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5 Benefits of Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Mental health therapy is more important than ever in today’s increasingly volatile and chaotic world. Mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and stress are all on the rise, leading more people to seek help from mental health professionals. Fortunately, powerful mental health therapies, such as dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), can help teach individuals how to manage their emotions better and deal with the underlying causes of anxiety and depression.

At CeDAR Recovery, we understand how difficult it can be to deal with anxiety and depression daily. If these mental health issues interfere with your ability to lead a normal, balanced lifestyle, it may be time to consider getting help. Our dialectical behavior therapy services are designed to help people like you learn essential skills to help you improve your ability to manage your emotions and deal with them in a healthy, constructive manner. For more information, reach out to our team of experts today at [Direct].

What Is Dialectical Behavior Therapy?

DBT is an evidence-based form of cognitive behavior therapy that provides practical skills to improve emotional regulation, reduce impulsive behaviors, and manage distress. It is a highly structured therapeutic approach that helps clients learn skills such as:

  • Mindfulness
  • Emotion regulation
  • Interpersonal empathy
  • Distress tolerance

In addition to providing a method for developing better coping mechanisms in times of stress or crisis, DBT has also been found to be effective in reducing symptoms associated with depression and anxiety.

In a typical DBT session, a therapist will work with a patient to identify patterns of behavior causing difficulty and create personalized strategies for managing stress and triggering emotions. DBT encourages acceptance rather than avoidance when facing distressing situations. Sessions often incorporate acceptance-based techniques such as radical acceptance—accepting life’s circumstances even if we don’t like them–or opposite action, which refers to doing something different from what our instincts tell us to do to get different results.

A key component is the collaboration between the patient and the therapist. Rather than looking at the patient through a diagnostic lens where one person has all the answers, both parties work together to build a relationship based on trust, where validating each other’s experience is essential for progress in therapy sessions.

5 Benefits of Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Dialectical behavior therapy is an incredibly beneficial form of psychotherapy that helps individuals learn how to regulate their emotions while building healthier relationships with themselves and others around them. DBT benefits can include the following.

1. Improve Self-esteem

The skills learned in dialectical behavior therapy help individuals take real action against the typical patterns of their thoughts and actions. This actionable playbook can empower individuals who struggle with behavioral and addiction issues by giving them tools to implement. Over time, this can lead to real change and, as a result, an improved sense of pride and well-being.

2. Identify Emotional Triggers

One of the critical benefits of DBT is that it can help individuals zoom out of their thoughts and look at their behavior patterns instead. Identifying these triggers can enable self-healing and create lasting progress toward improved mental health.

3. Improve Decision Making

As DBT treatment progresses, individuals will gain valuable tools they can practice using daily to maintain a positive attitude, combat cravings, and avoid feelings of anxiety and depression. Many of these actionable tools are instrumental in improving decision-making and minimizing impulsive behavior.

4. Develop Stronger Coping Mechanisms

Coping with mental health issues and addiction can be challenging to accomplish in a healthy manner without the proper mindset and guidance. DBT helps teach individuals how to analyze their thoughts and make more thoughtful mindful decisions.

5. Improve Adaptability

Adaptability refers to an individual’s ability to adapt to stress in a healthy manner. Stress is an inevitable part of life, but many people in today’s society are not very good at handling the consistent stressors that life can throw at us. DBT has been proven to help those suffering from mental health problems and addiction improve their ability to tackle their issues head-on and confidently.

Find DBT in Colorado at CeDAR

Given today’s challenging environment, individuals must take control of their mental health by seeking professional help. Many mental health conditions result from unresolved trauma and a habitual response that can be hard to break free from, even if you want to. Mental health therapies such as dialectical behavior therapy offer a variety of benefits that can help improve overall well-being while aiding in the development of healthy coping strategies for managing stressors over time. For more information on this powerful form of therapy, contact CeDAR today at [Direct].