Beach House Center for Recovery offers effective addiction management solutions that address every client’s unique pattern of substance misuse. Our team of compassionate addiction care specialists, medical clinicians, and psychiatric providers employ intensive therapeutic interventions designed to treat the multiple dimensions of addiction. Learn more about dialectical behavior therapy in Florida.

Addiction disorders frequently co-exist with mental health issues. Both conditions can be treated effectively using a personalized dual diagnosis approach.

Dual diagnosis treatment addresses both the addiction and the contributing mental health disorders. This approach is crucial to effectively treat addiction, as it considers the root cause rather than merely dealing with its symptoms. Dialectical behavior therapy is one of the most effective strategies for managing addiction and mental health disorders.

What Is Dialectical Behavior Therapy?

Dialectical behavior therapy is a form of psychotherapy used to treat various mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, eating disorders, bipolar disorder, and more. It is based on the idea that individuals can learn to regulate their emotions and behaviors through developing mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance, and emotion regulation skills.

Dr. Marsha M. Linehan developed dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) in the late 1980s. It was initially utilized to treat individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder but has since been expanded to treat many other mental health challenges.

DBT is typically used in individual counseling sessions and group skills training classes.

What Are the Six Main Points of Dialectical Behavior Therapy?

Overall, DBT is a holistic approach to treating mental health disorders. It is based on the idea that we can learn to accept our distress, manage our emotions, and communicate effectively with others.

The main points of DBT include the following four modules:

  • Mindfulness. Mindfulness is the practice of focusing on the present moment and being aware of one’s thoughts and feelings without judgment.
  • Distress Tolerance: Distress Tolerance focuses on developing skills to handle intense emotions and cope with distress.
  • Emotional Regulation: Emotion Regulation helps to identify, understand, and manage complex emotional responses.
  • Interpersonal Effectiveness: Interpersonal Effectiveness teaches skills to effectively communicate and manage relationships with other people.

Each module of DBT has its own set of skills and techniques to help clients work through their issues.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy Techniques

Our comprehensive dialectical behavior therapy program in Florida involves the following therapeutic targets:

  • Addressing life-threatening instincts and behaviors. Managing self-destructive behaviors is a critical therapeutic component. DBT targets any behaviors that can lead to self-harm or death, including suicidal ideations, suicidal behaviors, and any type of self-harm.
  • Addressing therapy-negating behaviors. Addiction disorders can cause instincts and behaviors that interfere with the effectiveness of therapeutic intervention. Such behaviors include failing to attend therapy sessions and disinclination towards achieving treatment objectives.
  • Addressing behaviors that diminish the quality of life. DBT helps patients recognize and manage behaviors that cause alienation from family and loved ones, homelessness, and legal troubles.
  • Developing life and symptom management skills. DBT encourages patients to cultivate new positive strategies and skills to replace destructive instincts and behaviors.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy Components

DBT is segmented into four therapeutic stages:

  • Stage one: During this stage, the individual learns the skills to manage their emotions and behaviors. This stage includes individual therapy sessions, where the therapist teaches the skills and helps the individual practice them.
  • Stage two: This stage focuses on helping the individual practice and apply the skills they have learned to make them more automatic and effective. This stage also includes individual sessions with the therapist to review and practice the skills in a safe, structured environment.
  • Stage three: The third stage of DBT is a generalization, which focuses on helping the individual apply the skills to real-life situations. This includes individual sessions with the therapist and group sessions, where the individual can practice the skills with others.
  • Stage four: During this stage, the individual begins to practice the skills in their everyday life with the help and support of the therapist. This stage aims to help individuals actively manage their emotions and behavior and develop healthier coping mechanisms.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy: Florida’s #1 Addiction Treatment Center

Beach House Center for Recovery offers intensive therapeutic interventions that support the addiction recovery journey. Our evidence-based and comprehensive treatment approach helps individuals to develop skills to manage the emotions and behavior that lead to substance misuse.

Where Can I Find Dialectical Behavior Therapy Near Me?

If you are seeking dialectical behavior therapy in Florida, please don’t hesitate to contact our helpful admissions counselor today.