Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Do you feel your thoughts are being scattered in a hundred different directions? Do you have a hard time dealing with and or managing your emotions? Do you have relationship issues?
DBT, also known as Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, is a skill-based Mindful Therapy approach used to identify and change negative thinking patterns and incorporate positive behavioral changes. This evidence-based psychotherapy literally helps you respond to situations more effectively.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) offers individuals comprehensive skills to manage past painful emotional triggers and decrease conflicts in relationships. The main areas of focus are:
- Mindfulness – Helps individuals be present in mind, body, and emotions
- Distress tolerance – Most people try and keep themselves safe by preventing or avoiding painful emotions. Distress tolerance is geared toward increasing a person’s tolerance of painful emotions and empowering them to manage them consciously and effectively.
- Emotional regulation – Offers strategies to manage intense emotions that tend to be the root cause of problems in a person’s life.
- Interpersonal effectiveness – These techniques allow an individual to communicate with others with more confidence and assertiveness, increasing self-respect, and strengthening relationships.
How Does it Work?
Many of us live our daily lives with a constant stream of painful emotions out of our level of awareness in our unconscious mind. These emotions affect how we feel about ourselves and how we interact with the people close to us.
DBT works to essentially help individuals find ways to manage their painful emotions so they can feel more balanced, in control and interact effectively with themselves and others. The message at the heart of DBT is acceptance and change.
When is DBT Used and What Can You Expect?
While Dialectical Behavioral Therapy was initially developed to treat those with borderline personality disorder, research has since shown that DBT can successfully treat issues such as depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, eating disorders, and substance abuse, among others.
DBT treatment usually consists of a combination of a DBT skills group and individual therapy sessions. The individual therapy sessions provide one-on-one sessions with a trained therapist who will provide support and education in utilizing DBT skills in day to day life, identify and address any obstacles that may arise, and keep you motivated! The DBT skills group interactions will support you practicing skills with others and offering mutual support.
Here at Dialectica, all of our therapists are DBT certified, so you can trust you are receiving the most effective, professional experience. If you or someone you know may benefit from Dialectic Behavioral Therapy, please contact me and we can discuss further how we can create a custom tailored DBT plan for you to ensure your success.