Dialectical behavior therapy is an offshoot of cognitive-behavioral therapy. It shares similar goals and techniques but is designed more specifically to support people with better regulating their emotions. Other goals of dialectical behavior therapy include helping people practice mindfulness, develop coping mechanisms, and
improve relationships. Dialectical behavior therapy was first created to address borderline personality disorder. In the years since it has become commonly used for treating many other types of mental health and even substance abuse disorders.
Serenity Grove offers dialectical behavior therapy services in Athens, GA. Call 844.904.3485 to learn more about addiction therapy programs near you and how we can help.
What Is Dialectical Behavior Therapy?
Dialectical behavior therapy is often abbreviated to DBT. So what is DBT? It is a form of therapy that helps people who have issues regulating emotion or who engage in destructive behavior on a regular basis. The keyword here is “dialectical,” which refers to opposing forces. DBT emphasizes both self-acceptance and change. Self-acceptance of who you are and what your current situation is alongside a desire to change in ways that support better mental health.
DBT is highly-flexible as a therapeutic intervention. It can be used in individual settings but is just as easily applied in group settings. DBT is also a type of therapy that can be delivered virtually. A few of the core techniques that make up the DBT approach are detailed below.
1. Mindfulness
A major component of DBT is mindfulness. This is the idea of remaining present in the moment as a means of tapping into your thoughts, emotions, and sensations. Employing mindfulness can help people slow down and use coping skills when experiencing difficult or stressful emotions.
2. Distress Tolerance
Another facet of DBT is distress tolerance. This is the concept of accepting who you are and what you are going through. DBT aims to equip people with multiple methods for handling a crisis, including:
- Distracting
- Self-soothing
- Improving the moment
- Evaluating the pros and cons of not handling distress
3. Interpersonal Effectiveness
DBT is made to improve a person’s interpersonal effectiveness. Often, an inability to regulate emotions negatively impacts important relationships. Over time, these relationships can become stressed or even broken. DBT helps people improve their communication skills, set healthy relational boundaries, and better deal with people they may clash with.
4. Emotional Regulation
DBT was initially formulated to help people better regulate their emotions. Skills learned during DBT aid people in identifying, naming, and changing problematic emotional expressions.
Benefits of DBT
DBT can be widely used to treat mental health and substance abuse disorders. A few things that DBT is good at treating include bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
One of the key benefits of DBT is its dual emphasis on self-acceptance and change. By emphasizing self-acceptance, many people find validation during DBT, which is essential to making progress in their healing journey. At the same time, DBT does not allow people to stay comfortable where they are. Similar to cognitive-behavioral therapy, DBT focuses on changing thoughts and behaviors to support improved health. Starting with self-acceptance and validation, it helps people buy into therapy.
Another perk to DBT is that it helps people develop useful skills. These skills can be effective in regulating complex emotions, communicating with others in more productive ways, and dealing with environmental stressors.
Find DBT Near You at Serenity Grove
Are you looking for high-quality DBT in Athens, Georgia? Serenity Grove offers DBT and many other forms of high-impact therapy. We work closely with each client to personalize our approach and ensure you get the most out of each session. Research is clear: DBT is an effective way of learning how to regulate emotion.
Contact Serenity Grove at 844.904.3485 or via our online form to learn how DBT could benefit you.
