How to Find a DBT Therapist Near You
Don’t live close to us at Front Range Treatment Center? Seeking Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) outside of Colorado? Use this guide to learn what to look for when trying to find a DBT therapist near you.
To find a Dialectal Behavior Therapy (DBT) provider, it can be helpful to first understand some background information about DBT. This guide will provide you the basics on DBT, and prepare you to find a qualified DBT therapist.
What is dialectical behavior therapy?
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a form of therapy for those with strong emotions. It helps clients learn to tolerate strong emotions, reduce the intensity of emotions, build better relationships, become more present (without living in the past, or being overwhelmed by the future), and build a “life worth living.”
DBT is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) that address the thoughts and behaviors that lead to suffering and ineffective behaviors. It is a form of therapy with strong-research support: we know it works really well (when delivered correctly).
DBT was originally designed for individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), and is the best treatment for those with BPD. However, research has also shown that DBT can be beneficial for many different types of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, trauma/PTSD, anger, and more.
What does the “dialectical” in DBT mean?
Dialectical refers to the process of integrating opposites. It is about bringing balance to reduce suffering, increasing flexibility, reducing black and white thinking, and supporting the goals of acceptance and change. Dialectics is the philosophical orientation underpinning DBT.
What does the “behavioral” in DBT mean?
Behavioral refers to the psychological orientation underpinning DBT. DBT is a “behavioral therapy,” meaning it focuses on behaviors. During DBT sessions, discussions focus on behaviors, and considers questions such as:
What ineffective behaviors are getting in the way of your goals?
How do you replace these ineffective behaviors with more effective behaviors?
What factors in the environment are supporting ineffective behavior, and/or blocking more effective behaviors?
This also keeps the discussion, primarily, on the present. DBT therapists will want to have a thorough understanding of your past, but the primary reason for this is to understand where present behaviors came from. DBT therapists will also focus on the past when treating the effects of trauma (an important part of DBT treatment for some clients, but not all). However, DBT therapists in general are primarily concerned with the present. How do we change behavior, today?
The Components of DBT
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) consists of four parts:
DBT Skills Classes
In DBT skills classes, students focus on learning skills. DBT skills offer a more effective ways of responding to difficult situations and strong emotions. There are four sets of DBT skills: emotion-regulation skills, distress tolerance skills, interpersonal effectiveness skills, and mindfulness skills. In general, DBT skills class are taught by two DBT therapists.
Individual DBT
In individual DBT sessions, clients meet with a DBT therapists. The primary goal is to take the DBT skills learned in class, and apply those skills to your own life. This challenging task is known as generalization: it’s easy to “learn” skills in class by memorizing a worksheet, but much harder to master that skills so you can apply it in your daily life. It is even harder to use DBT skills when emotions are high, so practicing with the aid of an inexperienced DBT therapist is critical.
DBT Phone Coaching
With DBT phone coaching, clients have access to their DBT therapist by phone. This helps with skills generalization. If you are upset between sessions, or know you need to apply skills but cannot remember which skills or how to apply them, your therapist may be able to help prompt you in the moment. The goal is to help the client apply their DBT skills in times of high emotion or stress, when they are having trouble with what skills to use, or are too overwhelmed to effectively use their DBT skill without assistance.
DBT Therapist to DBT Therapist Consultation
DBT therapists work in teams, and to discuss their cases. The benefit is that, when you see a DBT therapist, it is almost like you are working with a team of DBT providers. DBT consultation is also important from DBT therapists, to help them manage their own stress and to prevent burnout. This helps ensure DBT therapists are best able to assist their clients.
What does it mean that DBT is “evidence-based”?
DBT is an "evidence based treatment." So, what exactly does that mean?
“Evidenced-based treatment” is a concept that guides clinicians in making decisions about client care. Therapists committed to providing evidence-based treatments consider the best, most up-to-date research evidence when selecting treatments. These therapists believe that professional ethics requires them to only use methods shown by research to be effective. That way, the client is getting the most value possible, with the highest chance of a positive outcome.
Evidenced based treatments allow for flexibility and can be tailored to an individual’s specific needs, which can only be done after a clinical assessment from the provider.
According to the American Psychological Association, evidence-based treatment is
the integration of the best available research with clinical expertise in the context of patient characteristics, culture, and preferences.
The purpose… is to promote effective psychological practice and enhance public health by applying empirically supported principles of psychological assessment, case formulation, therapeutic relationship, and intervention.
Division 12 of the American Psychological Association maintains a list of empirically supported treatments.
Is DBT just for borderline personality disorder (BPD)?
It is true that DBT was created to treat BPD, and it is the best treatment for BPD. According to the American Psychological Association’s Society of Clinical Psychology, DBT is the only treatment for BPD with strong research support. However, DBT has also been shown to be helpful for many other mental health issues. In addition, many DBT therapists believe that almost everyone can benefit from DBT skills that teach new ways to tolerate difficult situations and improve relationships.
DBT helps when the underlying issue is emotion dysregulation: having trouble controlling your emotions. Some people just tend to get upset easier, experience their emotions more intensely, stay upset for longer, and have less skills for calming down. The main reason appears to be biology, and some people are just more emotionally vulnerable because of their genes (and, likely, some feedback from the environment during those crucial early developmental periods). DBT helps people learn to regulate their emotions. This has implications for many different types of problems, including depression, behavioral issues such as gambling or thrill seeker, self-harm, interpersonal issues, anger, and more. Read on to learn what other issues DBT can help with.
What issues is DBT helpful for?
There is a large amount of research evidence that demonstrates that DBT is an evidence based treatment, for a wide variety of issues. These include:
What should you look for in a DBT therapist?
When finding a DBT therapist we suggest looking for a therapist with the following qualities:
Intensively trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (search here), and/or certified by the DBT-Linehan Board of Certification.
Part of a DBT consultation team
Dedicated to evidence based treatment
When evaluating a DBT therapist, ask about each of the above. Be wary of therapists using non-evidence based treatments, therapists who seem to specialize in everything, and therapists without training in DBT.
Most DBT programs are outpatient programs. This mean you see your therapist at their office. Sometimes inpatient programs offer DBT as well, and this can be very helpful if a DBT client ends up in the hospital after a mental health crises. However, DBT providers usually try to keep their patients out of the hospital, suggesting hospitalization only as a last result.
Learn more about our DBT program in the Denver Tech Center. Our comprehensive DBT program includes individual therapy, group DBT skills classes, and 24/7 DBT phone coaching.
TLDR: How do I find a DBT therapist near me?
When looking for a DBT therapist, we suggest looking for a therapist with the following qualities:
A therapist who is intensively trained in DBT by Behavior Tech.
A therapist who specializes in DBT (and it’s not just one of many services they offer).
A therapist who works at a DBT treatment center, offering comprehensive DBT (with DBT skills group, DBT individual therapy, and phone coaching).
A therapist who is a part of a DBT consultation team.
A therapist who only offers evidence-based treatment: methods shown by research to be effective.
To find a find a DBT therapist, we suggest first starting with Behavior Tech’s Find A Therapist tool. You can also search the DBT-Linehan Board of Certification (DBT-LBC). The highest level designating expertise in DBT, our director is a DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, Certified DBT Clinician.
For more information, you can read our article on selecting a BPD therapist here.
If I’m not yet ready to make an appointment, where can I learn more about Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)?
If you’re not ready to make an appointment with a DBT therapist, it can be very helpful to first learn about DBT and how it’s delivered. Here are some helpful resources to get you started: