What is Dialectical Behavior Therapy?
By Christine Ferch
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is one of the favourite branches of CBT as it addresses our emotional responses more so than our thought processes produce the behaviours or actions we engage in. DBT addresses four different components: interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation and mindfulness.
When we can regulate our emotions and are mindful of what our mind and body are doing, we engage in more appropriate behaviour and thought processes. DBT is about addressing the opposites to move from distress and unbalance to a state of acceptance and change.
- Interpersonal effectiveness: Addresses our interpersonal pattern of responses and how we interact with people in our relationships. DBT addresses how we can set boundaries, be assertive and utilize problem-solving skills. We learn how to ask for our needs instead of demanding them and learn to cope with inevitable interpersonal conflict.
The focus of Interpersonal Effectiveness is to change something or to resist changes someone else is trying to make. The skills are intended to enhance the goals an individual has set. While making sure they are met while not damaging the relationship or the self-respect within the relationship.
- Distress Tolerance: Component is essential because life tends to place us in distressing situations. The skills taught within this component teach us how to tolerate the distress of strong or intense emotions. This element addresses facets related to mindfulness, to accept and be nonjudgmental of oneself and the situation.
There are four sets of learning in Dialectical Behavior Therapy is to tolerate distress which is distracting, self-soothing, improving the moment, thinking of pros and cons. Acceptance of the present skills includes radical acceptance, turning the mind toward acceptance, and willingness vs willfulness.
- Emotion Regulation: When we are above our baseline and unable to self-soothe, our ability to regulate our emotions has paused. Those with a bipolar or borderline personality disorder may find their emotions to be intense and liable, frequently angry, intensely frustrated, depressed, and anxious. Their ability to regulate their emotions is on pause due to possible trauma or reduced ability to demonstrate emotions outwardly in childhood to a safe person.
Emotion regulation DBT skills include:
– learning to identify and label emotions properly
– Identifying obstacles to changing emotions
– Reducing vulnerability to “emotion mind.”
– Increasing positive emotional events
– Increasing positive emotional events
– Increasing mindfulness to current emotions
– Taking the opposite action
– Applying distress tolerance techniques
4. Mindfulness: The essential component to DBT as it focuses on improving our ability to accept and be present at the moment, in the environment you are in. To look at the moment with intent, lack of judgment and self-compassion.
What can DBT Help with?
DBT was first developed for the treatment of borderline personality disorder, however, after a lot of research, was proven effective for many mental health diagnosis. DBT has been successful in treating:
– Bulimia
– Binge eating
– Bipolar Disorder
– PTSD
– Substance Abuse
DBT can also be used for individuals who are having difficulty tolerating distress for a specific situation they have just endured or struggle with regulating their emotions.
Individuals who have use DBT stated they had improvement in:
– Reduced frequency and severity in suicidal behaviours
– Reduced self-harm
– Shorter hospitalizations
– Less anger
– Heightened ability to regulate emotions
– Heightened ability to control their impulses
If you are interested in DBT or have any further questions, you can contact us at admin@ovcs.ca. For additional information, check out my related blogs on mindfulness and self-compassion.
