Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): What is it?

What is it?

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) was originally developed by Marsha Linehan for those with Borderline Personality Disorder. However, research over time has shown that DBT can be beneficial for a variety of issues such as depression, self-harm, substance use, and eating disorders. DBT has been found to be helpful for adults and adolescents. The goal of DBT is to be able to increase one’s resilience and be able to manage difficult emotions and situations. DBT centers around the concept of a dialectic, which is seemingly two conflicting concepts being true at the same time. The dialectic of DBT is changing one’s unwanted emotions or behaviors while also accepting the moment for what it is.

What to expect from DBT therapy?

DBT is typically done as a group therapy in conjunction with individual therapy, phone coaching, and homework for each group member every week. DBT can also be done as individual therapy, however, this happens less frequently than group therapy. There are four main modules to DBT:

● Mindfulness: Mindfulness is the core of DBT. Mindfulness is being able to be present in the moment by bringing awareness to one’s thoughts, feelings, and sensations without judgment. These are the first skills taught in DBT and provides the foundation for the rest of DBT skills.

● Interpersonal Effectiveness: Healthy relationships are important for one’s mental health. The skills in the Interpersonal Effectiveness module help one manage interpersonal conflicts effectively and improve their relationships with others.

● Emotion Regulation: DBT teaches skills to help one manage their emotions through understanding and naming emotions, changing one’s emotional response to situations, and developing coping strategies to help manage difficult emotions.

● Distress Tolerance: The Distress Tolerance skills in DBT help one to accept reality as it is without resorting to destructive behaviors.

I find that DBT contains a plethora of skills that can naturally be brought into my own individual therapy sessions with clients. I like to pull different mindfulness techniques to help my more anxious clients be more present in the moment and DEAR MAN from the interpersonal effectiveness module helps provide a template for those who need help with assertive communication and getting their needs met. I like to bring in skills from Emotion Regulation, such as Opposite Action, and Distress Tolerance in order to help my clients reduce emotional distress and be more in control of their responses to stressful situations.

Through utilizing skills laid out in DBT, individuals can learn skills to help manage difficult emotions and behaviors, make positive change, and create a life worth living.

Linehan, M. (2015). DBT Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets (2nd ed). Guildford Press.