What is DBT?
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a form of behavioral talk therapy that involves identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviors. This is achieved through the implementation of 4 core skills, which include: Mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness. By synthesizing the process of acceptance and change, individuals can dynamically work together with their therapist to manage panful emotions and heal damaged relationships.
DBT can be used in therapy to address patterns of thinking and behavior that are hindering an individual’s ability to progress in their life. Traditionally, DBT has been applied to individuals with self-destructive behaviors, such as suicidal tendencies and borderline personality disorder. It can also be used for a number of other mental health issues, including perinatal mood disorders.
4 Core Skills
Mindfulness
Binding together the reasonable mind with the emotional mind to shape the wise mind is a foundational tool in DBT. This is a way we can use mindfulness to balance out patterns of behavior that no longer serve us. Some of the mindfulness skills implemented through DBT include mental body scans, describing one’s emotions, mindful breathing and thought diffusion.
Emotion Regulation
With the main tenant of DBT being recognition, acceptance and change, it is the management of emotions that requires the most practice. By changing unproductive emotions and creating positive ones, neuroplasticity can take place and new habitual emotional patterns can take center stage. Some emotional regulation tools in DBT include emotion exposure, self-validation, and emotional and physical vulnerability.
Distress Tolerance
The idea of distress tolerance is directly correlated to one’s level of resiliency, coping mechanisms, and the ability to calmly and rationally deal with stressful situations. DBT gives concrete tactics to manage overwhelming and distressing situations through techniques such as TIPP and RESISTT, which are explained in detail within the blogs of The Nurtured Collective. Various grounding, self-soothing and value-oriented skills all make up how one utilizes distress tolerance techniques.
Interpersonal Effectiveness
Managing relationships and establishing clear boundaries can be difficult, which is where DBT can help by building self-esteem and empowering individuals to speak up and manage conflict effectively. DBT aids in the creation of vital skills of assertiveness, recognizing different communication styles and the development of trusting relationships to break down barriers.
Resources
Dialectical Behavior Therapy: DBT. www.dialecticalbehaviortherapy.com
