Have you ever found yourself stuck in a pattern of intense emotions, destructive behaviors, and troubled relationships? If so, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) might be the solution you’ve been searching for. In this first part of a two-part series on DBT, I’ll dive into the fundamentals of DBT, its origins, and its core principles.
The Birth of DBT
Developed in the late 1980s by Dr. Marsha Linehan, DBT was originally created to treat individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD), a disorder characterized by serious emotional dysregulation, ineffective relationship styles, and chronic self-harming or suicidal behaviors. For nearly 50 years, DBT has been practiced and researched. In fact, its effectiveness in addressing a wide range of mental health issues has led to its adoption in treating other conditions such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and substance abuse, and it can reduce or lessen the severity of BPD symptoms, post-traumatic stress, and depressive symptoms.
The Core Principles of DBT
The core principles of DBT are anchored by the concept of dialectics. Dialectics looks at how seemingly opposite ideas can coexist and aims to help people find a more integrated, realistic, and balanced perspective. In DBT, this means balancing acceptance and change, helping clients understand that two opposing things can both be true, and guiding them to find a middle ground. To that end, DBT skills training includes the following critical components:
- Mindfulness: This is the practice of being fully present in the moment, without judgment. Mindfulness helps individuals become aware of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, allowing them to respond more effectively to life’s challenges.
- Distress Tolerance: Life can be overwhelming, and distress tolerance skills are designed to help individuals cope with painful situations without resorting to harmful behaviors. Techniques such as self-soothing, distraction, and radical acceptance are key components.
- Emotion Regulation: DBT teaches individuals how to understand and manage their emotions. By identifying and labeling emotions, individuals can reduce their emotional vulnerability and build a more stable emotional life.
- Interpersonal Effectiveness: Healthy relationships are crucial for overall well-being. DBT provides tools for improving communication, setting boundaries, and building healthy relationships while maintaining self-respect and respect for others.
The Structure of DBT
Standard DBT typically includes both individual and group therapy and goes through distinct stages. First, therapists like me will work with you on behaviors that interfere with therapy, like self-injury, suicidal thoughts or attempts, substance use, and volatile emotions or lack of self-control. Once these behaviors are less severe and frequent, the focus of your work will shift to emotional processing and reducing post-traumatic stress. Finally, you will turn to work intended to improve your quality of life – like achieving “normal” happiness, personal fulfillment, and healthy connections to other people in your life.
Like standard DBT treatment, individualized DBT includes all of the core principles, but skills training can be tailored to meet your specific needs. This can involve:
- Adapting Skills Training: Focusing on one core principle more than the others because perhaps you have learned how to manage your emotions but struggle with interpersonal effectiveness.
- Flexible Scheduling: Adjusting the frequency and format of individual therapy sessions based on your needs.
- Personalized Goals: Setting specific, personalized therapy goals that are relevant to your life and experiences.
Conclusion
In this first part of my series on DBT, we’ve explored the origins, core principles, and structure of this transformative therapy. As research continues to support its effectiveness, DBT stands out as a transformative approach if you are looking for comprehensive and effective mental health care. Click HERE for the second part, where we’ll delve into the practical applications of DBT.
If you are looking to learn more about yourself and how DBT may help, please call us at 800-353-6402 and schedule an appointment.
Denise Fattic is a Provisionally Licensed Professional Counselor at Greenway Therapy . Learn more about her on her BIO page.
