By Yana Shenker, LCSW-R
Founder, Resilient Mind Psychotherapy
If you’ve started looking into therapy, you’ve probably noticed there’s no single “type” of therapy. Instead, you’ll see terms like CBT, REBT, and psychodynamic therapy and it’s not always clear what they actually mean or how to choose between them.
The good news? There’s no universally “best” approach. The right therapy depends on how you think, what you’re struggling with, and what kind of change you’re looking for.
At Resilient Mind Psychotherapy, we help clients understand these differences and choose an approach that fits their needs. We also work with major insurance plans, including therapists accepting Aetna, to make therapy more accessible.
Why Knowing the Difference Matters
Therapy works best when the approach matches your goals and personality. Some people want practical tools right away. Others want to explore patterns rooted in earlier life experiences. Some want both.
Understanding the basics of CBT, REBT, and psychodynamic therapy can help you feel more confident and less overwhelmed—when starting therapy.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Focused and Skills-Based
CBT is one of the most widely used therapy approaches today. It focuses on the relationship between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and how changing one can influence the others.
What CBT focuses on:
Identifying unhelpful thought patterns
Learning coping strategies for anxiety or stress
Changing behaviors that reinforce distress
Working toward clear, practical goals
CBT tends to be structured and present-focused. Sessions often include skill-building, exercises, and strategies you can practice outside of therapy.
CBT may be a good fit if you:
Want practical tools you can use right away
Prefer a structured approach
Are dealing with anxiety, stress, or specific challenges
Like having clear goals and direction
CBT is often short- to medium-term and can be very effective for people who enjoy an active, problem-solving style.
Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT): Challenging Core Beliefs
REBT is a form of cognitive therapy and a close cousin of CBT, but with a sharper focus on deeply held beliefs and emotional responsibility.
REBT looks at how rigid beliefs such as “I must never fail” or “Everyone has to approve of me” fuel emotional distress.
What REBT focuses on:
Identifying irrational or extreme beliefs
Challenging self-defeating thinking
Building emotional resilience and self-acceptance
Learning to tolerate discomfort rather than avoid it
REBT tends to be direct and philosophical, encouraging clients to rethink the rules they live by.
REBT may be a good fit if you:
Struggle with harsh self-criticism or perfectionism
Feel stuck in emotional patterns you understand logically but can’t change
Want to challenge rigid expectations
Are open to a more direct, reflective style
REBT can feel empowering for people who want to change not just how they feel, but how they think about feeling.
Psychodynamic Therapy: Understanding Patterns and the Past
Psychodynamic therapy focuses on how past experiences, relationships, and unconscious patterns influence present-day emotions and behavior.
Rather than targeting symptoms alone, psychodynamic therapy explores why certain patterns keep repeating.
What psychodynamic therapy focuses on:
Emotional patterns in relationships
Early life experiences and attachment
Unconscious motivations and conflicts
Developing deeper self-awareness
This approach is typically less structured and more exploratory. Over time, clients often gain insight into long-standing emotional themes that shape how they relate to others and themselves.
Psychodynamic therapy may be a good fit if you:
Feel stuck in repeating relationship patterns
Want to understand the root of emotional struggles
Are interested in long-term personal growth
Prefer open-ended conversations over structured exercises
Progress can feel gradual, but often leads to lasting insight and emotional depth.
Comparing CBT, REBT, and Psychodynamic Therapy
Here’s a simple way to think about the differences:
CBT focuses on what you’re thinking now and how to change it
REBT focuses on the beliefs behind those thoughts
Psychodynamic therapy focuses on where those patterns came from
None of these approaches is better than the others—they simply work in different ways.
Do You Have to Choose Just One?
Not necessarily.
Many therapists integrate elements from multiple approaches. For example, sessions might include:
CBT tools for managing anxiety
REBT techniques for challenging perfectionism
Psychodynamic exploration of relationship patterns
The most important factor isn’t the label it’s the therapeutic relationship and whether the approach fits you.
How to Decide What’s Right for You
If you’re unsure where to start, consider asking yourself:
Do I want tools and structure, or open-ended exploration?
Am I focused on current stressors or long-term patterns?
Do I want practical strategies, deeper insight, or both?
A skilled therapist can help guide this decision and adjust the approach as therapy evolves.
Therapy Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All and That’s a Good Thing
Choosing a therapy approach doesn’t lock you into a permanent path. Therapy is flexible, collaborative, and responsive to your needs over time.
Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, stress, relationship issues, or personal growth, the right therapy approach is the one that helps you feel understood and supported.
Starting therapy isn’t about picking the “perfect” method it’s about taking the first step toward understanding yourself better.