DBT stands for Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. It’s an effective type of cognitive behavioral therapy which is used to identify negative thinking patterns. Once identified, DBT works by changing the negative thinking patterns and pushing for positive behavioral development. Our DBT clinic ensures you will meet the best counselors and find help for any problems you may face.
DBT therapy was originally created to treat Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), but has since been adapted and is also beneficial for treating other mental health conditions. Today, this powerful type of therapy is particularly helpful for people who struggle with regulating their emotions, are exhibiting self-destructive behaviors, or have problems maintaining healthy relationships with others.
The primary goals of our DBT therapists is to teach people how to comfortably live in the moment, practice healthy ways to deal with stress, successfully manage their emotions, and improve their relationships with the people around them.
How DBT works
The “Dialectical” in DBT refers to the idea of bringing two opposites together in a therapy session: acceptance and change. By combining these two often contrasting notions, DBT delivers better results than focusing on either acceptance or change alone.
DBT therapy is made up of three parts:
- Individual therapy: One-to-one sessions with a trained professional where a patient develops behavioral skills such as DBT TIPP skills adapted to their personal circumstances.
- Group therapy: Patients develop behavioral skills by completing homework and role-playing ways of interacting with others.
- Phone coaching: The patient has the chance to call the therapist in between sessions to receive guidance on a challenging situation they’re currently in.
DBT therapists also receive DBT therapy. Each therapist regularly meets with a consultation team that helps them manage the emotional demands of treating their patients.
DBT sessions focus on the following goals:
- Acceptance and change: You’ll develop methods of accepting and coping with your personal circumstances, your emotions, and yourself. You’ll also learn skills you can use to make positive changes in the way you behave in your everyday life and in your interactions with others.
- Behavioral: You’ll find out how to analyze destructive behavior patterns and replace them with healthier ones which deliver better results.
- Cognitive: You’ll spend time changing your thoughts, beliefs, actions and behaviors which are not helpful or effective.
- Collaboration: You’ll learn how to successfully communicate with others and how to work together effectively as a team.
- Support: Your therapist will encourage you to recognize your personal strengths and positive attributes and guide you to develop and make the most of them.
Our therapists use a DBT skills called ‘TIPP’. TIPP stands for – Temperature –Intense Exercise –Paced breathing and – Paired muscle relaxation. It is very helpful in a wide range of situations.
Difference CBT and DBT >>
Who benefits from DBT?
Studies have shown that DBT therapy is equally effective, regardless of someone’s age, race/ethnicity, sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation. This makes it a useful solution for almost anyone who is having difficulty regulating their emotions or displaying self-destructive behaviors.
DBT therapy is best suited to high-risk and tough-to-treat patients who often have multiple diagnoses. While it was originally designed to help people with borderline personality disorders and those exhibiting suicidal behavior, DBT has since been adapted to treat other mental health problems.
Borderline personality disorder leads to acute emotional distress, with patients experiencing intense outbursts of anger and aggression, rapidly-shifting moods, and heightened sensitivity to rejection. If you have a borderline personality disorder, you may have difficulties regulating your emotions and experience instability in:
- Moods
- Behavior
- Self-image
- Thoughts
- Relationships
Impulsive behavior, such as self-injury or substance abuse, along with repeated life crises, such as homelessness and legal troubles, are also common in people experiencing borderline personality disorders.
The American Psychiatric Association recognizes DBT as a comprehensive treatment effective for treating complex mental health problems, including borderline personality disorder. With the help of DBT therapy, you could experience:
- Less frequent and less severe suicidal behavior
- Shorter hospital stays
- Reduced anger levels
- Lower chance of dropping out of treatment
- Improved social functioning
Any behaviors which threaten someone’s safety, relationships, work, or emotional well-being can often be improved through DBT. This includes people with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and substance abuse.
Research is currently being conducted into whether DBT is an effective treatment for the following conditions:
- Mood disorders
- Binge eating
- ADHD
- PTSD
10 Therapists weigh in on DBT therapy >>
DBT therapy near me
One of the advantages of DBT therapy is that it doesn’t require in-person visits. With Cyti Psychological, sessions can be completed online through video call software. Live telehealth meetings have completely transformed DBT, allowing people all over the world to benefit from therapy at a time and in a place where it suits them.
You don’t need to feel uncomfortable or anxious sitting in an unfamiliar waiting room to receive DBT therapy near you. Today, you can speak to a therapist from the comfort of your own home or office, wherever you feel relaxed and comfortable.
It doesn’t matter whether you live in Los Angeles in California, Houston in Texas, or Jacksonville in Florida, Cyti Psychological can help you find the right DBT therapist for you. All you need is a computer, laptop, or tablet with internet connection and you can benefit from the help you need to live a happier and more satisfying life.
Find DBT therapy near you here >>
All our therapists are licensed clinicians with a minimum of 2,500 hours of clinical experience treating many different mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, parenting challenges, family dynamics, couple’s issues, grief, bipolar disorder, personality disorder, and OCD.
DBT group therapy near me
DBT therapy can be particularly helpful to some when it forms part of a group session. Unlike typical group therapy in which people sit in a circle and take turns sharing their stories or feelings with the aim of processing them better, DBT group therapy takes a different approach.
Instead of a process group session, DBT group therapy is more like a class in which you learn new skills and work on developing the skills you’ve been taught. This gives you a chance to practice and improve what you’ve learned in a safe space before taking your newly acquired skills out into the world.
Although DBT group therapy is more like a class than a therapy session, there aren’t any tests or grades involved. However, there is homework. After each session, you’ll be given the task of practicing your new skill with the people you interact with in your life.
Some people enjoy DBT group therapy, while others would much prefer to stick to the one-on-one sessions with their therapist. Practicing and improving your newly-learned skills is an essential part of DBT. Because of this, you must attend group therapy sessions to fully benefit.
DBT Group Therapy >>
As DBT group therapy sessions take place in person, they’re not as flexible as individual DBT therapy sessions which can be done anytime and anywhere. But as more people are benefitting from the effective behavioral therapy, finding DBT group therapy near you is becoming easier all the time.
Radical acceptance DBT
One of the most important skills that DBT therapy teaches is radical acceptance. If you often have extreme mood swings and see situations as all bad or all good, radical acceptance will help you make better decisions with more positive outcomes.
The goal of radical acceptance in DBT is to balance the overly emotional mind and the overly logical mind which is devoid of emotions. The resulting balanced mind is referred to as the “wise mind”.
By using the “wise mind” which is halfway between pure emotion and pure logic, you learn to take thoughtful action instead of mindless reaction. When you can accept a situation for what it is, you’re able to make more logical decisions.
For radical acceptance, you need to simply acknowledge the moment as it is without judgement. You need to turn toward reality and away from cognitive distortions. By becoming a passive observer of the situation, instead of an active participant, the need to react to the moment is removed.
More about Radical acceptance in DBT >>
How DBT therapy can help you
Getting therapy in a DBT setting can help you focus on accepting who you are in this current moment while working to make positive changes in your behavior. It takes time for your symptoms to improve, but you’ll find that you manage them in a much healthier and more effective way than before.
It’s important to understand that DBT isn’t the right solution for everyone. However, it’s much more likely to work for you if you’re:
- Committed to making positive changes to yourself and your behavior
- Ready to work hard during therapy sessions and complete homework assignments
- Prepared to focus mostly on your present and future — not your past
- Comfortable taking part in DBT group therapy
Your DBT therapist will help you understand yourself as a person and make sense of the reasons you exhibit harmful behaviors, such as self-harm or substance abuse.
They’ll help you understand that you might have developed your negative habits as they are the only ways you found to cope with your intense emotions. Even though you know your behaviors are damaging and upset those around you, your behavior makes sense because it is delivering results.
With the help of our DBT clinic, you’ll develop healthier and more effective ways to manage your emotions. Your therapist will challenge your unhelpful thoughts, encouraging you to find new ways of dealing with distress.
