Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a comprehensive, evidence-based treatment approach designed to help you manage intense emotions and improve relationships. It blends cognitive-behavioral techniques with mindfulness practices derived from Eastern meditation, for a wonderful combination of Acceptance & Change

The Dialectical Approach

DBT teaches you to accept yourself and your experiences while working towards positive life changes. This approach helps you navigate the complexities of human emotions and relationships more effectively.

DBT Treatment teaches coping skills for your life:

1. Core Mindfulness
2. Emotion Regulation
3. Interpersonal Effectiveness
4. Distress Tolerance

A Close Look at the 4 Key Components of DBT 

Core Mindfulness

Core Mindfulness is the foundational skill in DBT, focused on being present and fully engaged in the current moment. It helps you develop an awareness of your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations without judgment.

This means:

• Noticing what’s happening internally and externally without getting caught up in it.
• Putting words to what you observe and experience.
• Fully engaging in the present activity with awareness.

Emotion Regulation

Emotion regulation is designed to help you understand, manage, and change intense emotions that are causing problems. These skills aim to reduce your emotional vulnerability and increase positive emotions.

Typically, this involves:

• Identifying and labeling emotions.
• Reducing susceptibility to emotional spirals through regular self-care.
• Building positive experiences to increase positive emotions.
• Changing emotions by acting opposite to the current emotional urge.

Interpersonal Effectiveness

Working on interpersonal effectiveness helps you navigate relationships more effectively, ensuring your needs are met while maintaining relationships and your self-respect.

These skills are crucial for balancing assertiveness with empathy:

• DEAR MAN: A strategy for asserting needs (Describe the situation, Express your thoughts and feelings, Assert your needs, Reinforce the outcome of meeting or not meeting your request, stay Mindful, present yourself as Confident, and Negotiate with the other person).
• GIVE: Skills for maintaining relationships (be Gentle in your approach, act Interested in the other person’s perspective, Validate the other person’s perspective, use an Easy and relaxed manner).
• FAST: Skills for maintaining self-respect (be Fair with yourself and others, don’t Apologize unnecessarily, Stick to your personal values, be Truthful and honest).

Distress Tolerance

Distress tolerance helps you manage and survive crises without resorting to harmful behaviors. These skills are about enduring pain in difficult situations without trying to change it immediately.

Key emotion regulation skills include:

• Self-soothing: Using the five senses to calm yourself.
• Distraction: Temporarily diverting attention from distressing thoughts or emotions.
• Radical acceptance: Accepting reality as it is, without fighting against it.
• Improving the moment: Using techniques like imagery, relaxation, and prayer to make the present moment more bearable.

What to Expect in DBT Therapy Session

Skill-Building Focus

Your therapist will guide you through practical techniques in the four key areas mentioned above to help you navigate daily challenges more effectively and improve your overall quality of life.

Balanced Approach

Your DBT therapist will strike a balance between challenge and support. They may confront unhealthy behaviors or thought patterns, encouraging you to examine and modify them. 

Homework Assignments

Don’t be surprised if you’re given homework between sessions. These assignments are crucial for practicing DBT skills in real-life situations. You might be asked to keep a diary card, track your emotions and behaviors, or implement specific coping strategies when faced with stressful situations. 

Collaborative Environment

Expect a collaborative atmosphere where you and your therapist work together. You’ll actively participate in setting goals, discussing progress, and problem-solving challenges. 

What Effects to Expect

Increased Self-Awareness

Through DBT, you’ll develop a deeper understanding of your emotions and behaviors. You’ll learn to recognize triggers and patterns, enabling you to respond more effectively to challenging situations. 

Enhanced Relationships

DBT places a strong emphasis on improving interpersonal effectiveness. You’ll acquire tools to communicate assertively, set healthy boundaries, and constructively navigate conflicts. 

Reduction in Self-Destructive Behaviors

One of DBT’s primary objectives is to help you develop healthier coping mechanisms. You’ll learn distress tolerance techniques to manage intense emotions without resorting to harmful behaviors. 

Would you like to learn more about dialectical behavior therapy? Book a consultation with us today at www.ResilienceDBT.com or ResilienceTherapy.com . We serve the surrounding towns to Montclair – West Orange, Livingston, Cedar Grove, Verona, Caldwell, and more.

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