Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

We specialize in the administration of  Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).  DBT has strong research support and has been documented to be  effective through research for borderline personality disorder (BPD). Further, it has  also demonstrated its efficacy and effectiveness in the administration of DBT  through telehealth practices. We have provided summaries of DBT treatment below and include research articles notating their efficacy and effectiveness broadly along with the administration of these services through telehealth practice. 

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a cognitive-behavioral therapy developed by Marsha Linehan, primarily designed to assist individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD), but it has also demonstrated effectiveness for the management of depression, anxiety, stress, substance use, and self-harm behaviors. DBT focuses on using dialectics to manage reasonable and emotional responses. to make wise mind decisions through the application of mindfulness skills, interpersonal skills, emotion regulation skills, distress tolerance skills, and addiction management skills.

DBT emphasizes the balance between acceptance of the client’s current state and the need for change, aiming to help individuals build a life worth living. 

Mindfulness: This involves teaching clients to focus on the present moment and to be aware of their thoughts, emotions, and surroundings without judgment or attachment. It helps in developing a greater sense of self-awareness and emotional regulation.

Emotion Regulation: Clients learn to identify and manage emotions effectively, reducing the frequency and severity of emotional outbursts.

Distress Tolerance: This skillset helps individuals tolerate and manage emotional distress without resorting to harmful behaviors. 

Interpersonal Effectiveness: This involves improving communication and relationship skills, helping clients to assert their needs while maintaining self-respect and healthy relationships.

TRADITIONAL DBT STRUCTURE: 

Group Skills Training: Group sessions focus on teaching the core dialectical behavior therapy skills. This format provides support and encouragement from peers.

Individual Therapy: One-on-one sessions where clients work on personal goals, address challenges, and apply DBT skills in real-life situations.

Phone Coaching: Clients can contact their therapist outside of sessions for support in applying skills to real-life situations.

Therapist Consultation Team: DBT therapists participate in regular team meetings to support each other, ensure adherence to DBT principles, and address complex cases.

DBT STRUCTURE AT WISE MIND PSYCHOLOGY CENTER:

Combined - Skills Training and & Individual Therapy: Clients learn the  core DBT skills during their individual therapy session and also apply these skills  to challenges and  weekly stressors . Early sessions focus on implementation of dialectical thinking, learning the functional skills of emotions and human behavior, and the implementation of adaptive coping mechanisms. Skills are then selected, instructed, and applied based on weekly presenting concerns. Clients work in their one-on-one sessions to apply the learned skills to  personal goals, address challenges, encourage implementation outside of session, and use DBT skills actively in the session with the therapist. 

Therapist Consultation Team: The Wise Mind Psychology Center DBT therapists participate in regular team meetings to support each other, ensure adherence to DBT principles, and address complex cases.

NO Phone Coaching: We do not provide 24 hour phone coaching at Wise Mind Psychology Center. Instead, clients will keep a record of their homework completion and skill application, which will be reviewed weekly in session to monitor progress and skill use. However, we understand the importance of immediate phone coaching, especially for clients who are actively managing self-harm or suicidal thoughts/behaviors,  and are happy to assist you in finding a DBT provider in your area who provides this service in their program. You and your therapist will identify your area of concern and the appropriate level of intervention necessary to ensure your greatest success in symptom reduction. 

Dialectics: To help clients achieve a balance between all opposites, especially reason and emotion, by integrating dialectical thinking into daily their lives.

Increase Mindfulness:  To increase your ability to observe the present moment without judgement or attachment. 

Improve Emotion Regulation: To improve emotion regulation strategies through the understanding of the function of emotions, determining their effectiveness in the situation, and enacting behaviors that will likely result in both short and long-term content and happiness. 

Increase Distress Tolerance and Improving Coping Mechanisms: To increase ones ability to tolerate distress by understanding its function, while simultaneously working to reduce suffering. Clients also strive to decrease self-destructive behaviors and implement adaptive coping mechanisms. 

Improve Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills: To enhance your interpersonal relationships and overall quality of life through engaging in relationships from a dialectical perspective and the implementation of effective communication strategies. 

• Abraham, J. G., Thomas, N., Shenoy, S., & Padickaparambil, S. (2024). feasibility and acceptability of an online group dialectical behavioural therapy skills training in a transdiagnostic group with anxiety and depression. Psychiatry Research, 116016.
• Bailey, R. C., Knowles, N. G., & Grenyer, B. F. (2024). Efficacy and recommendations for the delivery of telehealth psychotherapy for people with personality disorder. Australasian Psychiatry, 32(2), 125-134.
• Bean, C. A., Aurora, P., Maddox, C. J., Mekota, R., & Updegraff, A. (2022). A comparison of telehealth versus in‐person group therapy: Results from a DBT‐based dual diagnosis IOP. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 78(11), 2073-2086.
• Dunn, N., Walton, C. J., Matsunaga, E., Williams, C., & Dimeff, L. A. (2023). Acceptability of telehealth for multidiagnostic suicidal patients in a real-world dialectical behavior therapy clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic. Telemedicine and e-Health, 29(4), 593-601.
• Emily, L., Salim, S. R., López, C., Foster, A., & Hahn, C. K. (2024). Written exposure therapy and dialectical behavior therapy skills training as a novel integrated intervention for women with co-occurring ptsd and eating disorders: Two case studies. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice.
• Goldstein, T. R., Merranko, J., Rode, N., Sylvester, R., Hotkowski, N., Fersch-Podrat, R., ... & Birmaher, B. (2024). Dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents with bipolar disorder: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA psychiatry, 81(1), 15-24.
• Hare, M., Conroy, K., Georgiadis, C., & Shaw, A. M. (2024). Abbreviated dialectical behavior therapy virtual skills group for caregivers of adolescents: An exploratory study of service user and clinical outcomes. Child Psychiatry & Human Development, 1-13.
• Hood, P., Turner, C. J., Beggs, B., Owens, L., & Chapman, A. L. (2023). Making lemonade out of lemons: Dialectical behavior therapy via telehealth during a pandemic. Behavior Therapy, 54(5), 876-891.
• Huntjens, A., van den Bosch, L. W., Sizoo, B., Kerkhof, A., Smit, F., & van der Gaag, M. (2024). The effectiveness and safety of dialectical behavior therapy for suicidal ideation and behavior in autistic adults: a pragmatic randomized controlled trial. Psychological medicine, 1-12.
• Hyland, K. A., McDonald, J. B., Verzijl, C. L., Faraci, D. C., Calixte-Civil, P. F., Gorey, C. M., & Verona, E. (2022). Telehealth for dialectical behavioral therapy: A commentary on the experience of a rapid transition to virtual delivery of DBT. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 29(2), 367-380.
• Keenan, E. G., Gurba, A. N., Mahaffey, B., Kappenberg, C. F., & Lerner, M. D. (2024). Leveling up dialectical behavior therapy for autistic individuals with emotion dysregulation: clinical and personal insights. Autism in Adulthood, 6(1), 1-8.
• Liang, L., Feng, L., Zheng, X., Wu, Y., Zhang, C., & Li, J. (2021). Effect of dialectical behavior group therapy on the anxiety and depression of medical students under the normalization of epidemic prevention and control for the COVID-19 epidemic: a randomized study. Annals of palliative medicine, 10(10), 105910599-105910599.
• Torbati, A. G., Imeni, M., & Abbaspour, S. (2022). Impact of dialectical behavior therapy on depression and anxiety in patients following COVID-19 discharge. The Open Psychology Journal, 15(1).
• Ulusoy, V., Bilican, I., & Gormez, A. (2024). Effectiveness of an online dialectical behavior therapy skills training in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A randomized controlled trial. Psychotherapy Research, 1-17.
• Villalongo Andino, M., Garcia, K. M., & Richey, J. A. (2024). Can dialectical behavior therapy skills group treat social anxiety disorder? A brief integrative review. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1331200.