Our therapists offer DBT / dialectical behavior therapy in Providence, RI

My go-to approach for helping people in dialectical behavior therapy is to first meet clients where they are and have them identify their baseline stress. It's also important to identify their stress tolerance levels and what coping skills or “activities that bring you joy or make you feel safe/rested” they are already practicing. From there, we identify and practice mindfulness/deep breathing to connect with their bodies and begin acceptance work. We also identify baseline emotions and begin to learn to understand the role/value/data from each emotion, its alignment with who they are/want to be, and what is within their control in the situation vs. what is out of their control and needs to be let go. Finally, we identify their values/goals and how to regulate their interactions with others when there is a discrepancy between what they want and what they are experiencing in their life involving others.

I teach the following tools in dialectical behavior therapy: psychoeducation on the body and connection between physiological symptoms and emotions; practicing mindfulness of body sensations, emotions, and associated thoughts (identifying them all); practicing deep breathing/mindfulness guided exercise in sessions to be used outside of session; listing and practicing coping skills in and outside of session to regulate emotions/thoughts/behaviors; and identifying and practicing healthy interpersonal strategies/skills.

I know a client is making meaningful progress in dialectical behavior therapy when they report an awareness of their emotions/thoughts/behaviors because they are aware of their capacity in a given situation; when the client validates, is kind to, and practices self-compassion for themselves over the course of sessions; they practice healthy coping skills that have replaced unhealthy ones; and they experience an increase in appreciation, joy, and growth in interpersonal experiences.

Clients can supplement their time in dialectical behavior therapy by having an awareness that change takes time, being their own gentle friend in the process and efforts of change, practicing acceptance and forgiveness when they revert to old behaviors/patterns, and recognizing and celebrating every instance of forward movement.

To prepare for their first dialectical behavioral therapy session, an individual can recognize the courage it takes to try something new, surround themselves with a supportive community or remove themselves from unsupportive individuals, and give themselves as much time as is needed to get to know and become a friend to themselves.