Dialectical Behavioural Therapy
What is dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT)
DBT is a type of talk therapy that benefits people who experience emotions very intensely. It's based on cognitive behavioral therapy with modifications to support deeper acceptance of realities and behaviors. Its purpose is to help combine opposite ideas (meaning of dialectical) making it effective for people who have a hard time managing and regulating their emotions.
How does DBT work?
Therapist who practice DBT will help you create a balance between acceptance of who you are and your challenges and the change that needs to happen to improve. It aims to help enhance your daily life through skills like mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and emotional regulation. Each of these are critical skills that aid in a healthy lifestyle and mindset.DBT can happen individually or in groups and typically include weekly sessions.
4 critical skills you learn through DBT
- distress tolerance
- cope better with painful events by building resilience and new tools to soften emotions
- mindfulness
- experience more fully while focusing less on painful experiences
- gives you the tools to overcome habitual, negative judgments about yourself and others
- emotion regulation
- clearly recognize what you feel and observe each feeling without getting overwhelmed
- interpersonal effectiveness
- gives you new tools to express your beliefs and needs, set limits, and negotiate solutions to problems
- protects your relationships and teaches to treat others with respect
