What is DBT and How Can it Help you?
Depending on how you categorize them, there are at least 50 types of therapy. Perhaps the best known and most common is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT. In grief, CBT focuses on your behaviors and thoughts. The goal is to use this focus to treat negative thinking patterns. CBT’s endgame is the development of positive behavioral changes.
But even CBT has sub-groups and offshoots. One of them is Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). DBT can happen in person or virtually. It also involves individual and/or group sessions. Regardless of those specifics, DBT will require you to engage in some “homework” in-between sessions. Let’s dig deeper and learn more about DBT.
What is DBT?
The word “dialectical” implies the combination of opposites. In the case of DBT, these opposites are acceptance and change. The approach is based on the notion that working with both concepts is more powerful than either of them alone. DBT accomplishes this by teaching skills in four broad areas:
Mindfulness
Mindfulness offers you the gift of accepting and occupying the present moment — regardless of what might be going on.
Distress Tolerance
Everyone must deal with negative emotions in their life. Distress tolerance, as the name implies, increases the client’s ability to process negative emotions instead of choosing denial or avoidance.
Emotion Regulation
Distress can cause intense emotions. DBT recognizes that it is often these emotions — rather than what triggered them — that creates the most problems. Regulating emotions, therefore, is essential to healing.
Interpersonal Effectiveness
Negative emotions can wreak havoc on any kind of relationship. DBT guides you not only to regulate such emotions but to also:
Enhance communication
Set boundaries
Increase self-respect
Fortify relationships, friendships, etc.
Is DBT the Right Choice For You?
Of course, you will want to talk with a mental health professional about this. That said, there are some common issues for which DBT is highly recommended. These include:
You feel as if you’re lost and just going through the motions
Your emotions are negatively impacting your personal life, your social life, or your professional life
Also, your emotions are interfering with your ability to set and reach goals
Extreme, long-lasting mood swings
Anger management problems
Your emotions feel beyond your control
You are making harmful choices like substance abuse, risky sexual behavior, carelessness with money, or self-harm
An overwhelming sense of hopelessness
Again, this is not meant to be an exclusive or comprehensive list. If, for any reason, you feel DBT is right for you, let’s talk.
How Can Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Help You?
DBT has a tight focus on shifting the behaviors that are causing you distress and personal strife. Such a targeted approach has been shown to bring about results like:
Reduction of mood swings and general improvement of overall mood.
Increased quality of life
More self-esteem and self-respect
Setting and enforcing boundaries
Setting and achieving goals
Reducing the impact of factors like stress, anxiety, depression, and trauma
A dramatic decrease in self-harming behavior
DBT can guide us to accept what is beyond our control. Simultaneously, it helps us change what we can change. This resolution of opposites has the potential to literally change our brains. We can suddenly visualize a better life and take the steps needed to attain it.
Learn More About DBT
The best way to benefit from this healing technique is to meet with a qualified DBT therapist. If Dialectical Behavioral Therapy sounds like something you might need or want to try, I invite you to reach out to learn more. We can set you up with a free and confidential consultation at your earliest convenience. You’ll have your questions answered and any doubts addressed. Let’s connect and start working toward the life you want.