Learn More About DBT
DBT involves employing self-reflection, analyzing behaviors and possible solutions, challenging dysfunctional thought and behavior patterns, and skills training for managing emotional dysregulation. It was initially developed as a treatment for highly suicidal individuals, but has been adapted to treat clients dealing with a variety of issues related to managing emotional distress. Read more about DBT below.
What Is Dialectical Behavior Therapy?
Key Terms
DBT was designed for people who feel emotions very intensely or quickly. It gives them tools to slow down, think clearly, and avoid impulsive decisions.
DBT includes four main skill areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. These skills help people stay calm, understand their feelings, and communicate better.
DBT is very organized. It usually involves weekly individual therapy, group skills training, and sometimes phone coaching to practice skills in real life.
DBT teaches people to accept themselves as they are while also working to change harmful behaviors or thoughts.
DBT therapists work in consultation teams to stay motivated and give the best care. This team approach is built into the model of formal, standard DBT.
FAQs
What does the “dialectical” in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy mean?
“Dialectical” means bringing together two opposite ideas, like acceptance and change. DBT helps people accept their emotions while also learning how to change their behaviors in healthy ways.
How is DBT different from regular talk therapy?
“Standard model” DBT includes structured skills training, like mindfulness and distress tolerance, and emphasizes both individual and group therapy. It’s more skills-based and practical compared to traditional talk therapy.
Can I do DBT in individual sessions? Or do I have to do group sessions, too?
Some therapists offer individual therapy informed by DBT principles and skills, without offering or requiring participation in additional group therapy.
Who created DBT?
DBT was developed by psychologist Marsha Linehan, PhD in the 1980s to help people with borderline personality disorder who struggled with suicidal thoughts and emotional instability. Dr. Linehan herself had struggled with suicidal thoughts and emotion dysregulation as a young adult, before formally researching techniques that are most effective for these problems as a professor.
Can I do DBT on my own?
Some self-help resources exist, but DBT is most effective when done with trained professionals, especially because it includes both individual and group components.
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Core Principles and Techniques
Key Terms
Mindfulness in DBT is about paying attention to the present moment without judgment. It encourages you to notice your thoughts and feelings as they come, rather than reacting right away. This practice helps build self-awareness and makes it easier to manage emotions calmly and clearly.
Distress tolerance skills help you get through tough moments without making things worse. Instead of reacting on impulse, you learn how to stay grounded and manage intense emotions until they pass. These tools are especially useful during crises or when you feel overwhelmed.
Emotion regulation skills help you understand and manage strong feelings. You learn to recognize what you’re feeling, name it, understand where it’s coming from, and respond in healthier ways. Over time, this leads to more balanced reactions and less emotional overwhelm.
DBT teaches people how to express their needs, set boundaries, and maintain healthy relationships while respecting others.
DBT focuses on identifying harmful behaviors and replacing them with actions that lead to more positive outcomes and fewer regrets.
Clients may receive help between sessions, often by phone, to apply skills in the heat of the moment when challenges come up.
DBT values a strong, honest connection between therapist and client. This relationship is used to model and help individuals practice healthy communication, as well as to create a sense of safety and support.
FAQs
What are the four main DBT skills?
They are mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. These skills help people become more aware of their thoughts and feelings, handle intense feelings, manage emotions effectively, and improve relationships.
Is DBT only about skills, or is there more to it?
While skills training is central, DBT also includes a strong focus on the therapeutic relationship and acceptance strategies, which make it more holistic than skills alone. DBT therapists strive for a balance of validating and challenging their clients.
Can I do DBT if I don’t struggle with self-harm behaviors?
Yes. DBT was especially created for individuals with intense emotion dysregulation and self-harm behaviors, but many people can benefit from its principles and skills.
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Types of DBT & Adaptations
Key Terms
The original form of DBT includes individual sessions, like other forms of therapy, but also skills training in groups, phone coaching with a therapist between sessions, and therapist consultation (therapists meet with each other to discuss challenges). It’s often used for people with intense emotions or self-harming behaviors.
Some therapists use DBT principles and skills within individual sessions, but without providing the additional group skills training, phone coaching, and engaging in formal therapist consultation. Sometimes, individual therapists who use DBT principles can be easier to find than formal, standard-model DBT. However, standard model DBT is very effective for people with intense needs and self-harming behaviors.
DBT for teens is designed to help young people manage intense emotions, communicate more effectively, and make safer choices. It often includes parents or caregivers in the process to support the teen’s growth and help apply the skills at home and in daily life.
DBT for kids is specially adapted to teach younger children important emotional skills in fun and age-appropriate ways. It focuses on helping them understand their feelings, handle stress, and make good choices. Parents play a big role in the process, learning alongside their child to provide support at home.
DBT therapy online offers the same support and skills training as in-person sessions, but through video calls. It’s a convenient and flexible option for people who prefer remote care or can’t attend therapy in person due to location, schedule, or other reasons.
RO-DBT is for people who are overly controlled or emotionally reserved. It focuses on openness, flexibility, and building deeper social connections.
FAQs
Can children benefit from DBT?
Yes. DBT for kids is adapted to be developmentally appropriate and often includes parents in the process to support the child’s progress.
How is DBT for teens different?
DBT for teens includes the same skills as adult DBT but adds a family component and age-appropriate examples to make it more relatable and effective.
Does DBT work online?
Yes. Many therapists offer DBT through secure video sessions, and skills training groups can also be done virtually. Online DBT can be effective and convenient.
DBT for Mental Health Disorders
FAQs
Why was DBT created?
DBT was first developed for borderline personality disorder (BPD). People with BPD often have intense emotions, mood swings, and trouble in relationships. DBT helps by teaching skills to manage feelings, reduce self-harm, and build more stable connections with others.
Can DBT help with depression?
Yes. DBT can be helpful for people who feel emotionally overwhelmed or stuck in negative patterns. It focuses on changing behaviors and building routines that improve mood, especially for those with depression linked to relationship struggles or emotional sensitivity.
Is DBT used for anxiet disorders?
DBT is often used to treat anxiety, especially when someone’s anxiety leads to impulsive decisions or emotional shutdowns. It teaches mindfulness and coping strategies that make it easier to face fears without reacting in extreme ways.
Does DBT work for people with PTSD?
Yes. DBT helps people with PTSD by giving them tools to regulate emotions, feel safer in their bodies, and reduce behaviors that come from feeling out of control. It can be a good foundation before or during trauma-focused therapy.
What if I have more than one diagnoses? Can I still benefit from DBT?
Many people who benefit from DBT have more than one diagnosis. DBT is flexible and can support people dealing with multiple challenges like BPD, depression, PTSD, and anxiety all at once by focusing on emotion regulation and behavior change.
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Read More About Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
