In recent times, certain types of behavioral therapy have grown in popularity. Methods like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) are all part of this emerging group that are called third wave behavioral therapies. Each has different emphases, but all work on teaching clients how to handle difficult emotions, how to think about what they’re experiencing and how to learn ways of changing actions in response to difficult thoughts. CBT does this by getting people to identify hot thoughts that represent core beliefs that aren’t true, DBT works on getting people to change their perceptions of situations by reframing, and ACT, which leans heavily on Buddhism, trains people to accept negative thinking without acting.

My son was in behavioral therapy (ADHD/ADD). He had classic symptoms of both conditions and which caused problems at school. He also had problems socially. Therapy taught him alternatives to the behaviors that caused the most problems.