DBT is a form of therapy that was originally designed to help people struggling with suicidality and intense negative emotions. It is a skills-based therapeutic approach that focuses on teaching people how to effectively monitor their emotions, how to modify their emotional responses to events, how to tolerate or accept very difficult emotions, and how to interact with other individuals more effectively. Since its creation, DBT has been used effectively for a wide variety of issues, including intense anxiety, emotion dysregulation (or an inability to control one’s emotions), PTSD, and substance use. Most individuals can find some benefit from DBT skills, but individuals who especially benefit from DBT include people who:
- are intensely emotional, experience mood swings, or have difficulty controlling emotional outbursts
- have chaotic interpersonal relationships
- struggle with self-destructive behaviors (e.g., cutting, burning, substance use)
- are suicidal or impulsive
If DBT seems right for you, contact me directly here.
Mark Celano, Ph.D. 