, thereby improving mental health by identifying patterns that impact personal interactions.
12. Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT)
    • TF-CBT is designed for trauma survivors, particularly children and adolescents.
    • It combines traditional cognitive-behavioral techniques with trauma-sensitive approaches to help process traumatic memories and develop coping strategies for managing related emotions.
13. Integrative cognitive therapy (ICT)
    • Integrative cognitive therapy incorporates aspects from different therapeutic approaches, such as psychodynamic or humanistic therapy, alongside cognitive therapy techniques.
    • This approach tailors the therapy to each individual and deals with both conscious and unconscious factors that influence thought patterns and emotions.
14. Compassion-focused therapy (CFT)
    • While it’s similar to self-compassion-based cognitive therapy, CFT goes further in addressing shame and self-criticism.
    • It integrates evolutionary psychology with cognitive techniques to promote self-compassion and reduce self-judgment, which is helpful for those struggling with high levels of shame or self-criticism.
15. Motivational interviewing (MI)
    
    • Motivational interviewing is a counseling technique that promotes motivation to change unhelpful behaviors.
    • While it’s not strictly a cognitive therapy, it shares cognitive principles by exploring indecision about change and helping individuals reframe their reflections to encourage positive change.
    • It’s commonly used for conditions like depression, substance abuse, and other behavioral issues.
16. Cognitive restructuring therapy
    • Cognitive restructuring is regularly considered a component of broader cognitive approaches and works by specifically targeting negative thinking patterns and aims to replace them with more balanced, adaptive thoughts.
    • This technique is foundational in CBT but can also be used as a standalone approach to treat mood disorders and low self-esteem.
17. Cognitive enhancement therapy (CET)
    • CET is designed to enhance cognitive functioning in individuals with mental health conditions that impact cognitive abilities, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
    • That includes exercises and strategies to improve memory, attention, and problem-solving, adding to better social functioning and quality of life.
18. Cognitive behavioral analysis system of psychotherapy (CBASP)
    
    • CBASP was developed for chronic depression and combines cognitive, behavioral, and interpersonal techniques to understand how beliefs and actions impact their relationships and daily lives.
    • CBASP aims to break the patterns that maintain chronic depression.
19. Relapse prevention therapy (RPT)
    • RPT is a cognitive-behavioral approach often used in addiction treatment, but may also help prevent depression relapses.
    • It teaches to recognize triggers and high-risk situations and to develop coping strategies that help prevent a return to maladaptive thought and behavior patterns.
20. Cognitive experiential therapy
    • Concentrates on balancing cognitive techniques with emotional processing, recognizing that views and feelings are closely linked.
    • It integrates experiential exercises to help process unresolved emotions and reduce cognitive distortions that affect mental health.