DBT Skills Training
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Skills Training in Chattanooga:
Did you know that there are skills that you can learn to be able to feel emotions without being overwhelmed, understand and learn from them on a reliable basis, and ultimately regulate your nervous system to build the life you want? At Ascend, we bring DBT to Chattanooga by integrating skills based training into our therapy and coaching sessions.
What is DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) and how does it work?
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a well-established and remarkably successful treatment approach that developed in the 1970s and is based on ancient principles from Zen and contemporary insights from CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). It helps you develop the art of experiencing your emotions and senses fully, with a broad view of life’s complex situations and the ability to make skillful choices towards building the life you want.
The four main categories of skills taught in DBT can be subdivided into tools that help you ACCEPT reality and CHANGE how you respond to that reality.
Acceptance: Mindfulness-Based skills and Tolerating Stress (Distress Tolerance)
Change: Emotional Regulation and Interpersonal Effectiveness (Healthy Relationships!)
What’s the difference between Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)?
CBT is a therapy focused on thoughts and a person’s relationship with their thoughts. Being able to identify a thought and the type of thought it is, is the foundation of CBT. Cultivating the ability to challenge, redirect, or reason with the thought is the second pillar of CBT, offering a person potential relief from the suffering a particular thought might produce.
DBT integrates these concepts into a broader framework of practice, teaching people how to live with what is happening (thoughts, emotions, other people, their own bodies) without needing to change or ‘make it ok’. This stems directly from the Zen tradition, where accepting reality and managing emotions and behaviors in a skillful way can help you stay oriented toward goals, grow relationships, and cultivate a calm and happy state.
Will DBT skills help me?
DBT is an evidence-based therapy, meaning that it is backed by science and research to be shown as an effective treatment. It was originally developed for people for whom many other treatment approaches weren’t working. For those who struggled so much with their emotions and behaviors that a functional life may have seemed out of reach.
