Dialectical Behavior Therapy
What Is Dialectical Behavior Therapy?
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a very practical cognitive treatment that aims to help you learn new strategies for expanding your self-awareness, coping with difficult emotions, and accepting and tolerating the challenges you face.
Working through your anxiety, depression, or trauma can be difficult to accomplish if you don’t fully understand or accept the reality of your symptoms. DBT typically works most effectively in the beginning stages of the counseling process due to its emphasis on acceptance.
Think about it this way: if you get a flat tire while driving down the road, you have two options. You can either keep driving until the tire eventually gives out, or you can pull over and change the tire. But in order to make the decision to pull over and fix the issue, you must first accept the problem: the tire is flat.
The goal of DBT is to guide you towards that path of acceptance so that the deeper work of fixing the underlying issues can take shape. We will work together to try and gather a clear picture of what’s bothering you so that we can develop the techniques needed to lead you towards true, sustained healing.
DBT: Background And Who Can Benefit
DBT was founded in the 1970s by Dr. Marsha Linehan after she, herself, was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).¹ The treatment method she developed was one of the first forms of therapy to incorporate mindfulness techniques, as Dr. Linehan discovered that using these strategies were helpful in coping with her own symptoms.
Over time, DBT has become one of the leading methods of therapy for a wide range of mental health issues, including BPD, depression, anxiety, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Those who act impulsively or suffer from emotional or behavioral instability may also benefit from the strategies that Dialectical Behavior Therapy has to offer.
How DBT Therapy Works
We all have habits we use for coping with the reality of what’s going on in our lives. We do our best to roll with the punches and adjust accordingly. Sometimes, the habits and adjustments we make are less-than-helpful—they might cause us to self-isolate or pass up opportunities for growth. The reason that DBT is so effective is because it helps us identify negative habits and replace the behaviors that hold us back with new behaviors that will push us forward.
As your counselor, my goal with DBT is to help you change the patterns that cause problems in your everyday life by increasing your mental resilience. If we succeed, this process can ultimately lead you toward a life-changing path of sustained behavioral, emotional, and cognitive growth.
What To Expect In DBT Therapy Sessions
Skills-building is an integral part of my Dialectical Behavior Therapy sessions. I aim to help you develop a variety of mindfulness strategies that focus on distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. You can use these strategies whenever you feel overwhelmed by your symptoms.
These skills could include meditation, deep breathing, and various relaxation practices. They can help you stay grounded in the here and now and improve your self-awareness. Once you learn how to effectively cope with your symptoms and have a clear understanding of your short-term goals, you can build towards a path of true acceptance and look further into the future.
“This Too Shall Pass.” – President Abraham Lincoln
No matter who you are, you’re going to experience hardships throughout the course of your life. But with proper guidance, you can learn how to deal with stress by focusing on the positives of every situation and looking at what you can control instead of what you can’t.
My passion for DBT stems from watching my clients shift their mindsets through this treatment method. I’ve used DBT since 2018 and have seen first-hand success with personality disorders and depression and anxiety as well.
DBT can help you discover your strengths and weaknesses so that you can build and improve every part of yourself. You are the expert on your own life and know what you’re going through better than anyone else can ever understand. We will work together to help you overcome what’s holding you back and experience deeper healing in your life.
Let DBT Therapy Lead You To A Path Of True Acceptance
If you’re interested in DBT Therapy, then I encourage you to connect with me. To schedule your initial session, please visit my contact page or call (607) - 287 – 0058. I’m looking forward to working with you!
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