Beginner's Guide To Dialectical Behavior Therapy

What Patients Can Expect

Generally, what patients can expect when undergoing dialectical behavior therapy is to participate in a combination of classroom and individual therapy sessions. During classroom sessions, patients role-play various scenarios to learn healthy methods of interacting with others. Homework assignments and worksheets are also used to help patients learn new behavior patterns. Individual therapy sessions are private sessions with a patient and a professional therapist. These sessions help the patient reinforce the healthy behaviors they learn in group sessions by providing personalized advice on how they might adapt and apply these healthy behaviors to their unique life challenges.

Patients involved in this form of therapy also have access to coaching over the phone. They can call their therapist if they are experiencing a particularly difficult day or crisis moment, and the therapist will provide advice on how to handle that and support the patient through the experience. For patients who have particularly complex situations, the individual therapist may consult with other therapists who form part of a consultation team for suggestions on how to effectively help the patient.

Read about dialectical behavior therapy's effectiveness now.