[Looking4hope]

Hi All!

I was wondering if anyone here is familiar with or been in DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy)? I know it was originally used for Borderline Personality Disorder but more recently it has expanded to other areas, such as depression, anxiety, ADD, PTSD.

Ever since I lost my job a year ago, I have been unable to move forward in my life. I know I was grieving that loss, but it's a year later and I still can't get myself out there.

DBT sounds like it is what I need to give myself the skills to do just that, put myself out there and get a life. I am so hoping it will help...

I am starting DBT this week and if you have anything to tell me about it, I'd like hearing it.

~Hope

(This is a duplicate post from the General Mental Health forum. Forgive me for being lazy!)

[Mari]

Hi,

Give it a good try. It sounds like a good thing.

The closest experience I have is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy -- my old therapist was big on this when he and I started out.

My current hypnotist/therapist uses a few of these techniques -- having to do with mindfullness and such.

Good luck.

Mari


I cut and pasted a few bits from wikipedia because I wanted to know more about it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dialect...havior_Therapy

The four modules

The purpose of the DBT skills in all four skill sets is to help the client get into a state of mind referred to in DBT as wise mind.

Wise mind is the middle ground in the dialectic between rational mind and emotional mind. To be too far on the side of rational mind would mean focusing only things such as facts and figures; ignoring and suppressing emotion.

To be too far on the side of emotional mind would mean being so blinded by strong emotions that one would not be able to consider the facts.

-->>Mindfulness
The essential part of all skills taught in skills group are the core mindfulness skills.
-Observe, describe, and participate are the core mindfulness what skills. They answer the question, "What do I do to practice core mindfulness skills?"
-Non-judgmentally, one-mindfully, and effectively are the how skills and answer the question, "How do I practice core mindfulness skills?"

Mindfulness comes from the Buddhist tradition and can be read about in more detail in the book The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh (among others).

-->>Interpersonal effectiveness
Interpersonal response patterns taught in DBT skills training are very similar to those taught in many assertiveness and interpersonal problem-solving classes. They include effective strategies for asking for what one needs, saying no, and coping with interpersonal conflict. . . . . .


-->>Distress tolerance
Most approaches to mental health treatment focus on changing distressing events and circumstances. They have paid little attention to accepting, finding meaning for, and tolerating distress. . . . .
Distress tolerance skills constitute a natural development from mindfulness skills.

-->>Emotion regulation
Individuals with borderline personality disorder and suicidal individuals are frequently emotionally intense and labile. They can be angry, intensely frustrated, depressed, or anxious. This suggests that these clients might benefit from help in learning to regulate their emotions.

Dialectical behavioral therapy skills for emotion regulation include:

-Identifying and labeling emotions
-Identifying obstacles to changing emotions
-Reducing vulnerability to emotion mind
-Increasing positive emotional events
-Increasing mindfulness to current emotions
-Taking opposite action
-Applying distress tolerance techniques

[Looking4hope]

Thanks Mari

I'm going to be starting tommorrow. Since the group already started, I have a session tommorow and Monday individually to catch me up before I join the group sessions on Thursday.

I'm kinda nervous about it. Wish me luck!

~Hope

[bizi]

good luck hope and let us know how it is going.
Did you see the thread that I bumped up for you?
bizi

[Looking4hope]

Originally Posted by bizi

good luck hope and let us know how it is going.
Did you see the thread that I bumped up for you?
bizi

Yes I did, Bizi

It looks like that might be the precursor to the mindfullness module in DBT. I'll find out soon enough as the catch-up sessions are the mindfullness module. I'm not sure about that though. And I just skimmed the article. My brain hasn't exactly been in "reading" mode lately....

Thanks Bizi

[Looking4hope]

OK, maybe I'm more than just a little nervous... I'm breaking out in hives!!!

[Mari]

Oh dear, maybe you went already and are calmer now.
I know that anticipation can make us anxious.
I hope you are ok.

In DBT you will learn ways to calm yourself down (soothe yourself I think they call it) and help yourself live in the moment. Those are great skills to have.

Good luck with this new process.

M.

[Nikko]

Hoping to hear from you soon and find out how you feel and the first session went.


Nikko

[Looking4hope]

Thanks for all your inquiries....

This is going to be more of a VENT that anything productive...
And you probably won't know what I am talking about, so forgive me in advance.

So far, I am not impressed. It was ridiculous how she threw the information at me. And she talked too fast. She kept talking about self-soothe (which I understand) and mentioning Borderline Personality Disorder and those with intention to self-harm (about being safe) and that no way applies to me. The more that kept coming into the subject matter the more upset I got. Criminy, I felt like I was half way to the psych hospital. She's talking about stuff I already know. I'm not stupid. I don't want to feel like a little kid, I want to be normal and treated normally. Everyone is so afraid of overwhelming me that I am starting to be overwhelmed because of that. Gee, I am grown person who had the wind knocked out of my sails, that's all. I REALLY DO WANT TO HAVE A LIFE!

One side note - I did stop her at one point and told her she talks too fast... and she appreciated it.

I also feel like I have been pushed into this. Everybody else seems to know what is best for me, but gee, nobody ever bothered to ask me what I think. Nobody calls me back... Grrr.. I guess about a month ago, I got so frustrated that I gave up trying. So, I let them decide for me...

I hate this, I hate this...

All I can think of to do is when I see her again tomorrow, I am going to tell her how I feel..

Hey, I figure I don't have anything to lose.

[End Vent]

~ Hope

[bizi]

print this out if it helps...you are very clear how you feel and sometimes it is helpful to have something to hold on to literally whilst you say what you need to say.
keep posting, venting we are here to stay.
bizi