What is the difference between cognitive behavioral therapy and psychodynamic therapy?

Focus and Method: Cbt focuses on thinking errors, negative cycles of behavior, and has more therapist-hands-on methods for directly interrupting and correcting those. Pd therapy focuses on the fact that we are often unaware of motives and patterns, usually links them to past events, and also tends to use the relationship more openly to demonstrate how our behavior works in the here-and-now. I combine them.

Some differences: Certianly books could be, and have been written about the topic. For a recent introductory overview of similiarities and differences see: http://cpancf.Com/articles_files/cognitivebehavioralpsychodynamictherapy.Asp.

They both can help: Here is a study in the rigorous american journal of psychiatry that shows both cbt and psychodynamic therapy help patients: http://ajp.Psychiatryonline.Org/article.Aspx?Articleid=1688271 i would add that the two have different, but equally valid, goals. Some people who want deeper exploration will gravitate toward psychodynamic therapy and those who want behavior and thinking tools now, cbt.

Unconscious/behavior: Psychodynamic focuses on unconscious processes and object relations processes that motivate behavior, and CBT therapists tend to focus only on observable behaviors and how to change them.