What is Dialectical Behavior Therapy?

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Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a structured, short-term approach to therapy to treat individuals with various mental health concerns, such as self-destructive behaviors, emotional regulation difficulties, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and other trauma-related disorders.

DBT helps you accept yourself as you are, despite negative patterns of thinking you may have due to various life experiences. This acceptance makes more room for you to change negative thinking that may harm your mental health.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy teaches you tolerance to more adequately cope with negative or difficult emotions and strategies to change behavior and reduce negative thoughts.

Your therapist will help you recognize and name your feelings as they arise without judging them or shaming yourself for experiencing them. You will also practice distress tolerance by finding ways to cope with destructive urges more positively. Your therapist might also include mindfulness techniques, which teach you to be present in the moment.

DBT can be used individually or in a group setting. Group settings for DBT help practice skills and work on interpersonal communication, as another goal of DBT is to improve relationship skills.

Therapists Who Specialize in Using Dialectical Behavior Therapy 

Erin Falconer, PhD, MSc, LMSW

New York

New York

I aim to create a safe space to collaboratively process trauma and work on issues such as anxiety, depression, chronic illness, relationship struggles, abuse, life and career concerns, and issues around identity and creative expression. I also specialize in helping people recover from coercive control and influence, including survivors of cultic abuse and high demand groups.
Sometimes life sucks. It’s not fair. It’s messy. There are times when it seems like more than you can handle. It can feel like, no matter how hard you try, you just can’t catch a break. You might believe everyone around you is succeeding, while you are stuck. It can feel hopeless, scary, and beyond repair. However, nothing lasts forever, including the bad times you may be experiencing. If you…

Stephen Schubert, LPC

Atlanta

Georgia

I am a Licensed Professional Counselor partnering with adults seeking help with trauma/PTSD, anxiety and depression since 2010. I utilize EMDR, person centered, collaborative, strength based, cognitive behavioral, mindfulness based, solution focused and emotionally focused approaches to therapy always maintaining the creativity, flexibility and awareness necessary to best meet the needs of ever...