Dialectical Behavior Therapy
What is Dialectical Behavior Therapy?
DBT is a type of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that was developed by Marsha Linehan, Ph.D., in the 1980s to treat people with borderline personality disorder. It is known for helping those who have difficulty regulating their emotions and often experience intense negative emotions that can be difficult to manage. DBT can also benefit people experiencing depression, eating disorders, PTSD, and substance abuse.
How does it work?
The goal of DBT is to teach you skills that will help you work through intense emotions and learn how to manage conflict in relationships. There are four core areas that DBT focuses on, including:
Distress tolerance: Being able to manage intense emotions like anger without destructive behavior
Mindfulness: Increasing self-awareness and being more present in daily life
Emotional Regulation: Becoming more in tune with your emotions, labeling the emotions you’re experiencing, and working through them
Interpersonal effectiveness: Improving relationships by learning how to navigate conflict and communicate assertively and clearly
Dialectical Behavior Therapy can be very transformative for your relationship with yourself and your relationships with others. The skills you gain will help you view things differently and find ways to honor two opposite perspectives at once and move away from an all-or-nothing mindset. DBT helps shift your perspective from a black and white and no in between, to a more open-minded, accepting approach.