What is Dialectical Behavioral Therapy?

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy in Vancouver (DBT)

DBT, or Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, is a therapy which was pioneered by a woman with her own mental health struggles, and was initially designed to help women who were self-harming and suicidal.  It is most commonly applied to people with a diagnosis or traits of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).  Yet, its application has been expanded so much that it is now even used in elementary schools and high schools in their regular programming.

How does Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) Work?

DBT is a "3rd wave" cognitive behavioural therapy. "Third wave" cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) refers to a group of newer therapeutic approaches that build on the principles of traditional CBT, emphasizing mindfulness, acceptance, and context. 

DBT helps people by teaching them the following skill sets or modules:

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a) mindfulness (being more mindful)

b) emotional regulation (managing emotions or improving dysregulation

c) interpersonal effectiveness (learning to interact more effectively with others)

d) distress tolerance (coping with distress)

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Instead of challenging our unhelpful thoughts as is done in CBT, DBT focusses more on mindfully accepting our thoughts, practicing coping strategies, and making different choices.  DBT requires skill practice to be effective.

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I can let you know if any of these modules seem like a fit.  They can be used to create an in-depth DBT treatment plan starting with whichever module would be the most useful, but each module can equally be used individually when not all are required.