Behavior Therapy Center of Tacoma

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)


    DBT offered at Behavior Therapy Center of Tacoma:
            Adult
            Adolescent & Family
            Open Enrollment Skills Group

What is DBT?
        DBT was developed by Marsha Linehan, Ph.D. at the University of Washington to treat individuals suffering from intense and overwhelming swings in emotion, disrupted relationships, confusion about sense of  self, suicidal ideation, and self-harming behaviors. DBT has be extensively researched and found to be effective in treating a wide range of treatment resistant problems stemming from emotion dysreguation including self-harm, anger related problems, substance abuse, and eating disorders among others.

        DBT has three treatment elements: Individual Therapy, Skills Group, and Phone Coaching.

Individual Therapy:

  In DBT therapists take a non-judgmental stance and provide consistent warmth and validation of their client's experiences, balanced with a strong emphasis on replacing problem behaviors with more effective strategies to build the life the client wants to have.
   Once weekly individual sessions focus on understanding the factors that contribute ineffective coping behaviors, and identifying new more skillful strategies that work for the individual, then practicing them.

Skills Group:

 The DBT skills are the foundation of the treatment, and the DBT Skills Group is where these skills are taught and rehearsed. Skill groups run on a 26 week cycle where 4 skill areas are taught in the once weekly 90 minute group:

Distress Tolerance: Skills for tolerating stressful emotions and improving impulse control.

Emotion Regulation: Skils for identifying emotions, reducing emotional reactivity, and improving overall emotional health.

Mindfulness: Skills for maintaining improved awareness in the moment and increasing attentiveness.

Interpersonal Effectiveness: Strategies for getting an maintaining the relationships you want, asking for what you need, and sticking to your values.

Phone Coaching:

 Individual therapists make themselves available by phone for in between session coaching calls. Client's are encouraged to contact their therapist for in the moment help in implementing the skills they are learning.