Psychotherapy Essentials to Go: Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Emotion Dysregulation (Go-To Guides for Mental Health)

Book excerpt: A quick-reference, multi-media guide to using dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) to treat affect dysregulation. Developed by Marsha Linehan, PhD, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based treatment for borderline personality disorder that integrates principles of change and acceptance in order to help clients who have severe emotion dysregulation and impulsive behavior. This guide describes the primary tenets of DBT and illustrates some of its essential techniques—namely validation, commitment strategies, behavioral chain analysis, and skills coaching—that can be used with a range of clients. By understanding underlying problems and balancing compassionate acceptance with a push for change, clinicians can use DBT basics in their day-to-day work to help clients manage emotion dysregulation and impulsive urges. Included in this comprehensive guide are a DVD of sample therapy sessions and clinical explication that describe how to implement the protocol, as well as a laminated pocket reminder card. An on-the-go package of practical tools that busy clinicians won’t want to be without.