DBT which stands for Dialectical Behavior Therapy, is the buzz word in the therapy world. Lots of people are hearing about DBT and being recommended for DBT. How do you know if DBT is right for you and what’s different about DBT?
What is DBT?
Let’s quickly look at what DBT is. DBT is an integrative type of therapy that was founded by Marsha Linehan PhD. She’s a psychologist in Seattle, Washington that was treating women who had depression and she did research on different techniques that helped her clients. Because she loved research and statistics, she also engaged in doing a lot of research to test if this type of therapy really helped and she found, it did! So what do I mean when I say it’s “integrative”? What I mean is that it takes many techniques from other specialities (like mindfulness) and put’s them together so that people engaging in DBT learn different methods to address all multiple aspects of their problems in their life rather than just one.
What makes it so special?
What’s different about DBT is that not only does it have layers to address the many things a person may deal with; like troubled childhood, difficult relationships, low sense of self-worth. DBT is different because it’s a skills based approach vs. insight based based. So let me unpack it for you a little more. Insight based therapy is when a person goes to therapy and uses talk and narrative (telling their story) to find relief and possibly solutions to their problems. Skills based DBT therapy says that not all people are born with skills to address life’s stressful situations, however, if we can learn some tools on how to address what life throws at you THEN you will be more equipped to handle life and solve your own problems. So in DBT, you will not only share your story, you will also get hands on feedback and techniques to solve life’s problems.
In DBT, we learn 5 specific modules that include how to be good at navigating relationships, how to create inner peace and focus, how to deal with the every day ups and downs with our emotions, how to change behaviors that we no longer want to engage in and how to deal with things in life that we cannot change.
So….
Who is DBT for?
DBT is right for you …
- If you want to learn skills that show you how to do it differently (than what you are already doing)
- If you grew up in a family environment that didn’t have the best ways to deal with emotions
- If you have had a severely distressing experience or a traumatic experience such as emotional and psychical abuse
- If you are engaging in risky behaviors and you want to learn ways to change your patterns
- If you have been seeing a mental health professional and they have given you the diagnosis of “Borderline Personality Disorder” than research has shown this is a very effective therapy
If you have more questions about how DBT can help you or if it’s right for you, feel free to contact me at info@mindbodysoultherapy.com
To your well-being.
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