Fort Lauderdale Dialectical Behavior Therapy or DBT
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is a form of Cognitive Behavior Therapy that focuses on the development of skills to help individuals live in the moment, cope healthily with stress, regulate emotions, and improve relationships with others. DBT has been found effective in treating a number of issues including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, substance use issues, self-harm, and personality disorders. DBT can help individuals identify self-defeating thoughts, manage intense emotions, and build skills to live their most meaningful lives.
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How I can help
As an intensively trained and leading DBT therapist in Fort Lauderdale, I can teach you several skills in all the modules of DBT. My individual approach to DBT therapy allows your treatment experience to be a combination of talk therapy and skill building. Weekly DBT therapy sessions will enhance your ability to improve your mood, manage your overwhelming emotions, be more present and aware in your life, and improve your overall relationships.
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What Will I Learn in DBT Therapy?
Mindfulness Skills
Mindfulness skills will teach you to focus on the present or “live in the moment" by doing "one thing at a time". You will learn to pay attention to what's going on inside of you (thoughts, feelings, sensations, impulses) as well as what's outside of you (what you see, hear, smell, and touch). These skills will help you to slow down so you can focus on healthy coping skills in the midst of emotional pain. Mindfulness can help you to stay calm and avoid engaging in automatic negative thought patterns and impulsive behavior.
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Emotional Regulation Skills
Emotional Regulation skills will teach you that there are no "good" or "bad" emotions; emotions are not to be judged. These skills will teach you to explore your own emotional patterns and "why" you have the emotional reactions you do. Emotional Regulation skills can also teach you how to adjust your emotions, including the intensity, when you have it, and how you react to it. By recognizing and coping with negative emotions (for example, anger), you can reduce your emotional vulnerability and have more positive emotional experiences.
Distress Tolerance Skills
Distress Tolerance teaches you the concept of acceptance; how to accept yourself and the current situation. More specifically, you learn how to tolerate or survive a crisis using four techniques: distraction, self-soothing, improving the movement, and thinking of pros and cons. By learning distress tolerance techniques, you'll be able to prepare in advance for any intense emotions and cope with them with a more positive long-term outlook.
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Interpersonal Effectiveness
Interpersonal effectiveness skills help us to attend to our relationships. This can mean paying attention to and cultivating healthy relationships as well as ending unhealthy relationships. These skills can also help you to become more assertive in a relationship (for example, expressing needs and saying "no") while still keeping that relationship positive and healthy. This happens by learning to listen and communicate effectively, deal with difficult people, and respect yourself and others.
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Do you need DBT?
