Licensed Clinical Psychologists use a wide range of different evidence-based therapies to provide effective and lasting treatments for their clients. One such therapy is Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT. Dialectical Behavior Therapy is a common form of psychological treatment that is effective for a wide range of Mental Health Disorders and symptoms.
Through this treatment, patients improve mental awareness, strengthen control over their own emotions, and create a healthier mindset that allows them to manage Mental Health Conditions and overcome challenges. Read on to learn more about these and other benefits of pursuing Dialectical Behavior Therapy with a Licensed Clinical Psychologist.
An Introduction to Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Dialectical Behavior Therapy expands upon the principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which revolves around identifying and replacing negative, distorted patterns of thinking to improve control over your own thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. When you are able to recognize and correct distorted thinking, you prevent it from having a negative impact on your life.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy seeks to improve patients’ mental awareness and equip them with psychological “tools” that help them navigate negative experiences and challenges in a more positive and productive manner. These tools build healthier habits, thought patterns, and mindsets, which allow the patient to face adversity without letting it overwhelm them.
The Techniques of Dialectical Behavior Therapy
“Dialectical” refers to the integration of opposites. As such, Dialectical Behavior Therapy focuses on the acceptance of opposing ideas. It encourages patients to face negative experiences with positive thought processes, attitudes, approaches, and strategies. It combines both acceptance and change to achieve true healing.
The core techniques of Dialectical Behavior Therapy —distress tolerance, emotional regulation, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness—seek to reconcile conflicting ideas or emotions to improve awareness, create mental clarity, and promote emotional wellness.
Distress Tolerance
It is impossible to go through life without experiencing conflict and distress. As such, the goal of Dialectical Behavior Therapy —and any kind of effective Mental Health treatment—is not to avoid distress but to learn how to deal with it in a healthy way.
Through distress tolerance, Licensed Clinical Psychologists teach their patients to recognize stressful or challenging situations before they become overwhelming. This allows patients to take a step back, analyze the conflict, and maintain control over their own thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
Emotional Regulation
When you allow your emotions to control you, even minor stressors can become overwhelming and ruin your day. Licensed Clinical Psychologists help their clients develop emotional regulation to improve self-awareness and control. Mastering your own emotions by rising above the difficult and overwhelming feelings allows you to feel stress, anger, sadness, and other hard emotions without letting them dominate your thoughts and behaviors. As a result, you can continue to think and act reasonably without allowing your emotions to govern your conduct even when dealing with a hard situation. You learn not to be taken hostage by your feelings and impulses.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness means existing in the present moment with awareness and clarity. Individuals who practice mindfulness can acknowledge thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations—even negative ones—without letting them become overwhelming. This mental clarity makes it easier to identify maladaptive thought patterns and negative emotional reactions, thus helping you remain in control in the face of stress and adversity.
Interpersonal Effectiveness
Interpersonal effectiveness refers to the ability to interact and communicate with other people in a positive and productive way. It combines the other three techniques of Dialectical Behavior Therapy and points them toward the overarching goals of healthy communication and strong interpersonal relationships founded on self-respect.
Changing Your Outlook
One of the benefits of Dialectical Behavior Therapy with a Licensed Clinical Psychologist is the chance to shift your mindset. Therapy cannot change your circumstances, but it can change the way you experience, interpret, respond, and react to them. Dialectical Behavior Therapy is all about transforming your outlook and creating the mental resilience and positive thought patterns necessary to handle challenges in a healthy manner.
Increasing Emotional Awareness
When you let emotions influence your thoughts and actions, you are more likely to respond to situations irrationally. This behavior hurts you and your relationships in the long run. Through Dialectical Behavior Therapy and emotional regulation, you are able to modulate your affect and prevent negative emotions from becoming overwhelming. The ability to identify and process emotions in a healthy manner allows you to lead with facts and rationality rather than with knee-jerk emotional reactions.
Reducing Stress and Anxiety
The goal of Dialectical Behavior Therapy and its techniques is to help you handle stressful or challenging situations adaptively, productively, and positively. Over time, this ability builds self-confidence, sense of self, and improves the way you see yourself.
When you know you are capable of handling negative situations, you can navigate life with a greater sense of assurance and certainty. Subsequently, you can experience reduced feelings of stress and anxiety. Moreover, when stressful situations arise, you have the tools to handle that distress without letting it become overwhelming.
Decreasing Thoughts of Suicide and Self-Harm
Dialectical Behavior Therapy can also decrease feelings of depression, self-harming behaviors, and thoughts of suicide. Distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and mindfulness are useful tools when identifying and processing feelings such as hopelessness, worthlessness, guilt, sadness, or grief. By addressing these feelings rather than letting them overwhelm you, you can process them productively instead of turning to harmful coping attempts such as substance abuse, self-harm, or suicidal tendencies.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy Can Treat Many Mental Health Conditions
Licensed Clinical Psychologists use Dialectical Behavior Therapy to treat a number of different Mental Health Conditions. As mentioned above, Dialectical Behavior Therapy is a useful treatment for Anxiety Disorders and Depressive Disorders. Because of its focus on uniting opposing thoughts, it is also particularly effective against the black-and-white thought patterns of Borderline Personality Disorder. Other conditions that Dialectical Behavior Therapy can be beneficial for include:
- Bipolar Disorders
- Eating Disorders
- ADHD
- Mood Disorders
- PTSD and Trauma Disorders
- Addiction Disorders
- Attachment Disorders
- Personality Disorders
The treatment techniques of Dialectical Behavior Therapy are also effective in addressing and overcoming general symptoms such as severe mood swings, emotional dysregulation, poor stress or anger management, and more.
Using Dialectical Behavior Therapy With Other Therapies
Licensed Clinical Psychologists know that every patient has different needs and experiences, which means every treatment plan should be unique to them. As such, psychologists often use Dialectical Behavior Therapy alongside other evidence-based treatments to create a tailored treatment plan.
By combining Dialectical Behavior Therapy with therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, and Interpersonal Therapy, Licensed Clinical Psychologists can address different challenges and symptoms at the pace their client needs to achieve their goals and create lasting positive change.
Pursuing Treatment With Blair Wellness Group
If you are looking for a Dialectical Behavior Therapist in Los Angeles, Irvine, Beverly Hills, Newport Beach, Bel Air, Century City, Brentwood, Westwood, Huntington Beach, Mission Viejo, Aliso Viejo, and the surrounding areas, make an appointment with Blair Wellness Group today. Through evidence-based treatment with a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, you can heal from past experiences, improve mental well-being, and create a healthier, more successful life for yourself.
