Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan, has a core philosophy of balancing acceptance and change which is critical for the treatment of individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The treatment has both acceptance strategies and change strategies that have been shown to be effective through research. Linehan found that neither pushing too hard for change or not pushing hard enough for change worked. Balancing acceptance and encouraging change in a way that the client could accept was particularly important in working with individuals with intense emotions.
DBT has five treatment components. The first is individual therapy and the second is skills training group. The skills training group is much like a class on how to cope with emotions. The skills learned in the group are used by the individual therapist to help the client manage difficult emotions and situations. There is also phone coaching. The client is encouraged to call for help as to what skills to use in his daily life when he is faced with difficult situations and unsure what to do. Phone coaching helps the client truly apply the skills in his life and not just talk about them during sessions. Finally DBT requires that the therapist be part of a consultation team. This means that the therapist meets with other DBT trained therapists for help to be the best DBT therapist possible.
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