Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based treatment approach that can be used with children and adolescents who struggle with intense emotions. While it was originally created to treat borderline personality disorder, it is now helpful in treating a variety of different mental health concerns. DBT provides children and adolescents the skills and techniques they need to manage their emotions and change troublesome behaviors to improve their lives and functioning.
DBT consists of four modules:
Mindfulness: Being present or living in the moment. Mindfulness allows you to notice what is happening inside and around you. During mindfulness you are generally not overly reactive or overwhelmed with what is going on around you, rather just observing what it is happening.
EXAMPLE: Notice the air around you. Notice what you are sitting or standing on right now. Is it hard? Soft? Not noticeable? That is mindfulness.
Emotion Regulation Skills: This is a skill that helps us understand why emotions are the way they are, why we have an urge to act in a certain way, and whether to act or oppose these urges. These skills help you cope with difficult situations through creating pleasant, self- soothing experiences. These skills can include eating properly, sleep habits, taking medication and physical activity. Another skill is engaging in exactly the opposite of what your emotion tells you to do. Are you fearful of saying hi to someone you always wanted to? Opposite of emotion may say- go for it!
Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills: Will teach individuals how to interact more effectively with others, and allow them to feel more supported. This will allow you to the learn the skills of asserting your own needs to maintain a healthy relationship. Want to learn how to say no to someone asking you to do something? This is the skill to learn!
Distress Tolerance Skills: Help prepare one for intense emotions and empower the child to cope with them with a more positive long-term outlook. Need your child to manage stress in a healthy way? These skills teach them how to manage the strong urges to engage in a behavior that may not be the best for them.
Through these four modules, children and adolescents can learn how to reduce emotional extremes, change problematic thought patterns, and learn coping skills. A large focus of DBT is building a healthy lifestyle and working towards age appropriate self-fulfillment. DBT will help children learn skills to tolerate stressful situations and effectively express their thoughts and feelings.
Parents have the ability to play an essential role in their child’s treatment through learning DBT skills. By doing so, parents can help their child use the skills they learn in therapy and aid them in understanding their emotions at home.
Raising a child is far from easy. Sometimes it can be hard to tell if your child or adolescent needs help or is just going through a phase. As a parent, you do not have to face the challenges of raising a child alone- Dr. Amanda Comstock is ready to help you and your child learn effective coping skills and methods for practicing them at home. To learn more about DBT for your child or adolescent call or email today.
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