At Innova Grace, you will learn DBT skills to help you build healthy relationships, set boundaries, deal with hard emotional situations and learn to push yourself toward growth while giving yourself grace for the moment you are at.
Start Your Recovery TodayDialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a type of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that was originally developed by Marsha Linehan to treat suicidal patients and those with Borderline Personality Disorder. It is now known to treat a variety of conditions including PTSD, depression, substance use, eating disorders and trauma. The word, “dialectical” means a synthesis or combining of opposites. It is the art of pushing for change while accepting where you are.
DBT is based on CBT, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and shares many similarities including being a form
of psychotherapy, or talk therapy. The key difference between these two trauma treatments is in the way that
negative thoughts or behaviors are managed.
The focus of CBT is on how your thoughts, feelings and behavior influence each other. CBT seeks to help
patients identify and change problematic ways of thinking and behaving. DBT has a greater focus on emotional
and social aspects. DBT helps patients regulate extreme emotions to improve relationships through validation
and behavior change. More emphasis is given towards regulating emotions, being mindful and learning to
accept the pain, rather than redirecting the way we think and react.
The beauty of DBT is that it is a skills-based therapy. Truly anyone can benefit from learning and applying these skills. They fall into four main modules, two of which are acceptance-oriented and two are change-oriented.
The practice of being fully aware and present in this one moment.
How to tolerate pain in difficult situations, not change it.
How to ask for what you want and say “no” while maintaining self-respect and relationships with others.
How to decrease vulnerability to painful emotions and change emotions that you want to change.
While DBT was developed as a way to treat Borderline Personality Disorder, DBT has also been extremely
effective for those who experience other disorders such as depression, eating or substance disorders, PTSD
and trauma. Patients who undergo DBT usually battle intense emotions including extreme anger, frustration,
anxiety or depression, and may have suicidal thoughts.
At our residential treatment center, patients learn DBT skills to help with their daily life. Patients will
attend skills groups several times a week. Additionally, staff will coach you in the moment to use these
skills, helping to solidify them into your daily life.
DBT is just one of the many trauma treatment therapies used at Innova Grace. Each one of our therapies is
intended to treat every aspect of your recovery including mind, body and soul. To learn more about our
treatment therapies, click here.
If you would like more information on DBT at our inpatient treatment center, please
contact our team.
All calls are confidential.