What is DBT?

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an effective and evidence based therapy that originated in the 80’s and 90’s by Marsha Linnehan. DBT has 4 sections including Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness, Emotion Regulation and Distress Tolerance skills.

Each of these sections work together to create a foundation that prepares you to tackle any emotional problem. Including taking on your personal demons.

Mindfulness is the first section for a reason. DBT is founded on the idea that you are coming from a place of intentional and balanced point of view. Sometimes it can be tempting to make decisions from pure emotion or all logic and this can be problematic.

From there DBT can help with strengthening your relationships. This can look like setting boundaries, having hard conversations or even just keeping your own self-respect.

The next DBT section is Emotion Regulation, these skills can help you to recognize your emotions, learn when you’re responding to the current situation or from a past one and then decide how to respond mindfully.

The final DBT section is Distress Tolerance and this can help with those moments of total overwhelm when nothing else will help. These skills can help with panic attacks, meltdowns and impulsive behaviors. The other thing that is discussed her is acceptance and that sometimes things just suck and that this is not a disaster.