Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your words.
Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits.
Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny.
Mahatma Gandhi
What is DBT Counseling?
Dialectical behavioral therapy is a form of cognitive therapy that emphasizes the practice of acceptance and change. It's used to treat depression and people with suicidal tendencies, and involves working with a practitioner one-on-one, as well as working in groups to develop coping skills. It’s used to address negative mental behaviors and habits. A therapist will work with patients to help develop positive responses related to various aspects of daily life and mental health.
How is DBT Different from CBT?
Both methods of therapy involve talking with a professional to develop positive skills and responses to negative thinking and cognitive behaviors. DBT is in fact a form of cognitive behavioral therapy that specifically deals with social and emotional distress.
While CBT focuses on exploring and understanding different cognitive behaviors, DBT is meant to treat serious disorders and emotional instability, by working through life experiences and learning new response strategies in order to create a change in cognitive behavior.
How Long Does DBT Take?
Each dialectic behavioral therapy session lasts 45 minutes to an hour, and takes place on a weekly basis. It’s capable of helping people dealing with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and many other conditions. Depending on the severity of experiences and issues, it can take years before a patient is considered treated, although all the related cognitive skills can be learned within six months. This includes private and group training sessions, as well as independent practice.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
A therapy that openly welcomes the dialectics of change and acceptance and works towards helping individuals integrate the two. It is based on mindfulness skills training increasing self-awareness, tolerate distress, regulate emotions and improve interpersonal skills. This therapy also involves homework or practice of skills.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Mindfulness-based Psychotherapy
- Emotionally Focused Therapy