How does dbt work

You learn skills to change unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. The same is true for DBT, which is highly structured and teaches critical skills through these four modules:.

Core mindfulness skills , adapted from Eastern meditation practices, teach you to become more aware of the present moment. You learn to focus on one thing at a time, without judging yourself or others. To prevent impulsive or self-harming behavior, this module also teaches you constructive, in-the-moment alternatives.

These include distraction and self-soothing techniques , like doing a deep breathing exercise, taking a walk, or listening to your favorite music. In this module, you learn the skills to create healthy relationships while taking care of yourself.

Interpersonal effectiveness includes working through conflict, listening well, and clearly asking for what you need. Emotion regulation skills help you label your emotions without judging them.

You learn how different emotions shape your behavior and what obstacles prevent you from managing your emotions. Plus, you learn to avoid situations that typically trigger strong emotions and pursue events that boost positive emotions. A meaningful, fulfilling life looks different for each person. Another critical goal of DBT is to address behaviors that pose a life-threatening risk, such as suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and self-harm.

Therapy-hampering behaviors can include anything from missing appointments to arriving late or not completing homework. For example, someone might use DBT to address behaviors related to alcohol use or binge eating disorder. Once a week, you talk with your therapist to learn how to apply DBT skills to specific challenges and situations in your own life. To further help you practice these skills, you complete homework outside of your sessions.

This is often a 2-hour, weekly meeting that teaches you the above four modules. Because your training is done in a group setting, you have the opportunity to interact with others and role-play new skills.

DBT assumes that many of the problems exhibited by clients are caused by skills deficits. In particular, the failure to use effective behavior when it is needed is often a result of not knowing skillful behavior or when or how to use it. For example, deficits in emotion regulation skills are believed to be a core problem in individuals with borderline personality disorder, and these deficits result in the use of maladaptive behaviors to regulate emotions e.

Consistent with this skills deficit model, use of DBT skills has been found to fully or partially explain improvements during standard DBT and DBT skills training in problems such as suicidal behavior, non-suicidal self-injury, depression, anger control, emotion dysregulation, and anxiety Neacsiu et al. In addition, improvements in emotion regulation Axelrod et al. Although the strongest evidence exists for DBT as a treatment for people with borderline personality disorder, DBT has been found to be effective for a wide variety of mental health conditions.

If you are feeling sad and want to withdraw from friends and family, make plans to see your loved ones. DBT was developed in the late s by Dr. Marsha Linehan and colleagues when they discovered that cognitive behavioral therapy CBT alone did not work as well as expected in patients with BPD. Linehan and her team added techniques and developed a treatment to meet the unique needs of these individuals. In DBT, the patient and therapist work to resolve the apparent contradiction between self-acceptance and change to bring about positive changes in the individual in treatment.

Part of this process involves offering validation , which helps people become more likely to cooperate and less likely to experience distress at the idea of change. In practice, the therapist validates that an individual's actions "make sense" within the context of their personal experiences without necessarily agreeing that the actions are the best approach to solving a problem. Each therapeutic setting has its own structure and goals, but the characteristics of DBT can be found in group skills training, individual psychotherapy, and phone coaching.

Because this approach to therapy is able to help people successfully improve their coping skills, they are able to develop effective ways to manage and express strong emotions. Research also suggests that DBT may also be useful in the treatment of children with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder. DBT requires a significant commitment of time. In addition to regular therapy sessions, people are also required to do "homework" to work on skills outside of the individual, group, and phone counseling sessions.

This may pose a challenge for people who have difficulty keeping up with these assignments on a regular basis. Practicing some of the skills may also be challenging for some people. At different stages of treatment, people explore traumatic experiences and emotional pain, which may be upsetting.

The best way to find out if DBT is right for you is to talk with a professional who is trained in the method. They will evaluate your symptoms, treatment history, and therapy goals to see if DBT might be a good fit. If you or a loved one might benefit from DBT, it's important to talk with a healthcare provider or mental health professional who is trained in the approach.

That said, it's not always easy to find DBT therapists. You can start your search with the Clinical Resource Directory , which is maintained by Behavioral Tech an organization founded by Dr. Linehan to train mental health professionals in DBT. You can also ask your provider, current therapist, or another trusted mental health professional to refer you to a colleague who specializes in DBT.

You may also find DBT therapists who offer online therapy. If you are having suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at for support and assistance from a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database. Everything feels more challenging when you're dealing with depression. Get our free guide when you sign up for our newsletter. The Linehan Institute Behavioral Tech. What is dialectical behavior therapy DBT?

Published Dialectical behavior therapy as treatment for borderline personality disorder. Mental Health Clinician. A randomized, controlled, pilot study of dialectical behavior therapy skills in a psychoeducational group for individuals with bipolar disorder. J Affect Disord. Effects of dialectical behaviour therapy-mindfulness training on emotional reactivity in borderline personality disorder: Preliminary results.

Clin Psychol Psychother. Ment Health Clin.