Dialectical behavioural therapy is a cognitive treatment that focuses on emotional regulation, grounding and other skills. Treats through a psychosocial lens. It was developed to treat BPD but is also used in PTSD and eating disorders. very good for treating suicidal and self-destructive behaviours.

Claisical components of DBT treatment:

1. Individual weekly psychotherapy sessions that emphasize problem-solving behavior for the past week’s issues and troubles that arose in the person’s life. Self-injurious and suicidal behaviors take first priority, followed by behaviors that may interfere with the therapy process. Quality of life issues and working toward improving life in general may also be discussed. Individual sessions in DBT also focus on decreasing and dealing with post-traumatic stress responses (from previous trauma in the person’s life) and helping enhance their own self-respect and self-image.

2. Weekly group therapy sessions, generally 2 ½ hours a session and led by a trained DBT therapist, where people learn skills from one of four different modules: interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance/reality acceptance skills, emotion regulation, and mindfulness skills are taught. (credit)

3. Phone support, being able to reach out to a therapist 

What is DBT designed to do?

This form of therapy is designed to systematically and comprehensively treat issues in order of severity. Because DBT was initially intended for people with suicidal tendencies and extreme emotional issues, treatment happens in stages so all concerns are eventually addressed. DBT involves the following four stages:

• Stage 1: The focus of this stage is stabilisation. People in therapy may be dealing with things like suicidal thoughts, self-harm, or addiction. They often report feeling like they are at an all-time low point in their lives. Therapy is centred on safety and crisis intervention. The goal of this stage is to help people achieve some control over problematic behaviours.
• Stage 2: In this stage, behaviours are more stable, but mental health issues may still be prevalent. Emotional pain is typically brought to the surface, and traumatic experiences are safely explored. The goal of this stage is for people in treatment to fully experience their emotional pain instead of silencing or burying it.
• Stage 3: This stage focuses on enhancing the quality of life through maintenance of progress and reasonable goal-setting. The goal of this stage is the promotion of happiness and stability.
• Stage 4: During this stage, therapists support people in advancing their lives to the next level. In therapy, people may improve upon learned skills or work toward spiritual fulfillment. The goal of this stage is to help people achieve and maintain an ongoing capacity for happiness and success.

(credit)

What skills are taught in DBT?

DBT includes four sets of behavioural skills.

• Mindfulness: the practice of being fully aware and present in this one moment
• Distress Tolerance: how to tolerate pain in difficult situations, not change it
• Interpersonal Effectiveness: how to ask for what you want and say no while maintaining self-respect and relationships with others
• Emotion Regulation: how to change emotions that you want to change

(credit)

DBT self-help