Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy is an empirically supported and helpful therapeutic intervention for most clinical presentations. A common misconception is that DBT is only pertinent for certain diagnoses or for severe symptom severity or acuity.
DBT skills and tools facilitate different ways of thinking, different ways of navigating feelings, and lastly, different ways of responding to difficult thoughts and feelings. Sound familiar? Just like its predecessor CBT, DBT offers potential to be helpful for all mental health diagnoses.
What are the Dialectics of Dialetical Behavior Therapy?
Dialectics teach us that two seemingly opposing truths can still both be true. They teach us to hold space for the other or alternate truth, perception, or perspective.
DBT focuses on four main areas: emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness. DBT offers skills rooted in two main pathways of choice: Acceptance and Change. Acceptance skills include Radical Acceptance, Distress Tolerance, and Mindfulness. Change skills include Problem Solving, Opposite to action, and Considering alternative perspectives.
DBT vs. ACT
I differentiate DBT from ACT as being more behaviorally or skills-based versus ACT being more cognitively and metaphorically-based. And, they fully overlap at the intersection of mindfulness. Mindfulness is paying attention, on purpose, to the present moment, with acceptance, and without judgement. Mindfulness is hard! And with practice, mindfulness can shift much of the suffering and struggle that keeps so many people stuck in their sticky thoughts.
To learn more about DBT, please visit https://www.abct.org/fact-sheets/dialectical-behavior-therapy/
Learn More About Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) with Sara Watts
If it would help, I would be pleased to offer a 15 minute complimentary call to introduce myself and my approach to Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
Please feel free to contact me today.