Dialectical behavioral therapy (frequently referred to as DBT) is an effective treatment modality for a variety of issues such as depression, anxiety, trauma symptoms, and eating disorders. DBT is often described as a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy and other treatment modalities. For many therapists, cognitive behavioral therapy is the gold standard of treatment. DBT has four main areas of focus when using it in therapy: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.

Mindfulness focuses on improving an individual’s ability to accept your current circumstances and be present in the current mood. Many therapists believe that mindfulness can help relieve stress, lower blood pressure, reduce chronic pain, improve sleep, decrease anxiety, decrease stress, and lessen physical health issues. When clinicians are teaching clients about the mindfulness aspect, it’s really about learning to live in the moment and staying focused on the present.

Distress tolerance is aimed at increasing a person’s tolerance of negative emotions, rather than trying to escape from it. When a clinician is working with a client, they are teaching the client to accept themselves and their current situation. More specifically, DBT trained therapists teach clients how to tolerate and survive crises using the following four techniques: distractions, self-soothing, improving the movement, and thinking of pros and cons. 

Emotional regulation typically involves strategies to manage and change intense emotions that are causing problems in a person’s life. Emotional regulation is really about beginning to recognize and cope with negative emotions and reducing one’s emotional vulnerability by increasing positive emotional experiences. Emotional regulation is very useful for people who have experienced anxiety, depression, or trauma. 

Interpersonal effectiveness: consists of techniques that teach a person how to communicate with others in a way that is assertive, maintains self-respect, and strengthens relationships. In essence, it teaches people how to be assertive in a relationship while still keeping that relationship positive and healthy. 

One of the biggest takeaways that many clients who utilize DBT report are, that they no longer struggle with negative thinking patterns, and are able to turn destructive behaviors into positive outcomes. 

Through using DBT, people have the opportunity to examine a deeper meaning of their lives and incorporate a new level of healing and recovery. When utilizing DBT in individual therapy, people set goals for themselves, incorporate activities they enjoy, and mindfully understand their process of struggle. They no longer get caught up in judging or evaluating their own personal struggles. DBT trained therapists work alongside individuals to empathize with their journey and to ensure self-compassion and mindfulness are an essential part of the recovery process.

One of the big end goals is that a positive self-identify is creating in these sessions in which the person establishes self-compassion, acceptance, and an increased sense of self-worth and purpose. Are you looking for Dialectical Behavioral Therapy in the Bloomington, IL area? Get in touch today.