Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

DBT

The end goal of DBT is to help people build lives worth living. DBT, also known as dialectical behavior therapy, is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that educates and equips patients with skills to manage intense emotions and impulses. Basically, it teaches people better coping skills. By focusing on learning emotional regulation, DBT is a great resource for people suffering from personality disorders -- such as borderline personality disorder (BPD) -- and many other types of mental health conditions, including PTSD, addiction, and eating disorders, to name a few.

Changing Lives Counseling is proud to offer Dialectical Behavior Therapy to all those in Sandy, UT, and the surrounding Salt Lake City areas. Immense relief and improved mental well-being are possible with this incredible therapy method. Find out if DBT may be right for you. Call Changing Lives Counseling in Sandy, UT at (801) 332-9838 to book an appointment today!

DBT | Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

What is DBT Dialectical Behavior Therapy?

The term “dialectical” means the interaction of opposing ideas. In DB Therapy, “dialectical” reasoning seeks to integrate the seemingly contradictory ideas of change and acceptance. This form of talk therapy also draws upon the philosophy of dialectics, wherein, people come to conclusions about truth and reality using logical thinking and reasoning. In this way, Dialectical therapy teaches patients how to gain a stable sense of self while controlling self-destructive behaviors and negative thought patterns. 

Dialectical Behavior Therapy is often used to treat:

  • Personality disorders, including bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder

  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

  • Depression

  • Anxiety

  • Substance use disorder (SUD)

  • Individuals who self-harm

  • Eating disorders, including bulimia and binge eating disorder

What is DBT Therapy Like?

DBT is broken down into four segments:

  • Many providers require an assessment to gauge whether or not Dialectical Behavior Therapy will be a good fit for your unique needs. If you decide DBT is right for you, your therapist will create a treatment plan that you will commit to.

    There are four types of DBT treatments: individual therapy, group skills training, phone coaching, and consultation groups for providers.

  • During weekly sessions that last 40-60 minutes, individuals will work with their therapists to track their emotions and patterns of behavior. The goal of these sessions is to learn new skills to overcome challenges to change negative behaviors.

  • These types of sessions are similar to a classroom setting. During this kind of therapy, the therapist teaches skills in a group setting. Not to be confused with group therapy, DBT skills training is not a discussion of your problems but rather a space to learn lasting skills for your day-to-day life.

  • Phone coaching is typically available to support clients between sessions. Therapists will set their boundaries, but support will be available during immediate crisis and when you have questions.

How Can Dialectical Behavior Therapy Help You?

  • In DBT treatments, individuals learn skills of mindfulness such as being present, describing facts of current experiences, focusing on one activity at a time, non-judgmental observance, and more. DBT works to build up acceptance in individuals so they can feel grounded through their senses. The development of healthy coping skills through mindfulness greatly enhances overall mental well-being and emotional harmony.

  • DBT teaches people how to be assertive while safely navigating conflict in healthy ways. Interpersonal effectiveness is about strengthening relationships, asking for what you want without resentment, and communicating effectively.

  • With Dialectical Behavior therapy, patients learn to identify, name, and change emotions through many mental health conditions involving experiencing intense emotions. These intense emotions can cause many problems in life. The skill of emotional regulation helps individuals gain control of negative, reactive behaviors.

  • DB Therapy cultivates radical acceptance to experience the present as it is. Distress tolerance helps individuals find positive possibilities in stressful situations. Learn to identify pros and cons, self-soothe, positively distract yourself, improve the moment, and more. DBT treatments can help you face crises in life without resorting to harmful behaviors. Distress tolerance validates each individual and experience.

By equipping patients with these skills, DBT is especially helpful for people who struggle with:

  • Impulsive behaviors

  • Maintaining healthy relationships

  • labile emotions  (rapid exaggerated changes in mood)

  • suicidal behaviors

  • engagement in risky behaviors

What Can Dialectical Behavior Therapy Treat?

In a study published in the National Library of Medicine, researchers say “Randomized controlled trials have shown the efficacy of DBT not only in BPD but also in other psychiatric disorders, such as substance use disorders, mood disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, and eating disorders.” 

Dialectical Behavior Therapy effectively treats many conditions because it targets many common psychological symptoms that are shared by many disorders. DBT is especially suited for treating:

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD):

DBT was originally developed for women and men suffering from BPD and suicidal behaviors. Clinical studies demonstrate that Dialectical therapy teaches behavioral skills that target common symptoms of BPD, including an unstable sense of self, fear of abandonment, chaotic relationships, severe mood swings, and impulsivity such as self-injurious or self-defeating behaviors.

Depression and Anxiety: 

DBT for depression teaches individuals how to interrupt negative mental cycles to have better social skills, lessen heavy symptoms of depression, and improve the overall quality of life.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Trauma: 

Learn acceptance, tolerance, and healthy coping habits with DBT treatments for PTSD and trauma. According to a study published in JAMA Psychiatry, treating PTSD with Dialectical Behavior Therapy “created large and significant improvements in PTSD severity. The proportions achieving symptomatic remission were 58%.

Addiction

Dialectical Behavior Therapy is a valuable treatment model for individuals suffering from substance abuse disorder (SUD). The effectiveness of DBT for addiction is demonstrated in many studies. According to a scientific review of these studies,  DBT  combines the insistence for complete abstinence with “nonjudgmental, problem-solving responses to relapse.”

DBT helps patients overcome addiction in several ways, including:

  • Decreasing substance abuse

  • Alleviating some of the physical discomfort associated with withdrawal.

  • Diminishing the impulses or urges, cravings, and temptations to abuse substances

  • Avoiding opportunities, triggers, and interpersonal connections that promote substance use.

  • Reducing self-destructive behaviors conducive to drug abuse

  • Encouraging community involvement that reinforces healthy behaviors and sobriety.

Eating disorders

According to a peer-reviewed study, “Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Eating Disorders,” published in the American Journal of Psychotherapy: “Several researchers have adapted and/or applied dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) for populations with eating disorders. There is a growing body of research that indicates that DBT is an effective treatment option for this population.” Researchers believe DBT helps people suffering from eating disorders, such as binge eating or anorexia, improves emotional vulnerability with mechanisms for regulating emotional affect.

DBT vs CBT

CBT, or cognitive behavior therapy, is the most commonly used model of psychotherapy (talk therapy.) It is utilized in treating all sorts of psychological conditions. DBT on the other hand, is more often used as a treatment for borderline personality disorder, parasuicidal behaviors, and conditions that involve emotional dysregulation.

CBT and DBT have similar roots but function differently for patients and therapists. As DBT deals with intense emotions, it is a more vigorous form of therapy. DBT requires longer, more significant commitments. If you have high-risk or tough-to-treat mental conditions, DBT may be right for you.

Is DBT Therapy Right for Me?

The best way to know whether or not DBT is right for you is to speak with a licensed professional at Changing Lives Counseling in Sandy, UT We can help answer your questions about the differences between therapies and help you decide what will be best for your wellbeing.

DBT Therapy Near Me

Changing Lives Counseling is proud to offer DBT in Sandy, UT If you are committed to making positive and lasting changes for your mental health, dialectical behavior therapy may be right for you. Don’t wait to change your life! Learn more about our therapy treatments and book an appointment today. Call us at (801) 332-9838 to get started.

Get in Touch

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(801) 332-9838

8686 South 1300 East Suite 101 E
Sandy, Utah 84094

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