Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers help for adolescents and adults who find themselves in an ongoing struggle with thoughts of suicide. DBT is used to help people learn coping skills, heal and bring peace to their lives. We are proud to offer our patients therapists who have received specialized training in DBT.
Help for those struggling with suicidal thoughts or behaviors
Who will benefit?
DBT is effective in helping people who suffer from substance abuse, eating disorders, depression or anxiety.
The four phases of DBT
Typically there are four key phases to a successful DBT program and to helping a patient see the value in their life.
Phase One
In phase one, patients will participate in individual and group therapy with the ultimate goal of learning the following skills:
- Mindfulness: becoming aware of the present moment
- Distress Tolerance: how to cope with emotional pain and accept yourself
- Emotional Regulation: how to reduce vulnerability and build a positive mindset
- Interpersonal Effectiveness: how to be assertive without harming relationships or self-respect
Phase Two
Phase two helps patients deal with experienced traumas and how that trauma has shaped them. It is common that people in DBT have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). DBT is used in combination with another researched therapy, Prolonged Exposure (PE), to treat trauma. Therapists in the DBT program at Bellin are trained in PE.
Phase Three
Phase three helps the patient identify and define goals and envision the life they want for themselves. There is a focus on building self-respect, peace and happiness. Phase three also teaches patients how to respond in healthy ways to different situations.
Phase Four
This phase is specifically for patients who want to continue finding meaning and purpose. The goal is to move from a sense that life, as it is, is incomplete, and to uncover a path to a more fulfilling, purpose-driven life that can help increase their capacity for experiencing joy.