Is Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Right for You?

Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, was created by Marsha Linehan decades ago and has since been scientifically proven to effectively lower self harm behaviors and suicidal ideation, improve relationships, and help individuals manage difficult emotions. This recent NY Times article outlines the benefits of DBT. If you don't have a subscription to The NY Times, we have embedded the article for you.

MACS is proud to offer a comprehensive Adherent DBT program. “Adherent” means that we teach DBT in the way that the research has shown it is most effective. Other practices modify how DBT is taught but at MACS, we strive for the best outcomes and our program follows Marsha Linehan’s original program that has been researched over the past few decades. We have all been formally trained by Marsha Linehan’s training company, Behavioral Tech and all therapists receive supervision from our more senior DBT therapists.

DBT is based on the idea that some individuals have big emotions but not enough skills to regulate those emotions. The different modules DBT teaches, or types of skills, help individuals in different ways: interpersonal effectiveness helps individuals communicate more effectively and be more assertive, distress tolerance helps individuals sit with discomfort without making a crisis situation worse, emotion regulation helps name emotions and change emotional responses, and mindfulness helps stay in the present, both to soak in more positive moments and learn how to sit with more difficult moments. The teen and parent group also includes Walking the Middle Path, which helps teens and their parents find balance in their relationships and make positive changes in their behaviors.

While in DBT, individuals have more access to our DBT therapists! Phone coaching is an essential part of DBT and means that while you are in our group, you have the ability to call your DBT therapist to practice using the skills in the moment.

We have seen firsthand how transformative DBT is with the families and individuals we work with. Please call the office at 704-286-6227 or email us at information@macspllc.org for more information.

Written by Marissa Johnson, MA, LCMHC who is our DBT Program Clinical Director.