Produced by the DBT Team at University of California San Francisco; written by Barbara Stuart and Esme Shaller and animated by Mark Wooding
Program Description
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a mental health treatment model designed by Marsha Linehan that is evidenced-based and effective for changing problematic behavior. We believe that people who engage in problematic behavior have learned ineffective ways of coping, which may provide short-term relief but have long-term negative consequences. Our goal is to teach our clients to learn new, effective ways of coping that promote self-respect.
A one-year commitment to our program is recommended, which includes:
weekly 50-minute individual therapy
weekly 120-minute group therapy
unlimited phone coaching
access to a team of clinicians working to support you
Structure of DBT
Treatment follows a hierarchy. Once behaviors closer to the top of the hierarchy are stabilized, treatment will move from crisis management to building a life worth living. The hierarchy is as follows:
Suicidal or Self-Harming Behavior
Therapy-Interfering Behavior
Severe Quality of Life Interfering Behavior
General Skills Training
What You'll Learn
Standard DBT includes four skills modules, used to increase effectiveness in: mindfulness, relationships, emotions, and crisis management.
Mindfulness Practice
Change begins with increasing awareness of the emotional experience
With increased ability to regulate attention comes increased ability to regulate emotions
Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills
Ask for what you want
Say no to unwanted or unreasonable requests
Communicate clearly while maintaining relationships and your self-respect
Emotion Regulation Skills
Find balance between acting impulsively on emotions and suppressing emotions
Understand what your emotions are telling you and respect their message
Distress Tolerance Skills
When problems cannot be solved immediately, tolerate them instead of making things worse
Practice accepting reality, rather than fighting reality