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Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

mental_health · hard · 4-5 hours/week (individual therapy + group + daily practice)

What is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)?

Mindfulness-based therapy developed for emotional dysregulation, teaching skills in four areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and emotion regulation. Originally developed for borderline personality disorder, now used broadly.

Is there evidence for it?

EVIDENCEstrong

How do you do Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)?

  1. 1.Join a DBT skills group (typically 2-hour weekly sessions for 24 weeks) alongside individual therapy
  2. 2.Learn and practice the four skill modules: Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, Interpersonal Effectiveness
  3. 3.Use a daily diary card to track emotions, urges, skills used, and therapy-interfering behaviors
  4. 4.Practice TIPP skill for crisis moments: Temperature (ice water on face), Intense exercise, Paced breathing, Progressive relaxation
  5. 5.Build a distress tolerance toolkit: ice cubes, strong mints, stress ball, breathing exercises, safe-place visualization

How long does it take?

4-5 hours/week (individual therapy + group + daily practice).

Is it hard to start?

hard.

Source: Marsha Linehan (developer); RCTs showing significant improvements in emotional dysregulation, self-harm reduction, and relationship quality
therapy · emotional-regulation · mindfulness · distress-tolerance · interpersonal-skills
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