Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

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Skills to help us cultivate the ability to be in the present, letting go of the past or excessive worries about the future. Mindfulness helps us to avoid getting caught up in our thoughts which often lead to emotional reactivity; and increases our ability to tolerate discomfort and experience joy.

Skills to help us tolerate painful situations without acting impulsively and ultimately worsening our circumstances. Distress tolerance skills allow us to ride out the storm of our most intense emotions and are used to help us cope during a crisis.  They can also increase our ability to tolerate short or long term physical and emotional pain.

In this module we develop an understanding of our emotional system. We learn skills to help us reduce our vulnerability to intense negative emotions while increasing opportunities for pleasant events. We also learn to approach painful emotions rather than avoid them, thus decreasing their intensity.

Skills to help us ask for what we want and need, and have healthy boundaries in relationships. We balance this with preserving important relationships and building a sense of respect for oneself.

Skills that allow us to balance acceptance and change by moving away from all-or-nothing and black and white thinking. We learn how to be more validating of ourselves and others and shape behavior change.