Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): Building a Life Worth Living

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is a comprehensive cognitive-behavioral treatment that is highly effective for people who struggle with intense emotions, impulsive behaviors, and relationship instability. Originally developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan to treat borderline personality disorder, DBT has since proven beneficial for a wide range of issues, including eating disorders, mood disorders, and substance abuse.

DBT combines standard cognitive-behavioral techniques for emotion regulation and reality-testing with concepts of distress tolerance, acceptance, and mindful awareness largely derived from Buddhist meditative practice. This unique approach is called "dialectical" because it involves the synthesis of opposites: accepting things as they are while also pushing for change.

In DBT, patients learn four key skill sets:

1. Mindfulness: Being fully aware and present in the moment.

2. Distress Tolerance: Increasing tolerance of negative emotion, rather than trying to escape it.

3. Emotion Regulation: Managing and changing intense emotions that are causing problems in a person’s life.

4. Interpersonal Effectiveness: Navigating conflict and interacting assertively.

   
   

DBT emphasizes the psychosocial aspects of treatment. The theory behind the approach is that some people are prone to react in a more intense manner toward certain emotional situations, primarily those found in romantic, family, and friend relationships. DBT helps to increase emotional and cognitive regulation by learning about the triggers that lead to reactive states and helping to assess which coping skills to apply in the sequence of events, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Through individual therapy, group skills training, and phone coaching, DBT creates a supportive environment that promotes sustained recovery and a life of emotional health and well-being.