TREATMENT
APPROACHES
DIALECTICAL BEHAVIOR THERAPY (DBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is another modern branch of CBT along with ACT. DBT has been proven effective for people struggling to manage emotions or problem behaviors. I often employ DBT as an adjunct to ERP in the treatment of OCD, as many OCD-sufferers also struggle to manage their emotions and are prone to becoming overwhelmed in stressful situations.
In DBT, clients learn new skills to replace more problematic behaviors, with focus in the following four areas:
Mindfulness – Practicing being in the present moment without judgment, building awareness of negative thought & behavior patterns
Distress Tolerance – Learning skills to manage especially painful or overwhelming situations where clients may have previously engaged in damaging behaviors
Interpersonal Effectiveness – Practicing skills to ask for what you want, say no, and engage with others more effectively, learning how to build and maintain more healthy relationships.
Emotion regulation – Learning how to understand, manage, and express emotions appropriately.