What is Dialectical Behavioral Therapy? Dialectical Behavior Therapy is a specific type of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) created in the late 1980s by psychologist Marsha M. Linehan as a comprehensive, evidence-based treatment to better help those diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Since it was developed it has been used as treatment for other mental health disorders as well. It has shown promise for those suffering with substance use disorders (SUDs) and binge-eating disorders. DBT emphasizes the psychosocial aspects of the cognitive-behavioral treatment approach. The theory being that some patients are more likely to react in an out-of-the-ordinary or more intense way towards certain emotional situations, such as friend, family, and romantic relationships. Dialectical Behavior Therapy implies that some patient’s arousal levels in such situations can increase faster than the average person’s, reach higher levels of emotional stimulation, and need more time to return to baseline arousal levels. Patients diagnosed with borderline personality disorders sometimes experience extreme mood swings, seem to be jumping from one crisis to the next, and tend to see the world in black-and-white. Many people don’t understand these reactions, which can leave patients with no coping skills for these intense, sudden, rush of emotions. DBT is a therapy method that can help teach the coping skills they need to handle these emotions. Learning exactly what is Dialectical Behavior Therapy can help determine that correct type of drug rehab.
Prioritized Treatment, Skills, and Stages for Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
Finding out what is Dialectical Behavioral Therapy can also help make more informed decisions on the type of therapy that can be most effective. Dialectical Behavior Therapy helps identify irrational thoughts and beliefs and teaches a different way of thinking that will help make life more bearable It also helps the patient identify their strengths and build on them, it helps encourage self-confidence and a general better outlook on life. DBT works on acceptance and change. DBT is a collaborative effort between the patients and staff, encouraging relationship problem solving in therapy and assignments, role-playing interactions, and practicing coping skills. Skills are taught in weekly lectures, reviewed in assignments, and referred to in almost every group. The weekly individual sessions place importance on the problem-solving behavior, any troubles the patient may have or is facing, and improving basic social skills. Patients typically have multiple problems they are facing so therapist first make sure their is no life-threatening behavior, then therapy-interfering behavior such as not working towards the goals, then quality of life behavior such as relationship problems, and then they work on learning the new skills. The weekly group sessions focuses on learning one of the following modules:
DBT, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, is divided into four stages, these are defined by the severity of the client’s behaviors. Therapists work with the patients to reach the goals of each stage and move onto the next. In the first stage patients often feel miserable and their behavior is out of control, they often behave in self-destructive behavior. The goal at this stage is to achieve behavioral control. In the second stage patients may still be suffering due to trauma and invalidation and their emotions are still inhibited. The goal at this stage is to get the patient into a state of full emotional experiencing. In stage three the patient works on defining goals, building their self-respect, learning to live, and finding peace and happiness. The goal of this stage is for the patient to learn to live a life of happiness and unhappiness. Some patients need a fourth stage to find a deeper meaning in spirituality, a sense of connection to a greater whole. The goal of this is for the patient to form a life that has a capacity for experiences of freedom and joy. All of these characteristics of DBT are shown to be effective in reducing self-injury, psychiatric hospitalization, depression, anger, and substance use and increases social functioning.
History of DBT, Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Marsha M. Linehan was attempting to apply Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to adult women who had suffered with suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and nonsuicidal injury. Marsha was trained as a behaviorist and was interested in treating these behaviors. After speaking with colleagues she concluded that she wanted to treat women who met criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). In an effort to help these women, Marsha wanted to use the already successful CBT. In doing so her and her research team encountered problems. Many of the patients dropped out of treatment because there was so much focus on change and these patients already felt negatively about themselves. Patients also used their emotions to change how the sessions were going so that they were ineffective. Such as getting mad at the therapists when they brought up topics they didn’t want to talk about and were more engaged on topics they felt comfortable discussing. In response to these problems, Linehan and her team made some modifications which resulted in DBT. They added validation or acceptance-based strategies to the original change-based strategies of CBT. Therapists eventually learned to highlight patients acceptable behaviors, feelings, and thoughts allowing patients to discover they had sound judgement and were capable of learning when and how to trust themselves and their feelings. By adding the acceptance to the change they were able to form a therapy of balance. Since DBT has a modular construction it allows for flexibility in patient care making it more individualized depending on the severity of their disorder.
History of DBT, Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Marsha M. Linehan was attempting to apply Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to adult women who had suffered with suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and nonsuicidal injury. Marsha was trained as a behaviorist and was interested in treating these behaviors. After speaking with colleagues she concluded that she wanted to treat women who met criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). In an effort to help these women, Marsha wanted to use the already successful CBT. In doing so her and her research team encountered problems. Many of the patients dropped out of treatment because there was so much focus on change and these patients already felt negatively about themselves. Patients also used their emotions to change how the sessions were going so that they were ineffective. Such as getting mad at the therapists when they brought up topics they didn’t want to talk about and were more engaged on topics they felt comfortable discussing. In response to these problems, Linehan and her team made some modifications which resulted in DBT. They added validation or acceptance-based strategies to the original change-based strategies of CBT. Therapists eventually learned to highlight patients acceptable behaviors, feelings, and thoughts allowing patients to discover they had sound judgement and were capable of learning when and how to trust themselves and their feelings. By adding the acceptance to the change they were able to form a therapy of balance. Since DBT has a modular construction it allows for flexibility in patient care making it more individualized depending on the severity of their disorder.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) at Recovery Ways
Recovery Ways utilizes DBT for patients who struggle with emotional regulation and relapse trigger reduction. We pair it with mindfulness therapies in order to help patients identify when their feelings are beginning to escalate and is taught in group and individual therapy sessions. By pairing DBT with other therapies patients in recovery are able to work on their substance abuse and any other co-occurring disorders in a way that offer happiness without the substance use and life fulfillment after recovery. If you’re ready to live a life free from mental health and addiction issues Recovery Ways, the premier drug rehab in Utah, can help. Our admissions coordinators can help place you in the best dual-diagnosis addiction treatment possible. They can also review your insurance benefits to find out if any costs associated with addiction treatment will be covered. Please contact us here or call 1-888-986-7848.
