It is very normal to feel intense emotions some of the time and to be confused about why you feel the way you do. We all experience emotions, some of which are more distressing than others, and have different ways of managing them. In addition, it is normal to feel misunderstood and confused about who you are some of the time, especially if you find that your emotions are intense, change quickly, or seem to be in control of your behavior. Whether you are experiencing challenges with feeling confused about yourself, maintaining healthy relationships, and/or regulating emotions, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) can help you learn skills to manage these difficulties and build a life worth living.
A Dialectical Behavior Therapist can help you manage your emotions instead of letting your emotions manage you.
DBT therapy at MindWell NYC can offer help with the things you are struggling with. MindWell NYC offers comprehensive DBT treatment for challenges regulating emotions, difficulties in interpersonal relationships, engaging in impulsive behavior, feeling confused about yourself, and borderline personality disorder.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is comprised of individual therapy, skills training class, phone coaching, and treatment by a team of clinicians. It was created by Marsha M. Linehan, Ph.D., to teach you skills for managing emotions and destructive behaviors creating a great deal of stress in your life. It is typically a time limited treatment (with skills training class varying in length for adults and adolescents and families) that focuses on decreasing confusion about self, tolerating distress without making things worse, improving your ability to regulate your emotions, learning skills to get what you want and need in relationships, and managing behavior in yourself and others more effectively. DBT is different from many other therapy approaches as it integrates eastern mindfulness and Buddhist Zen approaches with components of cognitive behavioral therapy. In the MindWell NYC DBT program, we work with our clients to identify problem areas and then to learn skills to decrease distress and move you towards reaching your goals.
It makes sense that you feel disconnected from yourself and what you want.
Given the busy and hectic nature of life in New York City, it is no surprise that you may feel disconnected from yourself, who you are, and what you want. In our Dialectical Behavior Therapy program, we can help you learn to feel more connected to yourself on a regular basis. We can also help you to be more aware of your own thoughts, feelings, urges, and behaviors. Other benefits of learning these skills include being fully aware and present during pleasant activities and enjoying the benefits from doing things you enjoy and being with people you want to spend time with.
Relationships can be challenging.
Although relationships can be tough, DBT therapy can help you learn skills to manage them more effectively and to be more likely to get what you want and need. Specifically, in DBT we teach you skills for how to ask for what you want, say no in a way that will not damage the relationship, and keep your self-respect during interactions. Having and maintaining healthy relationships is a key element of having a life that is meaningful and that you enjoy.
It can be difficult to regulate emotions.
It can be hard to know what you are feeling and why you are feeling that way. It can also be difficult to manage intense or rapid shifts in mood or emotions. DBT therapy at MindWell NYC can increase your ability to identify emotions (feelings) you are experiencing (i.e., labeling emotions, and understanding what they feel like in your body). The DBT approach can also help you learn to rate emotional intensity levels and become more aware of the way they relate to your thoughts and behaviors. In addition, we can help you learn to change unwanted emotions and reduce the likelihood of negative emotions occurring. Learning how to manage your emotions at varying intensity levels will help you change your behavior and problem solve difficult situations when needed.
You might not be sure how to get through a tough situation without making it worse.
You might be using behaviors that are not helpful or are making things worse in order to make yourself feel more calm or less out of control. These behaviors range from things such as cutting or burning, scratching, restricting your eating, eating more than you want to, slamming doors, yelling at people you care about, or using substances. Unfortunately, using these behaviors as a way to cope typically makes a bad situation even worse. In our MindWell NYC DBT program, we will teach you skills and strategies to to learn to get through a difficult situation and to tolerate painful situations that can’t be changed in the moment.
You might wish that you could be more flexible in your daily life.
With difficulty regulating emotions often comes behavior patterns that are hard to change on your own. Dialectical behavior therapy can teach you skills to increase your flexibility in thinking and acting, to practice acceptance of yourself and others as you are, and to learn to change behavior when needed.
You may have concerns about participating in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
–I have heard that DBT is only for people who are suicidal or are diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). DBT was initially developed for treatment of individuals experiencing suicidal ideation with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Since its’ development, DBT has been shown to be an effective treatment for many other problems, including difficulties with regulating emotions, eating disorders, trauma, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and depression. We are happy to talk with you about what you are struggling with to see if DBT could be an appropriate fit.
