Third wave cognitive behavioral therapies are a group of emerging approaches to psychotherapy that represent both an extension of and deviation from traditional cognitive behavioral treatment approaches. Third wave therapies prioritize the holistic promotion of health and well-being and are less focused on reducing psychological and emotional symptoms, although that typically is a “side-benefit.” Many of the strategies and interventions utilized in third wave cognitive behavioral therapies are aimed at increasing the effectiveness of traditional cognitive behavioral interventions, such as exposure therapy (e.g., systematic desensitization) and behavioral activation, with the ultimate goal of assisting people live and experience fuller, more satisfying lives.
These third wave therapies all, to some degree, abandon key assumptions associated with traditional cognitive therapy informed by emerging research in cognitive psychology and neuroscience. Concepts such as metacognition, acceptance, mindfulness, personal values, and spirituality are frequently incorporated into what might otherwise be considered traditional behavioral interventions.
