Teen dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a treatment approach developed in the 1980s that equips teens with emotional regulation skills to help them manage difficult feelings that come with problems like borderline personality disorder, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and more. If your teen is struggling with emotional management, you should consider a treatment program that offers DBT.
This article aims to educate parents, guardians, and teens about DBT. It will explore the core components of DBT and the skills it teaches. If your teen is struggling with managing their emotions, contact NexStep Teen Academy today. We are ready to help your teen take the “Next Step” in their mental health treatment journey.
The Four Core DBT Skill Areas for Teens
According to research by the University of Washington, teen DBT is effective in treating multiple mental health conditions. It equips teens with the skills necessary to manage their emotions. As a result, teens can effectively navigate challenging periods of their lives. DBT is based on the idea that two opposing ideas can coexist simultaneously.
The word “dialectical” in mental health treatment can be described as connecting and combining two opposing ideas. DBT combines acceptance and change to help teens achieve better mental health outcomes.
Teen DBT focuses on teaching teens four core skills. These include the following:
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the practice of staying present in the moment and being aware of your feelings. Mindfulness has been practiced for centuries as part of various spiritual practices. In modern times, it is used to help teens slow down their thoughts and appreciate the moment.
When teens feel negative emotions, their thoughts race. Racing thoughts hinder teens from processing their feelings and can cause them to become overwhelmed and experience emotional dysregulation. By slowing down their thoughts, they can have a fresh perspective on their feelings. This allows them to accept their emotions.
Negative emotions can be overwhelming. DBT aims to help teens become more aware of their feelings rather than getting lost in them. DBT does not seek to change one’s emotions right away. It helps them accept how they feel without judgment. For example, if your teen feels sad, they can acknowledge and accept their feelings. Acceptance is the first step towards emotional regulation.
Distress Tolerance
Negative emotions can be overwhelming. When teens face a problem they cannot solve, they feel it is out of their control. Rather than accept that some situations are unchangeable, their emotions weigh on them. Distress tolerance teaches teens radical acceptance. This concept allows teens to accept that some situations cannot be controlled. Accepting situations as they are reduces anxiety and frustration.
Additionally, distress tolerance helps teens be adaptable and resilient. By learning to tolerate uncomfortable feelings, they become less reactive to negative situations. Distress tolerance is an important part of healing because it allows teens to push through negative emotions.
Emotional Regulation
Emotional regulation is the cornerstone of teen DBT. It teaches teens to regulate their emotions and actions. When your teen feels frustrated, they may yell or argue to get their point across. Instead of yelling, DBT teaches teens to communicate more effectively. By choosing an alternative behavior, teens can manage their emotions.
Contrary to popular belief, yelling does not reduce anger. Studies show that activities that increase emotional arousal do not minimize anger. The best way of managing negative emotions is to reduce a state of arousal. For example, when your teen feels sad, they should not wallow in their sadness. They should engage in pleasure-inducing activities. Similarly, angry teens should control their behavioral responses to reduce their anger. Essentially, emotional regulation teaches teens to do the opposite of what feels natural.
Interpersonal Effectiveness
The last pillar of teen DBT is interpersonal effectiveness. Interpersonal effectiveness helps teens gain a fresh perspective on how their behavior affects those around them. Sometimes, teens are unaware that their behavior harms their relationships. Understanding that negative behavior pushes people away can help teens change their behavior.
Interpersonal effectiveness also teaches teenagers that life is a delicate balance between their own needs and the needs of others. Its objective is to allow teens to communicate effectively when they feel overwhelmed rather than revert to negative behavioral patterns. One aspect of interpersonal effectiveness that can improve your teen’s communication is the DEAR MAN communication style. DEAR MAN is an acronym for:
Describe
Express
Assert
Reinforce
Mindful
Appear confident
Negotiate
This communication style can ensure more positive outcomes.
Benefits of Teen DBT Skills
Learning teen DBT skills has numerous benefits, including:
Improved Interpersonal Relationships
DBT focuses on helping teens learn to regulate their emotions. Emotionally dysregulated teens may self-isolate or withdraw from social interactions, which can negatively affect their relationships. DBT helps to improve interpersonal relationships by teaching interpersonal effectiveness. Interpersonal effectiveness helps teens learn to balance their needs and the needs of others, which can be effective in creating healthy and meaningful relationships. Interpersonal effectiveness also teaches positive communication skills, which can help improve your teen’s relationships.
Positive Coping Mechanisms
Teen DBT equips teens with the necessary skills to cope with emotional dysregulation. It teaches them valuable problem-solving and communication skills to help deal with mental health conditions and apply them in their day-to-day lives.
Improved Confidence and Self-Worth
When teens learn to accept themselves, their confidence and self-worth improve. They feel more confident because they know how to manage difficult emotions. DBT skills help teens choose how they react to negative stimuli, improving their confidence and overall quality of life.
Teen DBT as Part of NexStep’s Treatment Approach
The importance of DBT cannot be understated. It equips teens with various skills that help in emotional regulation. As a parent or guardian, you are responsible for getting your teen the help they need. NexStep Teen Academy offers top-notch mental health treatment. We use various modalities, including DBT, to help teenagers overcome mental health challenges. We pride ourselves on our comprehensive treatment approach.
Our intensive outpatient, teen partial hospitalization, and general outpatient programs offer varied levels of care for each teen. The program your teen will be enrolled in will depend on the severity of their condition and the level of care they require. Our highly qualified staff ensures that your teen’s needs will be catered to. If you are considering therapy for your teen, then look no further. Contact NexStep Teen Academy today for more information. We will be happy to guide you on our outpatient services.
Although CBT and DBT share some similarities, they are very different. The key difference between CBT and DBT is their treatment approach. CBT is more goal-oriented and focuses on drawing logical conclusions from one’s thoughts. DBT mainly focuses on how teens interact with themselves and others. It focuses on emotional regulation and acceptance. CBT also focuses on identifying and modifying unhealthy thought patterns. On the other hand, DBT focuses on using mindfulness to overcome negative emotional responses.
Yes, DBT can help with self-harm and suicidal thoughts. It was originally developed to treat these symptoms, which are common in people with borderline personality disorder.
What Skills Do Teens Learn in DBT?
Table of Contents
Teen dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a treatment approach developed in the 1980s that equips teens with emotional regulation skills to help them manage difficult feelings that come with problems like borderline personality disorder, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and more. If your teen is struggling with emotional management, you should consider a treatment program that offers DBT.
This article aims to educate parents, guardians, and teens about DBT. It will explore the core components of DBT and the skills it teaches. If your teen is struggling with managing their emotions, contact NexStep Teen Academy today. We are ready to help your teen take the “Next Step” in their mental health treatment journey.
The Four Core DBT Skill Areas for Teens
According to research by the University of Washington, teen DBT is effective in treating multiple mental health conditions. It equips teens with the skills necessary to manage their emotions. As a result, teens can effectively navigate challenging periods of their lives. DBT is based on the idea that two opposing ideas can coexist simultaneously.
The word “dialectical” in mental health treatment can be described as connecting and combining two opposing ideas. DBT combines acceptance and change to help teens achieve better mental health outcomes.
Teen DBT focuses on teaching teens four core skills. These include the following:
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the practice of staying present in the moment and being aware of your feelings. Mindfulness has been practiced for centuries as part of various spiritual practices. In modern times, it is used to help teens slow down their thoughts and appreciate the moment.
When teens feel negative emotions, their thoughts race. Racing thoughts hinder teens from processing their feelings and can cause them to become overwhelmed and experience emotional dysregulation. By slowing down their thoughts, they can have a fresh perspective on their feelings. This allows them to accept their emotions.
Negative emotions can be overwhelming. DBT aims to help teens become more aware of their feelings rather than getting lost in them. DBT does not seek to change one’s emotions right away. It helps them accept how they feel without judgment. For example, if your teen feels sad, they can acknowledge and accept their feelings. Acceptance is the first step towards emotional regulation.
Distress Tolerance
Negative emotions can be overwhelming. When teens face a problem they cannot solve, they feel it is out of their control. Rather than accept that some situations are unchangeable, their emotions weigh on them. Distress tolerance teaches teens radical acceptance. This concept allows teens to accept that some situations cannot be controlled. Accepting situations as they are reduces anxiety and frustration.
Additionally, distress tolerance helps teens be adaptable and resilient. By learning to tolerate uncomfortable feelings, they become less reactive to negative situations. Distress tolerance is an important part of healing because it allows teens to push through negative emotions.
Emotional Regulation
Emotional regulation is the cornerstone of teen DBT. It teaches teens to regulate their emotions and actions. When your teen feels frustrated, they may yell or argue to get their point across. Instead of yelling, DBT teaches teens to communicate more effectively. By choosing an alternative behavior, teens can manage their emotions.
Contrary to popular belief, yelling does not reduce anger. Studies show that activities that increase emotional arousal do not minimize anger. The best way of managing negative emotions is to reduce a state of arousal. For example, when your teen feels sad, they should not wallow in their sadness. They should engage in pleasure-inducing activities. Similarly, angry teens should control their behavioral responses to reduce their anger. Essentially, emotional regulation teaches teens to do the opposite of what feels natural.
Interpersonal Effectiveness
The last pillar of teen DBT is interpersonal effectiveness. Interpersonal effectiveness helps teens gain a fresh perspective on how their behavior affects those around them. Sometimes, teens are unaware that their behavior harms their relationships. Understanding that negative behavior pushes people away can help teens change their behavior.
Interpersonal effectiveness also teaches teenagers that life is a delicate balance between their own needs and the needs of others. Its objective is to allow teens to communicate effectively when they feel overwhelmed rather than revert to negative behavioral patterns. One aspect of interpersonal effectiveness that can improve your teen’s communication is the DEAR MAN communication style. DEAR MAN is an acronym for:
This communication style can ensure more positive outcomes.
Benefits of Teen DBT Skills
Learning teen DBT skills has numerous benefits, including:
Improved Interpersonal Relationships
DBT focuses on helping teens learn to regulate their emotions. Emotionally dysregulated teens may self-isolate or withdraw from social interactions, which can negatively affect their relationships. DBT helps to improve interpersonal relationships by teaching interpersonal effectiveness. Interpersonal effectiveness helps teens learn to balance their needs and the needs of others, which can be effective in creating healthy and meaningful relationships. Interpersonal effectiveness also teaches positive communication skills, which can help improve your teen’s relationships.
Positive Coping Mechanisms
Teen DBT equips teens with the necessary skills to cope with emotional dysregulation. It teaches them valuable problem-solving and communication skills to help deal with mental health conditions and apply them in their day-to-day lives.
Improved Confidence and Self-Worth
When teens learn to accept themselves, their confidence and self-worth improve. They feel more confident because they know how to manage difficult emotions. DBT skills help teens choose how they react to negative stimuli, improving their confidence and overall quality of life.
Teen DBT as Part of NexStep’s Treatment Approach
The importance of DBT cannot be understated. It equips teens with various skills that help in emotional regulation. As a parent or guardian, you are responsible for getting your teen the help they need. NexStep Teen Academy offers top-notch mental health treatment. We use various modalities, including DBT, to help teenagers overcome mental health challenges. We pride ourselves on our comprehensive treatment approach.
Our intensive outpatient, teen partial hospitalization, and general outpatient programs offer varied levels of care for each teen. The program your teen will be enrolled in will depend on the severity of their condition and the level of care they require. Our highly qualified staff ensures that your teen’s needs will be catered to. If you are considering therapy for your teen, then look no further. Contact NexStep Teen Academy today for more information. We will be happy to guide you on our outpatient services.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Although CBT and DBT share some similarities, they are very different. The key difference between CBT and DBT is their treatment approach. CBT is more goal-oriented and focuses on drawing logical conclusions from one’s thoughts. DBT mainly focuses on how teens interact with themselves and others. It focuses on emotional regulation and acceptance. CBT also focuses on identifying and modifying unhealthy thought patterns. On the other hand, DBT focuses on using mindfulness to overcome negative emotional responses.
DBT is useful in treating the following conditions:
Yes, DBT can help with self-harm and suicidal thoughts. It was originally developed to treat these symptoms, which are common in people with borderline personality disorder.