Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Adolescent mental health is a common concern in our society. It has amplified after a year of a significant worldwide pandemic of isolation, unknowns, and changes in ‘life as we knew it. As a result, many adults and even teens are experiencing anxiety and depression symptoms. They turn to unhealthy/maladaptive coping strategies to relieve the stress and soothe their internal distress.
Many teens today struggle with unhealthy life skills and intense urges. Some of those hurtful coping skills include alcohol, drugs, self-cutting, self-harm, inordinate time asleep, excessive time on video games or social media; emotional overreactions such as hitting, swearing, slamming doors, and refusing to comply with adult requests; difficulty in getting along with others, for example in making and maintaining long-term relationships (Lozier, 2018). “Given the vulnerability of adolescents in today’s world, it is our responsibility to teach young people the skills that they are missing due to mental health issues, and to any level of trauma they have endured” (Lozier, 2018).
Teen Counseling Help is Here
Teens are transitioning into adulthood and have growing responsibilities and demands from school, parents, employers, and peers, surpassing their coping strategies, challenging adaptive coping strategies, and making ‘balancing’ priorities and demands difficult. They are also developmentally seeking their independence while still under parental authority and often feel “trapped,” and can be resistant or ambivalent to counseling or simply not recognize their need for additional support/coping strategies.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy was developed in the early 1990s by Dr. Marsha Linehan. Dr. Linehan created DBT as a treatment for adults who struggled with intense emotions and impulsive risky and safety issues, such as suicidal thoughts and attempts, as well as self-injury or other harmful/maladaptive behaviors (Linehan, 1993a). She studied clients who went through DBT and found that it helped them stay safe, act less impulsively and improve their emotions and relationships. Over the years, DBT has been proven helpful in various settings and for a wide variety of people, including teens/adolescents (Dimeff & Koerner, 2007, Marra, 2005; Miller, Rathus & Linehan, 2007). “DBT is a highly researched group of practical tools to help teens manage their emotions, emotional crises, and to get along better with others” (Lozier, 2018, pg.13). Dialectics are about finding ‘balance’ through mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness skills training and support.
Our Teen Therapists offer DBT Tools
Our therapy approach at Bareiter Counseling Center integrates many theories and heavily adopts various holistic methods. This integrated approach is eclectic and includes multiple counseling theories and individualized techniques based on each individual’s needs and goals.
Our clinicians at Bareiter Counseling Center have years of experience working with individuals and groups. They know how to work with resistant clients, ambivalent clients, and clients with low motivation or commitment to change. Their approach is client-centered, using techniques that roll with resistance to explore and encourage clients towards change, goals, and overall growth. The client’s input is an important, ongoing part of this counseling process. We look forward to the opportunity to join you in this counseling process.
