DBT Treatment Center for Mental Health
Mental health conditions are clinical disturbances in a person’s cognition, emotional regulation, and behavior. When this type of impairment is present, mental health therapy is an effective part of treating the symptoms of a mental health disorder and helping the individual reach a better state of well-being. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is one type of treatment that is used to help people dealing with mental health issues. If you are searching for a DBT treatment center, Adler Health can help. Our comprehensive DBT treatment program is designed to help our clients restore balance and peace in their lives.
Dialectical behavior therapy is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) that focuses on both teaching new skills and helping the patient to develop an awareness of their maladaptive behavior. The overall goals of this therapy are to teach patients to be present in their life, cope with stress in a healthy way, regulate their emotions, and improve relationships with their loved ones. This therapy will often be combined with others as a part of an individual’s overall mental health treatment program.
Initially, this therapy was designed to treat a specific mental health condition, namely borderline personality disorder (BPD). The success of this treatment within DBT treatment centers led to the therapy’s modification so it could be applied to other mental illnesses as well. Currently, DBT treatment centers offer this therapy for a range of mental health conditions and see effectiveness with patients.
When it comes to the techniques involved in DBT, they vary from one DBT treatment center to another. In general, DBT involves a combination of individual counseling sessions, group therapy sessions focused on certain topics such as emotional regulation, and phone coaching sessions which provide help in between face-to-face visits. In addition, DBT treatment centers may also include mindfulness practices such as yoga or meditation that aim to reduce stress and increase self-awareness.
What is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Used For?
DBT is used to assist in the treatment of a variety of mental health concerns, such as depression, anxiety, self-harm behaviors, suicidal ideation and behavior, binge eating disorder, and borderline personality disorder.
Often, a mental illness renders the sufferer unable to cope with intense emotions, which DBT seeks to address. It helps to provide individuals with the tools and skills necessary for coping with overwhelming situations in a more productive way. Rather than turning to negative coping mechanisms such as self-harm, substance abuse, or suicide attempts, the individual can learn to engage in healthier behavior.
The Four Components of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
When you engage in this therapy at a DBT treatment center, you will go through four components of DBT. These components are skills training groups, individual treatment sessions, DBT phone coaching, and team consultation.
Groups are an important component of DBT as it allows patients to practice the skills they have learned in a safe, supportive environment. Skills training groups are generally the most frequent part of treatment. During these sessions, individuals learn four types of skills that focus on improving mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. These skills help people make better decisions to cope with stressful situations.
DBT therapists provide individual treatment sessions that work to target the core issues that relate to the patient’s struggles. These sessions discuss topics such as emotions, behavior patterns, and relationships. The goal of individual treatment is to help the patient create a life worth living by developing skills for better decision-making and regulating emotions.
While DBT assists with the facilitation of healthy coping mechanisms, patients may find that they require extra support in the face of difficult situations. This is where DBT phone coaching comes in. When facing difficult situations in everyday life, patients can call their therapist or DBT treatment center for advice and support.
A consultation team is an important component of DBT. It consists of the therapist and other DBT treatment centers providers such as medical staff, psychiatrists, nurses, and social workers who work together to provide comprehensive care for the patient’s needs. The team can offer feedback and advice on the patient’s progress throughout their therapy journey.
What to Expect from a DBT Treatment Center
When you engage in DBT, you will focus on developing therapeutic skills in four key areas. These areas are mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. Your DBT therapist will work with you to develop strategies for managing your emotions and behaviors in a more effective way. They will also help you establish healthier relationships with yourself and others.
At a DBT treatment center, you will participate in weekly therapy sessions that consist of group therapy, individual therapy, and skills-focused training. Therapy sessions are tailored toward each individual’s needs, but will likely follow a general structure. Individual therapy sessions will take place over the course of an hour while group therapy sessions can be as long as two hours and consist of anywhere from four to 10 people.
Between sessions, patients are expected to practice the skills that they learned in DBT sessions. Patients can also expect homework assignments that will focus on specific challenges such as managing stress and regulating emotions.
The Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Areas of Focus
As previously mentioned, DBT specifically focuses on providing therapeutic skills in four key areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Through these techniques, patients learn how to reduce their symptoms of mental illness and increase their ability to manage difficult situations in positive ways. DBT also includes stages of treatment that can help ensure long-term success.
While in the throes of a mental health crisis, it can be difficult to live in the present moment. Mindfulness is a skill that allows individuals to become more aware of their physical and emotional environment, allowing them to objectively observe how they react in certain situations and make better decisions. Mindfulness helps break the habit of reacting in an unhealthy way, giving people the opportunity to take a step back from those moments and think before responding.
Emotional regulation is something that many people with a mental illness will find themselves struggling with. They may feel that their emotions are overwhelming and out of their control. Through DBT, patients learn how to accept and manage difficult emotions in more positive ways. At a DBT treatment center, you learn how to recognize, identify, and accept intense emotions in order to respond in a healthier way.
The interpersonal effectiveness side of DBT focuses on communication skills. This is especially beneficial for those with mental illness, as it can be difficult to handle interpersonal relationships in a healthy way. By learning techniques such as cognitive restructuring, assertiveness, and communication strategies, patients learn how to build relationships with other people in a more positive way.
Many mental health disorders feature intense feelings of distress that are debilitating to the sufferer. Through this component, you will learn how to cope with these difficult emotions in a healthy way. You will also learn how to accept things that cannot be changed, as well as techniques for calming yourself down during moments of distress.
The Stages of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT is also conducted in stages. The four stages of treatment depend on how ready the patient is to make changes and how severe their symptoms are.
The first stage is pre-contemplation, which involves understanding your current situation and recognizing that change is necessary. During this stage, the patient is usually not ready to make any changes yet and is fully immersed in their problems.
The second stage is contemplation, which involves the patient understanding that change is needed and beginning to consider different options for how to make a change.
The third stage is preparation, where the patient begins to take action toward making changes. This includes deciding whether they’re ready to work with a DBT treatment center, and setting goals for their therapy.
The fourth stage is action, where the patient actively works on making changes in their life and behavior. This includes attending DBT sessions with therapists, participating in skills groups to learn new coping mechanisms, and engaging in homework assignments related to DBT.
What are the Benefits of DBT for Mental Health?
DBT for mental health boasts many benefits. When you attend DBT treatment at Adler Health, it is our expressed goal to help you manage the symptoms of your mental health condition and learn how to better regulate your emotions. Through this type of treatment, you will gain an increased understanding of yourself and learn how to cope with difficult and challenging situations.
Moreover, our DBT treatment center can help you cultivate healthier relationships with those around you by teaching you better communication skills and ways to express yourself more effectively. In addition, DBT also provides the following benefits:
- Decreased suicidal behaviors
- Better emotional and behavioral control
- Improved quality of life
- Increased self-esteem
- Decreased substance abuse
- Enhanced communication skills
- Greater ability to cope with difficult emotions.
How Effective is DBT Treatment for Mental Health?
Clinical studies have found that DBT is extremely effective in treating mental health issues such as borderline personality disorder and depression. However, the success rate of DBT depends on the individual’s willingness to engage in treatment and their commitment to actively practice the skills they learn. With consistent effort and dedication, patients can use what they learn in therapy to modify their behaviors and make lasting changes in their personal lives.
DBT Treatment at Adler Health
When seeking treatment, it is important to find a DBT treatment center that can provide you with the best care. The DBT treatment center should have experience in treating mental health issues using DBT and be able to customize a program specific to your unique needs and goals.
At Adler Health, we have a team of qualified professionals who specialize in DBT therapy and provide individualized treatment plans based on the patient’s goals. Our sessions are conducted in an environment that is safe, comfortable, and supportive with highly trained clinicians using evidence-based practices to help our patients make lasting changes in their lives.
We understand that everybody’s mental health journey is unique and that everyone’s needs are different. We’re ready to help you on your journey, no matter where you may be with your mental health. To learn more about our DBT program, contact us today.
