What Is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)? A Guide for Your Mental Wellness Journey

Emotions are an important part of life. They guide decision-making, help build relationships, and affect how you view the world around you. While everyone experiences emotions, they can feel overwhelming for some people, leading to mental health challenges like anxiety and depression or phobias that make daily life difficult.

If you have intense emotions that you’re struggling to control, counseling or talk therapy can help. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is especially beneficial for learning practical skills to manage emotions.

At Broderick Healthcare in North Reading, Massachusetts, Kathleen Broderick Logan, FNP-C, regularly uses DBT to help patients better regulate their emotions. Here, she explains what DBT is, how it works, and what to expect during treatment.

What is dialectical behavior therapy?

DBT is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy designed to help people manage difficult or intense emotions. The word “dialectical” means to combine opposite ideas. 

In practice, DBT teaches you to accept your life, emotions, and behavior as they are, rather than pushing them away. It also teaches you how to change the things you don’t like in your life by embracing challenges and regulating your emotions.

Research has shown that this approach to therapy is effective for many people. Some patients have reported improved emotional control and positive treatment outcomes.

DBT therapy: 4 skills for better emotional regulation

DBT therapy typically combines one-on-one counseling sessions with a mental health professional and group therapy, where you interact with others in a structured, skills-based setting. Although every treatment plan varies, DBT focuses on four main skills:

1. Mindfulness

Many people with mental health issues struggle to stay in the moment. They may worry about the future or ruminate about the past, both of which can worsen difficult emotions and make recovery more challenging. 

Mindfulness practice teaches you how to become fully aware and focused on the present. Mastering this skill can make it easier to cope with your emotions, especially when you’re feeling overwhelmed.

2. Distress tolerance

Mental health conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression can cause intense negative emotions that feel difficult to manage. DBT teaches you how to tolerate emotional distress when it arises and cope in healthier ways. 

3. Interpersonal effectiveness

Intense, unmanageable emotions can cause you to act in ways you later regret. Even if your loved ones understand your intentions, emotional outbursts can strain relationships and make it harder to build trust.

DBT teaches skills for clearer communication and setting personal boundaries, which can help strengthen relationships and improve self-trust.

4. Emotional regulation

Strong emotions are a normal part of life, but DBT can teach you how to identify and manage them more effectively. When you understand your emotions as temporary experiences rather than something to judge or avoid, it’s easier to manage their impact on your physical and mental health.

Who is a good candidate for dialectical behavior therapy?

The best way to determine if dialectical behavior therapy is right for you is to undergo an evaluation with Kathleen. You may benefit from DBT if you:

• Regularly experience intense emotions that are difficult to manage
• Struggle with impulsive behaviors
• Have difficulty maintaining friendships or romantic relationships
• Have tried other types of therapy without noticeable relief

You may also benefit from DBT if you’ve been diagnosed with a mental health condition such as borderline personality disorder, PTSD, anxiety, or depression.

Safe, supportive mental health care

Learning how to handle strong emotions and the ups and downs of daily life isn’t easy. The good news is that DBT and other evidence-based therapies can help you cope in healthier ways.

To find out if DBT at Broderick Healthcare could benefit you, request an appointment online, or call the Broderick Healthcare office at 617-905-1978.