DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy)
Do you feel like you are at an impasse with your loved one?
Has traditional therapy proven to be triggering or ineffectual for you or your family member?
Do you feel like you walk on eggshells with your partner or child?
Do you feel like communication skills, mindfulness, and coping strategies need to be the center of therapeutic treatment?
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) that was originally developed to treat individuals with borderline personality disorder. However, it has since been adapted to treat a wide range of mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, and eating disorders.
DBT is a skills-based therapy that emphasizes the development of coping skills and strategies to manage intense emotions, improve communication, and build healthy relationships.
DBT consists of four main components:
Individual therapy: The individual meets with a therapist on a regular basis to work on specific goals and issues.
Group skills training: The individual participates in a weekly group session where they learn and practice skills related to mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.
Telephone coaching: The individual has access to their therapist for phone coaching between sessions to help them apply the skills they have learned to real-life situations.
Consultation team: The therapist participates in a consultation team with other DBT therapists to ensure that they are providing effective treatment and to receive support and guidance.
DBT can be helpful for family members of individuals with mental health conditions in several ways:
Improved communication: DBT emphasizes the development of interpersonal effectiveness skills, which can improve communication and reduce conflict within families.
Coping skills: Family members can learn coping skills to manage their own emotions and stress related to caring for a loved one with a mental health condition.
Support: DBT provides a supportive environment where family members can share their experiences and receive support from others who are going through similar challenges.
Understanding: Family members can learn about their loved one's condition and gain a better understanding of their experiences, which can improve empathy and reduce stigma.
At Kairos Wellness Collective, our staff has advanced training in the DBT modality and integrates this model whenever appropriate.
Contact us today to see if DBT is a suitable treatment option for your family member.
