Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) was created by Marsha Linehan, PhD., to help those suffering with self-injury and suicidality. Its use has grown and is now applied to a number of disorders of behavioral and emotion dysregulation, such as bulimia or substance abuse. DBT therapy is an evidence-based treatment. Numerous research studies have shown it to be effective for treating various symptoms of emotional suffering. DBT therapy focuses on teaching new behaviors for clients to utilize in moments of crisis, difficult interpersonal situations, and problems of everyday living.
Comprehensive DBT therapy includes weekly Skills Training Group, weekly Individual Therapy, and Telephone Skills Coaching for clients and Consultation Team for therapists. Learn more about the concepts behind Dialectical Behavior Therapy by reading about the principles of DBT.
Individual DBT
Clients work with their individual therapists to identify what’s keeping them stuck in unwanted patterns of behavior. Treatments such as exposure therapy and behavioral activation, cognitive modification, as well as environmental interventions are used to help move clients toward their goals.
Telephone Skills Coaching
Skills coaching with a client’s individual therapist is available between sessions to help clients apply what’s being learned in therapy to problems in daily life.
DBT Skills Training Group
Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness skills are covered over a 6-month period.
A brief description of group content:
- Mindfulness: Increasing awareness of the present moment to decrease destructive thoughts.
- Emotion Regulation: Building strategies to understand and manage strong emotions.
- Distress Tolerance: Developing skills to calm overwhelming emotions and urges.
- Interpersonal Effectiveness: Learning ways to communicate needs and emotions effectively.
