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Writer's pictureMarleen Greenleaf

Dialectical Behavior Therapy 101

There are many styles of therapy that can benefit clients. A very popular category of therapies is Cognitive Behavioral Therapies (CBT). Dialectical Behavior Therapy is a treatment style within the broader CBT category. The main goals of CBT is to teach people how to live in the present moment, develop healthy coping mechanisms for stress, regulate emotions and improve relationships.

 

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) allows clients a possibility of accessing new skillsets and opportunities to manage painful emotions. People can experience a decrease in conflict in relationships as well.

 

The 4 Pillars Of DBT

 

Mindfulness - Distress Tolerance - Emotional Regulation - Interpersonal Effectiveness

 

These four pillars of DBT can help people to process old emotions that are causing upset in the present moment. This practice can allow people to mend relationships and avoid conflict that can come when we hold on to anger, resentment, or other negative emotions.

 

Mindfulness 

Mindfulness is the first pillar of DBT and it focuses on acceptance of the present moment. Practicing mindfulness allows people to be present with what is happening in the now, rather than focusing on the past or the future.

 

Mindfulness helps us to connect to the here and now and become more appreciative of what is happening in life. When we live in the past or in the future, we can become distracted and can miss important moments in the present.

 

Distress Tolerance 

The second pillar of DBT is distress tolerance. This is a practice that begins to help with the processing and ability to cope with distressing emotions. Most all of us experience distressing emotions, and it can be difficult to process these emotions and move forward in life.

 

Sometimes we get stuck in old emotions or negative emotions and we think the easiest option is to escape from the moment. With mindfulness, we can increase our distress tolerance and continue to improve our ability to cope with negative emotions.

 

Emotional Regulation 

The third pillar is emotional regulation which implements strategies and processes that can assist us in processing emotions. We all experience emotions and some people experience emotions more intensely than others.

 

Managing emotions is an important self-regulation practice which can make us happier and can allow us to change intense emotions that affect our lives. DBT is a therapy that promotes the ability to regulate emotions by becoming mindful and aware of emotional experiences and transforming the experience of these emotions.

 

Interpersonal Effectiveness 

The fourth pillar of DBT is interpersonal effectiveness which provides techniques that can assist a person in communicating in a way that is effective with others and is assertive, true to the individuality of the person. This process also assists people in maintaining self-respect and strengthening relationships because communication is clearer and more concise. Engaging in DBT allows relationships to flourish by bringing awareness and mindfulness to relationship interactions.

 

DBT as a therapy was originally used to treat borderline personality disorder but has also been effective in treating people with depression, bulimia, PTSD, substance abuse and more. The skills that are learned during DBT allows people to cultivate the skills needed to have the capability of regulating emotions, tolerating stressful situations, processing negative emotions and bring mindful of events that are taking place.

 

DBT allows people to practice mindful communication and interaction with others. his practice can help us release judgements that keep us stick in negative mindsets and can provide a way to see alternatives to our own perspective.

 

The therapy is usually facilitated within individual therapy one on one with a trained therapist. It is important to work with trained therapist who has professional experience and accreditation to facilitate this process.

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