Comparing CBT, IFS, and DBT

	CBT Cognitive Behavioral Therapy	IFS Internal Family Systems	DBT Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Creators:	Aaron Beck	Richard Schwartz	Marsha Linehan
Core Idea	Thoughts influence our feelings and behaviors	Our Mind is made of “parts”. Each "part" plays an important role	Self-acceptance is essential for self-regulation and skill development
View of the Mind	Observe out thinking and identify Beliefs and Patterns	Observe the relationship between internal system of parts with our "self"	Identify the emotional dysregulation and lack of skills
Goal	Optimistic outlook by changing distorted thinking	Internal peace between wounded and reactive parts	Skill development that improves emotional regulation
Process	Thoughts → emotions → behaviors	Parts → protection → healing	Emotions → behaviors → skills
Change Mechanism	Cognitive restructuring	Self-led compassion toward parts	Behavioral skills + mindfulness
View of Symptoms	Maladaptive thoughts	Protective parts doing their job	Skills deficits under high emotion
Emotional Approach	Moderate exploration	Deep emotional work	Structured emotional management
Structure	Highly structured	Flexible and exploratory	Highly structured modules
Techniques	Thought journal, behavioral experiments, homework	Parts conversations, unblending, journaling, therapy work with parts	Exercises on mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness
Strengths	Clear, measurable, practical	Deep healing, trauma-friendly, relationship building	Skill learning that regulate intense emotions
Best For	Anxiety, depression, anger, performance	Trauma, identity, internal conflict, anxiety, depression	Impulsivity, anger, emotional volatility, borderline
View of “Resistance”	Cognitive distortions are resistance	Angry, reactive parts	Dysregulation is resistance
Language	Rational, educational	Compassionate, internal dialogue	Skill-based, practical
Time Orientation	Present-focused	Past and present	Present-focused