Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
A type of cognitive behavioral therapy called dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) aims to teach patients how to tolerate unpleasant feelings. It seeks to forge a bond between the patient and the therapist and to foster a supportive and validating therapeutic environment. At Connected Care Behavioral Health LLC, we regularly employ this paradigm to assist people who struggle with intense emotions, traumatic experiences, or tense interpersonal interactions. The foundation of DBT is the knowledge that fighting or trying to suppress strong emotions often makes them worse for us. DBT promotes a “dialectic” in which the client learns to respect their present coping strengths and aims to enhance those strategies. To assist clients in applying these skills in their life both during treatment and after treatment has been completed, DBT sessions are structured differently from other types of therapy. DBT involves four basic “modules” of skill development. An ordinary DBT session can include:
- Training in mindfulness skills involves teaching the client how to concentrate on the present now, pay attention to internal and external stimuli, and find and maintain their center.
- Training in interpersonal effectiveness includes conflict resolution, effective needs-meeting, and saying “no” to undesired requests and demands while maintaining respect for oneself and others.
- Training in emotion regulation abilities, including naming and comprehending emotions, calming uncomfortable feelings, and handling challenging emotions.
- Training in distress tolerance involves teaching clients how to tolerate and survive stressful situations without making them worse and how to accept reality for what it is rather than what we wish it to be.
DBT has demonstrated effectiveness in treating:
- Depression
- Bipolar Disorder
- Eating disorders
- Anger
- Conflict in relationships
- Substance abuse
- Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
At Connected Care Behavioral Health LLC, we cater treatment to you and your unique concerns and the activities we employ in sessions. Find a therapist with experience and training in DBT techniques if you’re interested in learning more about DBT therapy. Please call us at (443)-219-9236 if you or someone you know could benefit from dialectical behavior therapy.