DBT is a complex treatment modality that makes many demands of therapists and requires extensive training to be administered in the way it was developed and tested. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a modified type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Its main goals are to teach people how to live in the moment, develop healthy ways to cope with stress, regulate their emotions, and improve their relationships with others. DBT can help individuals to recognize intense emotions, how to accept some of them as a part of life, and how to change ones that lead to negative actions. Through DBT, individuals learn how to accept themselves for who they are and develop tools for dealing with difficult emotions and managing stress. Painful emotions are part of life, and DBT can help people to see this and learn to cope with them in a healthier manner.

• There are also individual therapists who provide DBT-oriented therapy without groups and phone coaching, but they teach and practice the skills within individual sessions.
• In a study of depressed elderly patients who met criteria for a personality disorder,15 investigators compared an adapted version of DBT plus antidepressant medications to medications only.
• Substance abuse is common with borderline personality disorder.DBT helps substance abusers with borderline personality disorder but hasn’t proven effective for addiction alone.
• “It takes a lot of work and is a long-term process to develop from where you are to where you want to be.” You may want to spend a few moments beforehand to collect your thoughts and think about your reasons for seeking a therapist, she adds.

The main goal of therapists who use dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is to strike a balance between validation (acceptance) of who you are and your challenges and the benefits of change. Your therapist will help you learn new skills to improve emotion regulation. In addition to serving the five functions mentioned previously, DBT is anchored in a theory of BPD that prompts clinicians to focus on emotions and emotion regulation in treatment. Without very skillful and effective parenting or child-rearing, the child has difficulty learning how to cope with such intense emotional reactions.

Who Is DBT for?

While the therapy was originally developed to treat people with BPD with chronic suicidal ideation, it’s also now used as a treatment for a variety of mental health disorders, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Talk therapies like dialectical behavior therapy can help you learn coping skills to manage difficult emotions and navigate stressful situations. DBT can be provided by a range of mental health professionals including psychologists, psychiatrists, licensed clinical social workers (LCSW), licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFT), and licensed professional counselors (LPC), among others. It is recommended that people seeking treatment find a licensed mental health professional who has completed a specialized DBT training or certificate program. DBT is a comprehensive and multifaceted therapy designed to help patients cope with extreme emotional suffering and, often, self-injurious behavior. Many patients seeking DBT have undergone other forms of therapy without experiencing significant improvement.

“You can also find referral lists at your local hospitals, with your health insurance, or many other therapists will have referrals to DBT therapists that they keep on hand,” says Shah. Shah adds that you may want to spend a few moments beforehand to collect your thoughts, contemplate your reasons for seeking a therapist, and dialectical behavioral therapy jot down any concerns you have before your first DBT session. Checking with your primary care physician, other therapists, or your local college, university, or medical center could all be helpful options. To find a DBT therapist, you can use online tools like Behavioral Tech’s directory of therapists who specialize in DBT.

How Effective Is DBT?

There are also individual therapists who provide DBT-oriented therapy without groups and phone coaching, but they teach and practice the skills within individual sessions. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is an effective, science-backed therapy that helps people — many of whom experience significant mental health challenges — build a life they find worthwhile. Most definitions revolve around criteria for PTSD with the addition of several other domains.

You learn to focus on one thing at a time, without judging yourself or others. If you’re feeling like mental health symptoms are negatively impacting your quality of life, health, or relationships, DBT might be a good choice for you. It is advisable to seek a therapist who has not just extensive training but also experience using DBT to treat patients presenting with concerns such as yours. If you or a loved one might benefit from DBT, it’s important to talk with a healthcare provider or mental health professional who is trained in the approach. It’s important to go to all of your scheduled individual DBT therapy sessions and group skill training sessions.

How does DBT compare to CBT?

Talk to your child’s doctor or therapist about whether DBT might be a good treatment option and whether they can recommend a DBT therapist in your area. The primary focus of DBT is learning coping strategies moving forward in life, rather than spending a lot of time discussing past events that led up to current issues. Some people experience emotional extremes they cannot regulate, often when there is a history of trauma or when they feel threatened or abandoned. Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions. DBT Self-Help is the largest free DBT resource geared toward helping make DBT accessible to everyone.

She explains that patients are often assigned prompted activities, such as filling out a diary card or practicing mindfulness strategies. The homework depends on each person’s particular needs and what they want to work on. To that end, at both Adult and Adolescent Services, Yale offers high quality DBT treatment across levels of care, allowing patients and their families to be matched to treatments that best fit their needs.

Research also suggests that DBT may also be useful in the treatment of children with disruptive mood dysregulation disorder. They’ll determine how suitable DBT is for you by asking you questions and explaining how DBT works. If you decide that DBT is the right therapy for you, they’ll ask you to commit to the treatment and the length of treatment. If you have questions, call or email the therapist’s office before you choose.