Patti Bear, LPC

I think of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with heart.  In my experience leading DBT Skills groups I have found that clients really respond to the idea that behaviors serve a purpose and make sense, and that we can learn how to meet our needs in new ways that will not cause problems.

 

DBT skills are woven into my individual therapy practice by attending to and teaching the specific skills needed by each client.  DBT skills are life skills that are needed by everyone, and many clients tell me they wished they learned them in high school or before.  Some of us learned some of the skills from family, teachers, or friends and just need support in filling in the gaps; others need training and practice at many skills, which seem new.

 

Marsha Linehan initially developed Dialectical Behavior Therapy in response to her work with women who had chronic self-harming behaviors and were not responding to CBT or other techniques available at the time.  Research over the past several decades has shown DBT Skills Training to be effective in helping people with a wide variety of mental health symptoms, in addition to being effective at reducing self-harm behaviors.