Are you seeking relief from painful thoughts and emotions that keep you feeling stuck and uncertain in life? Are you feeling anxious or depressed about where you are in life but can’t seem to make the necessary changes?

When it comes to healing from mental health and life challenges, it’s important to find the right treatment program that meets your specific needs and fits your lifestyle. 

At Handel Behavioral Health, our trained therapists in counselors in Massachusetts offer many therapeutic modalities and treatment options to help you achieve lifelong healing, connection, integration, and growth. 

One of many treatment options offered at Handel Behavioral Health is Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), an evidence-based modality that helps people experiencing a range of challenges: including motional and mood dysregulation, challenges in relationships, impulsive behaviors, doubt about values and goals, hopelessness, self-injurious behaviors and suicide ideation.

By working with a dialectical behavioral therapist in Massachusetts, you will learn how to make effective changes in your life while also building acceptance for yourself and your life experiences. 

Start working with one of our CBT trained therapists in Amherst, West Springfield, Wilbraham, Franklin, Natick, or online in Massachusetts today!

What is Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)?

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based psychotherapy, developed by Psychologist Marsha M. Linehan, and originally designed to treat individuals with personality disorder. Since its initial success, DBT has been adapted to treat a wide range of mental health conditions, including:

• Depression 
• Substance use disorder/addiction
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) 
• Eating disorders
• Mood disorders
• Self-harming/Self-injury

DBT is based on unconditional acceptance of the client by the therapist who introduces change-oriented strategies into the therapeutic process. Clients will learn effective coping skills to regulate their thoughts and emotions, improve their relationships, and reduce maladaptive behaviors. Clients may learn mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness tools.

How Does DBT Work in Therapy Sessions?

DBT simultaneously helps clients to develop acceptance as well as promoting positive behavioral changes. 

To aid this process, the therapist will always validate the individual’s feelings through active listening and repeating back to the client that they understand what the client is experiencing. 

Once the therapeutic connection is made, the therapist will then identify ways that some of the client’s thoughts, emotions or behaviors may be unintentionally hindering their own growth. Adaptive behaviors that can be used as coping skills for negative thoughts, emotions, or behaviors will be introduced to the client. 

The individual will identify which skills and behaviors improve their quality of life, and the therapist will ensure that the client feels safe and supported throughout.

What are the Benefits of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy?

The skills of dialectical behavioral therapy can help improve clients lives in many ways, including:

1. Improvement of Interpersonal Relationships 

DBT emphasizes interpersonal effectiveness skills, such as learning how to set boundaries, create trust, and develop strong communication skills. The emotional regulation skills and distress tolerance skills developed by DBT also help improve relationships.

2. Development of Transferable Life Skills 

The skills taught by DBT are transferable to many areas of life. DBT emphasizes mindfulness practices which helps clients live in the present moment and develop awareness of their thoughts and feelings. Mindfulness can reduce stress and improve functioning at work, home, and in our social life. 

3. Improvement in Quality of Life 

DBT teaches clients how to gain acceptance of themselves and others. This non-judgmental attitude can increase positive thoughts towards self and others, helping clients to make changes in their life and move forward towards their goals with greater awareness and confidence. 

Start Working with a Dialectical Behavioral Therapist in Massachusetts Today:

At Handel Behavioral Health, we believe that everyone deserves to develop a healthy mental health perspective that will promote a meaningful and authentic life. 

DBT can be an effective treatment option for individuals who want to or may need to develop a more mindful, resilient, and adaptive lifestyle. 

To start working with one of our DBT therapists online in Massachusetts or in-person from our offices in Amherst, West Springfield, Wilbraham, Natick, and Franklin, contact us today at (413) 343-4357 or request an appointment online.

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