Dialectical Behavior Therapy
(DBT) is an evidence-based psychotherapy that combines Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Zen Buddhism. I like to call it operationalized Buddhism or real world mindfulness for coping with emotions and reactivity. Created by Marsha Linehan, it is now used to treat many different emotional dysregulation and impulse control disorders. DBT is made up of many skills that help you regulate your emotions, improve your relationships and withstand times of distress without impulsivity. These skills take practice to incorporate into your daily life and therefore are reinforced not only in individual counseling but also in skills training. In DBT we often utilize daily tracking of problem behaviors, mood, action urges, and skills use on a diary card as well as call coaching.