APC: An Introduction to Dialectical Behavior Therapy - Melanie Harned, PhD, ABPP-Intro to DBT slides

Intro to DBT slides

Pdf Summary

The document provides an introduction to Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for the treatment of highly suicidal, severe, multi-diagnostic, and difficult-to-treat patients. It explains that DBT was developed in the 1980s to address the challenges faced in treating this population. The therapy is characterized by a dialectical approach, balancing acceptance and change strategies, and employs several modes including skills training, individual therapy, telephone coaching, and therapist consultation team. <br /><br />DBT targets four primary areas: life-threatening behavior, therapy-interfering behavior, quality of life-interfering behavior, and behavioral skills. The therapy includes modules on mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness, with a standard group format for skills training. <br /><br />The document also discusses the adaptation of DBT for substance use disorders (DBT-SUD). In DBT-SUD, emotion dysregulation is viewed as the core problem contributing to substance use, and treatment focuses on integrated treatment for substance use and co-occurring mental health issues, with modifications to the target hierarchy and the addition of addiction skills. <br /><br />The document further presents some specific strategies used in DBT, such as problem-solving and validation. Problem-solving involves obtaining commitment to implement solutions and troubleshooting potential obstacles, while validation is used to engage clients by acknowledging and understanding their experiences without necessarily agreeing with them. <br /><br />Finally, the document mentions additional resources available, including DBT manuals authored by Marsha Linehan.

Keywords

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

DBT

treatment

suicidal patients

skills training

substance use disorders

emotion dysregulation

integrated treatment

problem-solving

validation