DBT: Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills, Techniques, What it Treats

Mindfulness and distress tolerance skills help you work toward acceptance of your thoughts and behaviors. Emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness skills help you work toward changing your thoughts and behaviors. Clients and therapists work as a team in these individual sessions, with the focus on learning and improving social and coping skills. They may also discuss more general issues relevant to improving the client’s quality of life, or more specific issues like post-traumatic stress disorder. DBT was created for the treatment of individuals struggling with suicidal thoughts but has matured into a treatment for a range of other conditions that involve dysfunctional emotional regulation. It is currently considered the “gold standard” for borderline personality disorder and has even been applied to the treatment of substance abuse and eating disorders (Linehan Institute, n.d.).

• In the context of DBT, mindfulness is broken down into “what” skills and “how” skills.
• The calls are usually brief, and they shouldn’t replace the work of individual or group sessions.
• Next, a person learns and practices skills that change their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

For Therapists and Other Mental Health Professionals

Emotion regulation lets you navigate powerful feelings in a more effective way. The skills you learn will help you to identify, name, and change your emotions. Mindfulness skills help you slow down and focus on using healthy coping skills when you are in the midst of emotional pain. The strategy can also help you stay calm and avoid engaging in automatic negative thought patterns and impulsive behavior. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) usually takes at least six months to a year.

Function of Emotion Worksheet

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a modified type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Its main goals are to teach people how to live in the moment, develop healthy ways dialectical behavioral therapy to cope with stress, regulate their emotions, and improve their relationships with others. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is an effective treatment to help people who experience very intense, negative emotions. Although it may be difficult and time-consuming to find the right DBT therapist for you, it’s important to keep trying.

Download 3 Free Mindfulness Exercises (PDF)

• Realizing some patients needed a different kind of emotional support and skills training, Linehan created dialectical behavioral therapy.
• Using psychotherapy and skills-based training, dialectical behavior therapy teaches how to control impulses, regulate emotions, and develop coping skills for stress.
• Interpersonal effectiveness includes working through conflict, listening well, and clearly asking for what you need.
• The outlook and prognosis can vary depending on the individual and the severity of their condition.

Dr. Linehan founded Behavioral Tech LLC, an institute focused on developing and sharing treatment tools for DBT training, consultation, and treatment. Behavioral Tech Research, Inc., was also established by Dr. Linehan in an effort to incorporate online and mobile technology into the successful practice of DBT. Readers of this blog are likely already aware of the numerous mindfulness-related skills that can benefit them in their daily life. The skills in this module are related to interacting with others, especially in difficult or potentially damaging situations. Before you read on, we thought you might like to download our three Mindfulness Exercises for free. These science-based, comprehensive exercises will not only help you cultivate a sense of inner peace throughout your daily life but will also give you the tools to enhance the mindfulness of your clients, students or employees.

Distress tolerance

Researchers believe this happened because their emotional coping skills increased and they had less of a need to use substances to numb their emotions. DBT therapists work to teach patients necessary skills, such as mindfulness and distress tolerance, to balance their emotions and change their thinking. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a form of psychotherapy (also known as “talk therapy”) that’s most commonly used to treat people with borderline personality disorder (BPD). It’s also sometimes used to treat other psychiatric conditions such as depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. Ideally, DBT includes one-on-one sessions with a therapist (who is also available between sessions for phone or text coaching).

DBT Techniques

I get very hyped when I do cardio work-out, and I’m not sure that this will balance my overwhelming emotions. This is a great sign because it means that the technique is working for you. However, if you have the time, you should do all the steps so that you will maximize the effect. Also, you will probably need around 30 minutes to do all the steps – which is not that long. DBT is often helpful for kids who have tried other forms of therapy, but need something more intensive, without being in-patient.

• DBT was developed in the late 1980s by Dr. Marsha Linehan and colleagues when they discovered that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) alone did not work as well as expected in patients with BPD.
• Each component of TIPP serves a specific purpose in helping individuals shift their emotional state and reduce distress.
• Some therapists also offer phone coaching for extra support between your one-on-one appointments.
• The idea is to observe these thoughts as separate from yourself without identifying with their meaning.
• It’s helpful for kids who have had trouble managing strong emotions without acting out or doing something self-destructive.
• This may pose a challenge for people who have difficulty keeping up with these assignments on a regular basis.