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Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) has been shown to successfully treat a variety of disorders, including self-harm, Borderline Personality Disorder, depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, and eating disorders.

If your life seems more challenging because you suffer from any of these disorders, here are five reasons why DBT may be a great option for you:

1. DBT Validates Your Experience. Traditional Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is effective, but its seemingly never-ending focus on change may be difficult for some people. If you find that your own experience is not recognized, you may withdraw from treatment, become angry, or both.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy developed in part as a response to this reaction, and makes validation in treatment a priority. A DBT therapist will recognize that a certain behavior, such as a disordered eating behavior, makes sense and is understandable within the context of your life or situation at that time while helping you to find healthier ways to cope. This mode of acceptance has increased many people’s adherence to treatment.

2. DBT Teaches Adaptive Skills. Another reason Dialectical Behavior Therapy developed is that the complexity of many clients’ disorders did not allow for a therapist to work on adaptive skills during the individual sessions or group sessions. For instance, if a therapist was trying to address suicide attempts or urges to self-harm, there simply was not enough time in the session to help the client learn and apply adaptive skills.

DBT teaches four skills – mindfulness, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance – during DBT skills groups that are then reinforced through individual DBT sessions and phone coaching.

3. DBT Prioritizes Stages and Targets. Dialectical Behavior Therapy prioritizes what to address in therapy through a series of stages and targets. As the first priority, DBT addresses behaviors that could lead to a client’s death, interfere with therapy, and threaten the quality of life (Stage I).

In Stage II, the DBT therapist addresses what is called “inhibited emotional experiencing,” meaning that the client is under control and has a normal life expectancy, but is suffering in silence. Stages III and IV focus on challenges in living and having a spiritually fulfilling or connecting life.

4. DBT Models Balancing Acceptance and Change. The dialectical component of Dialectical Behavior Therapy means that therapists blend acceptance and change in a way that results in movement and flow during sessions.

This strategy is particularly helpful to those with Borderline Personality Disorder, who might have a tendency to become stuck in arguments and black-and-white thinking.

5. Your Therapist Receives Support. A final reason to seek Dialectical Behavior Therapy is that your therapist receives support themselves to make sure they are providing you the best treatment possible. In DBT, one goal is to enhance the therapist’s motivation to treat clients and enhance the therapist’s capabilities.

DBT therapists participate in weekly DBT consultation team meetings. The team helps the therapist stay balanced in his or her approach to the client while at the same time encouraging and supporting the therapist in applying various treatments.

1.Needed structure. DBT day treatment typically provides six to eight hours of therapy each day. This can give someone struggling with the many symptoms of BPD needed structure to better manage their symptoms and learn healthy ways to cope.
2.Middle of the road. With DBT day treatment, clients get more support than they would in individual therapy or outpatient DBT treatment. DBT day treatment is most appropriate for people who don’t need the level of care found in residential DBT treatment.
3.Comfort of home. Those who enter DBT day treatment can live at home while they participate in therapy. They can also live in another supportive living environment, if needed. This allows them to use the skills learned during DBT day treatment in their natural environment.
4.Intensive treatment. A DBT day treatment center provides individual and group therapy similar to that offered at a residential Dialectical Behavior Therapy program.
5.More support. Dialectical Behavior Therapy day treatment can give those suffering from the symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder and other disorders the support needed to make a recovery from their symptoms. Throughout the day, DBT skills will be taught and reinforced by both therapists and other staff.

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What Is Radical Acceptance?

Radical acceptance is one of the techniques taught in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) that can help you to better deal with painful emotions and situations. Understanding radical acceptance and having a way to practice it can help you feel better about your emotions and your situation.

Dr. Marsha Linehan, the developer of DBT, defines radical acceptance as “complete and total” acceptance, where you “accept something from the depths of your soul.” Radical acceptance has its roots in Buddhism.

The three parts to radical acceptance are:
•Accepting reality is what it is
•Accepting that the event or situation causing pain has a cause
•Accepting that life can be worth living even if it has painful events in it

How to Practice Radical Acceptance

There are many ways you can practice the DBT technique of radical acceptance. Here are a few to get you started:

Sit with your feelings. As an exercise in understanding radical acceptance, Dr. Linehan suggests thinking back to a time when you had something you wanted (the possibility of your dream job, having just applied and interviewed for it), and then what it felt like when you learned you did not have what you wanted (you did not get the job). Just sit with how you felt, without any judgment around it.

Dr. Linehan acknowledges that when you practice radical acceptance, you have a sense of “letting go of the struggle” or you may have a feeling inside of being centered. She also acknowledges that there may be a great deal of sadness around the acceptance.

Visualize the path to reality. One way to begin understanding and practicing radical acceptance is by learning to turn your mind to the reality you are trying to accept. To help do this, you might visualize a fork in the road, with one path to reality (which you are working to accept). You must constantly put yourself on the “reality” part of the road.

Meditation and breathing. You might also consider gaining skill in radical acceptance as part of a meditation practice. There are several online resources that can guide you through this, or you can create your own activity. This one comes from the website DBT Self-Help:

Start by taking three deep breaths, filling your belly with air. Exhale slowly and inhale slowly. Notice the exhale as it leaves your lungs. Introduce a few simple phrases to validate your experience and help practice radical acceptance.

You can remind yourself that your emotions are not wrong and that you are justified in having them. You can tell yourself that, even if you are hurt and you feel wronged, it’s time to let go. You can accept that you will benefit by setting aside your emotions just for now.

It’s not good to think about your situation at this moment. Instead, take care of yourself. Touch your elbow. Is the skin rough or smooth? Touch the other elbow. What does it feel like? Sit back and breathe. Then touch the other part of each elbow. How does that skin feel? You are present and connected with yourself. Take a few more deep breaths. Trust yourself that, at that moment, you are okay.

Radical acceptance helps you accept your emotions without judgment. This may not always be easy to do, but it can help you better regulate your emotions, tolerate distress, be mindful, and improve interpersonal relationships – all key tenets of Dialectical Behavior Therapy.

Avoid smoking triggers

Recognize places and situations that make you want to smoke and avoid them. Instead, visit places where smoking isn’t allowed, such as a museum or movie theater. Hang out with people who don’t smoke or who also want to quit smoking. At work, use the main door instead of the smoking entrance. Keep especially busy during times when boredom may tempt you to smoke. Make it inconvenient to smoke by stashing your cigarettes and lighters in the car when you’re at home or work. Also, replace old behaviors with new routines that aren’t associated with smoking. Chew gum while you drive, or take a new route to work to keep your interest in your environment and away from smoking. Get up from the table immediately after eating. Drink water or tea instead of coffee or alcohol. Practice saying, “No thanks, I don’t smoke.”

Try a stop-smoking product

Don’t use withdrawal symptoms or cravings as an excuse to not quit smoking. Plenty of stop-smoking products and medications with Food and Drug Administration approval are available to help you manage. Some types of nicotine replacement therapy — including patches, gum and lozenges — are available over-the-counter. Nicotine nasal spray and the nicotine inhaler are available by prescription. Other prescription medications may also be options. Bupropion (Zyban) can help control nicotine cravings. Varenicline (Chantix) can reduce both the pleasurable effects of smoking and any nicotine withdrawal symptoms. You may be able to use a combination of stop-smoking products at the same time. Using a stop-smoking product along with counseling to achieve changes in your behavior and beliefs is the most effective way to quit smoking. Talk to your health care provider about what stop-smoking products may be best for you.

Manage your stress

Stress and anxiety can increase your urge to smoke and derail your effort to quit smoking. To keep stress and anxiety under control, prioritize your tasks. Consider what tasks you can eliminate or delegate to someone else. Take a break when you need it. Practice relaxation exercises, such as physical activity, deep breathing or meditation. Stretch or simply listen to your favorite music.

Take it one day at a time

Don’t worry about next week or next month. Focus on what you can do today to quit smoking. Every hour without a cigarette can bring you one step closer to quitting for good — and freedom from an unhealthy, expensive habit.

Celebrate your successes

Made it through the day without a cigarette? Treat yourself to something special. Made it through the week? Count how much you’ve saved by not buying cigarettes. Use the savings for a special treat or invest the money for the future. Reward yourself for not smoking by doing something you enjoy every day, such as spending extra time with your children or grandchildren, going to a ball game, taking a walk, soaking in the tub or watching a movie. All of your small successes can help you reach your goal to quit smoking for good.