How is psychoanalytic psychotherapy different to CBT

Psychotherapy and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) differ in scope, pace and theoretical emphasis: psychotherapy is a deeper, relational process that explores long-standing patterns, unconscious dynamics and the influence of past experiences on current feelings and relationships, often therapy is at a slower pace and focused on deep personal change; CBT is a structured, time-limited, problem-focused approach that targets specific thoughts, beliefs and behaviours through evidence-based techniques to produce measurable relief from symptoms. While CBT prioritises practical skills and homework to alter unhelpful thinking and behaviour, psychotherapy places more weight on the therapeutic relationship, emotional processing and meaning-making, which can be especially helpful for complex, longstanding issues or personality-related difficulties. Both approaches can be effective with ultimate choice guided by the client’s needs, preferences and the nature of the difficulty.