Our therapists offer DBT / dialectical behavior therapy in Newport News, VA

My go-to approach for helping people in dialectical behavior therapy, besides being nonjudgemental and accepting, is sharing a free online curriculum with them where they can access tools such as videos and worksheets to master DBT skills. I find giving people the opportunity to learn skills at their own pace and practice skills in between sessions using a workbook or website is very beneficial to help clients learn how to implement the skill sets and feel comfortable doing so.

I teach dialectical behavior therapy using a curriculum that teaches the following:

• Mindfulness: The foundation of DBT; observing thoughts and staying in the present.
• Emotion regulation: Understanding emotions and urges and responding to them.
• Distress tolerance: Tolerating negative emotions and coping with extreme stress and emotional distress.
• Interpersonal effectiveness skills: Setting healthy boundaries, respecting oneself, identifying needs and wants, and compromising.

I know a client is making meaningful progress in dialectical behavior therapy when they begin using wise mind skills, responding rather than reacting, having grace and compassion for themselves, identifying needs, and completing homework assignments between sessions to practice skills. Also, clients show they are making progress when their focus turns inward and they begin working toward a life worth living for themselves.

Clients can supplement their time in dialectical behavior therapy with self-care, exercise or physical activity, a hobby, spending time with supportive family and friends, and engaging in activities that increase their daily D.O.S.E. of happy chemicals (dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins).

To prepare for their first dialectical behavior therapy session, an individual can come as they are and be completely themself! A DBT therapist will meet clients where they are and offer acceptance and validation. The intake session includes gathering information from the client on their background and current stressors as well as identifying the client's current needs in therapy.