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Difference Between Behavioral Health and Mental Health

individual in group using behavioral health therapy

What’s the difference between behavioral health therapy and mental health therapy? Clients may sometimes question the types of treatment prescribed for mental health issues, including substance use disorders, eating disorders, and problems relating to traumatic experiences, especially when it comes to therapy, where they need to share personal details with professionals treating them.

If you’re looking for in-home mental health therapy services like this in Dallas or Fort Worth, reach out to AssuraSource. Contact us online or call 972.233.1010 to find out about our behavioral health therapy services.

What Is Talk Therapy?

As the name implies, talking between therapist and client is at the core of talk therapy. During sessions, a client can explore their feelings by talking about them. Several types of therapies fall under the larger umbrella of talk therapy, including group therapy, where there are more clients in a session than there are therapists. All of these therapeutic approaches embrace the importance of clients speaking about feelings to better understand them and uncover potential paths forward in terms of conversation.

To therapists, their clients are blank slates and dealing with them and their feelings is simply part of their job. Talk therapists are trained specifically to help clients navigate their problems, identify patterns, and equip themselves with solutions. Clients can see a therapist for a brief amount of time or regularly for years. Some types of talk therapy may follow an agenda at each session, while other types don’t follow any pattern. Of course, talk therapy is definitely not the only mental health treatment available to clients. They can talk to their doctors about pharmaceutical or alternative treatments, too.

What Is Mental Health Therapy?

Mental health therapy is more known than behavioral therapy, but it could just be because issues that both therapies treat are all commonly seen and diagnosed as mental health problems. Some clients may not even have a diagnosis but can still seek out psychotherapy because they need someone who is impartial to talk to about their issues.

In terms of talk therapy, mental health therapy sessions are opportunities for clients to sort through their problems with another person in a confidential and safe setting. Sometimes, just talking about their issues can help them feel less overwhelmed or less mentally burdened.

What Is Behavioral Health Therapy?

Behavioral health therapy is another umbrella term under which several forms of therapies fall. However, there may be confusion about which type of therapy falls under mental health therapy and which falls under behavioral health therapy. The confusion stems from the fact that all these therapies are used to treat mental health issues.

In general, behavioral health therapy seeks to recognize, identify, and change potentially self-destructive or unhealthy behaviors. Most types of behavioral health therapy function on the idea that all behaviors are learned and unhealthy behaviors can be improved upon.

Clients with issues such as self-harm or substance use will benefit from behavioral health therapy. This type of therapy will help them address immediate issues hindering their recovery and then help them develop long-term solutions to their problems.

Skills-based behavioral health therapies, in particular, can provide strategies that clients can use outside therapy sessions and in many aspects of your life. Two examples of skills-based behavioral health therapies are:

  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): This type of therapy teaches clients how thoughts, behaviors, and feelings are interrelated. It can help clients to uncover unhealthy thought patterns so they can work toward healthier beliefs and behaviors. CBT is a structured form of treatment, in which a therapist directs sessions and guides the patient’s progress along a specific treatment path.
  • Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT): This is a form of CBT that is tailored to help with interpersonal issues. It further emphasizes accepting uncomfortable thoughts and feelings, rather than struggling with them. DBT teaches skills such as distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, emotional regulation, and mindfulness.

Learn More About AssuraSource’s Mental Health Therapy Services

If you’re looking for mental health therapy in Dallas or Fort Worth, reach out to AssuraSource. Contact us by calling 972.233.1010 to learn about our behavioral health therapy services and more. Our team can help you begin to heal, but the first step is up to you. Reach out to our AssuraSource team today.