Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a widely-practiced addiction therapy, known for its effectiveness in helping clients navigate the most challenging aspects of addiction while striving towards their personal goals. Despite its widespread use, there is often confusion about how DBT works and how it differs from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
What is DBT and How Does it Work?
DBT is a form of talk therapy that incorporates cognitive behavioral principles. Through DBT-focused group therapy and recovery skill development sessions, clients learn practical ways to improve their mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. In simpler terms, DBT teaches clients how to handle triggers and manage their emotional responses.
Originally designed to treat individuals with extreme emotions and unhealthy responses to triggers, DBT is highly effective for addressing substance use disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), severe depression, eating disorders, borderline personality disorder (BPD), and suicidal impulses.
How is DBT Different from CBT and Other Therapies?
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a broad term encompassing most talk therapies. The primary goal of CBT is to help clients identify how their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected, enabling them to think and act in ways that lead to healthier emotional responses. In practice, this often involves discussing specific situations in the client’s life and analyzing their reactions to those situations.
DBT, a specialized form of CBT, places a greater emphasis on managing and accepting negative feelings. While CBT helps clients understand their mental processes, DBT focuses more on helping clients live positively despite difficult emotions. DBT teaches skills to manage and tolerate distress, improve emotional regulation, and enhance relationships through effective communication and assertiveness.
How is DBT Used in Alcohol & Drug Rehab Programming?
In alcohol and drug rehab programming, the ultimate goal of DBT is to help clients build a life they want to live. Licensed substance abuse counselors utilize DBT principles to help clients set meaningful life goals. Many clients may have never done this before, let alone with professional guidance.
Clients begin by considering the negative thoughts and behaviors that might hinder their progress towards these goals. They then work on ways to reduce these negatives and replace them with positive, life-affirming thoughts and actions.
During addiction rehab, DBT is used to help clients establish goals, manage pain, and find ways to reach those goals despite the cravings and difficulties associated with recovery. For instance, while CBT might help a client understand and resolve the guilt or shame they feel for losing a job, DBT counseling acknowledges that these feelings may never be fully resolved. Instead, DBT focuses on helping clients manage these feelings while they seek new employment.
How Does DBT Informed Therapy Work?
Key Components of DBT
- Mindfulness: Clients learn to be present in the moment, which helps them recognize and accept their thoughts and feelings without judgment. This practice is crucial in managing triggers and reducing impulsive behaviors.
- Emotion Regulation: Clients develop strategies to manage and change intense emotions that are causing problems in their lives. This involves identifying and labeling emotions, increasing positive emotional events, and applying distress tolerance techniques.
- Distress Tolerance: DBT provides tools to tolerate and survive crises without resorting to self-destructive behaviors. Techniques include distraction, self-soothing, improving the moment, and analyzing pros and cons.
- Interpersonal Effectiveness: Clients learn to navigate relationships more effectively by developing skills in assertiveness, active listening, and setting healthy boundaries.
The Role of DBT in Comprehensive Treatment Plans
DBT informed therapy is one of the most important tools at our disposal to help clients understand and overcome their addiction. However, it is not the only method used. Alongside DBT, other therapies are integrated into the treatment plan to provide a holistic approach to recovery:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT helps clients understand the connection between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, enabling them to develop healthier thinking patterns and coping mechanisms.
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy: EMDR is used to treat trauma by helping clients process and integrate traumatic memories.
- Dual-Diagnosis Treatment: This addresses the ways addiction and other mental illnesses interact, ensuring comprehensive care for co-occurring disorders.
- 12-Step Immersion: This fosters accountability and support through a structured program that encourages sobriety and community.
A Supportive Environment for Recovery
The environment plays a crucial role in the recovery process. A serene addiction rehab campus provides a peaceful and accepting space where clients can explore these therapies in small groups. This setting promotes a sense of community and mutual support, which is vital for effective rehabilitation.
Contact Information
For more information about DBT informed therapy and comprehensive addiction treatment programs, contact a licensed treatment facility today. They are committed to helping clients understand and overcome their addiction, providing the tools and support necessary to build a fulfilling, sober life.