Do have difficulty controlling negative or intense emotions? Is this causing issues in your relationships? 

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a form of psychotherapy specifically adapted for those who experience emotions very intensely. This treatment modality focuses on teaching four specific skills: 

• Mindfulness: Being in the present moment rather than the past or future 
• Distress Tolerance: Ability to manage emotions during stressful situations (in the moment), and tolerate distress without exuding harmful behaviors
• Emotion Regulation: Ability to recognize, manage, and reduce the intensity of emotions
• Interpersonal Effectiveness: Ability to utilize confident and assertive communication with others to strengthen relationships and maintain self-respect and boundaries

How does it work?

Many of us live our daily lives with a constant stream of uncontrollable negative emotions right under our awareness. These emotions affect how we feel about ourselves and how we interact with friends, romantic partners, family members and even coworkers.

The core message of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy is acceptance and change. DBT focuses on helping individuals manage their intense emotions in order to achieve a sense of balance, self-control, and have the skills to interact respectfully and successfully in relationships. 

When is DBT used? What should you expect?

Although Dialectical Behavioral Therapy was initially developed to treat Borderline Personality Disorder, research has shown that DBT is successful in treating many more conditions, such as: depression, self-harm, suicidal behavior, PTSD, substance use disorders, eating disorders, and anxiety.  

DBT is appropriate for those committed to attending therapy regularly (weekly), making positive changes, and engaging in homework assignments.  This will allow your therapist to help you apply DBT skills to your daily life, address obstacles as they arise, and keep you motivated! These skills are meant to improve your quality of life, replace unhelpful behaviors, and reduce self-harming behaviors (if applicable). 

Please reach out to me for a free consultation if you're interested in exploring Dialectical Behavioral Therapy!