What is Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)?
APPROACH TO TREATMENT
Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) is a type of cognitive-behavioural therapy. Its primary goals are to teach people how to live in the moment, develop healthy ways to cope with stress, regulate their emotions, and improve their relationships with others.
DBT HISTORY
DBT was developed in the late 1980s by Dr. Marsha Linehan and colleagues when they discovered that cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) alone did not work as well as expected in patients. DBT incorporates a philosophical process called dialectics. Dialectics is based on the concept that everything is composed of opposites and that change occurs when there is a "dialogue" between opposing forces. More academic terms, dialectics can be summarized as thesis, antithesis, and synthesis.
PROCESS
The process makes three basic assumptions:
-
All things are interconnected.
-
Change is constant and inevitable.
-
Opposites can be integrated to form a closer approximation of the truth.
Our workshops will cover educational materials to increase the use of adaptive coping strategies when faced with various challenges.
Core DBT Skills
MINDFULNESS
How to observe and experience reality as it is, to be less judgmental of yourself and others, and to live in the moment effectively.
EMOTIONAL REGULATION
How to decrease vulnerability to painful emotions and help you to manage your emotions, even though complete emotional control cannot be achieved.
DISTRESS TOLERANCE
How to help you learn to tolerate and survive crises without making things worse, with an emotional reaction-Radical Acceptance
INTERPERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS
How to manage interpersonal conflicts effectively and maintain and improve relationships with others (those you are close to and strangers).
Who could benefit from DBT Skills workshops?
ADOLESCENTS & FAMILIES
Increasing adolescents' & families' capabilities by teaching specific ways of de-escalating and resolving conflict through walking the middle path between acceptance and change. Dialectics: Balancing acceptance and change by “walking the middle path.” Validation: Working on acceptance.
Behaviour change: Working on change. Improving overall family functioning.
INDIVIDUALS & GROUPS
Whether it be a direct result of the impacts of Covid-19, or you’re just feeling burnt out, on autopilot, or feel you have been pouring from an empty cup, our workshops will provide you with the skills to handle the challenges of your day to day while balancing your mental wellness.
PROFESSIONALS IN PRACTICE
Develop the knowledge to identify utilizing DBT skills for clients to use for specific problems in a particular context, and employ strategies for motivating clients to engage in these skills, reducing emotional vulnerability and intense emotional reactions by linking skills used to the goals of clients.
CORPORATE WELLNESS
We will help create a happier, healthier and more creative workplace. By providing a toolkit proven to foster a greater sense of resilience, we ensure the emotional intelligence that you gain could be incorporated in your organization for sustained change and continued success. All the skills acquired are transferable from the corporate environment to home life.