Dialectical Behavior Therapy – DBT

Clarify Counseling provides DBT Therapy – Dialectical Behavior Therapy –  in Greenville, SC. DBT Therapy is a cognitive-behavioral  therapy published in 1993 by Dr Marsha M. Linehan Ph. D at the University of Washington in Seattle.  Research for DBT started 17 years prior to publication as Dr. Linehan began developing a therapy to treat chronically suicidal females.  About 80% of this population met criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), which is typified by a client’s emotional and behavioral extremes.  DBT is the only therapy shown by extensive clinical research studies to be effective in treating Borderline Personality Disorder (i.e. a significant portion of the participants meeting criteria at the beginning of the studies no longer met criteria after one year of treatment).

More information about DBT – Dialectical Behavior Therapy can be found at: www.behavioraltech.com . Behavior Tech provides DBT therapists with DBT training and provided the official training for Clarify Counseling’s DBT Therapists.

Treatment For

Although the origin of Dialectical Behavior Therapy focused on Borderline Personality Disorder, further studies have shown that therapists employing DBT are successful in treating clients with diagnoses such as:

  • Depression
  • Panic Disorder
  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
  • Bulimia & Binge Eating Disorder

Adaptations

In addition, adaptations of Dialectical Behavior Therapy have been created by DBT Researchers to specifically  help with:

  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (DBT-PE (Prolonged Exposure))
  • The Emotional Conflicts of Adolescence (DBT-A)
  • Emotional & Behavioral Problems in Children 6-12 years old (DBT-C)
  • Substance Abuse
  • Overcontrol Disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa, Treatment-Resistant Depression & some Personality Disorders other than Borderline Personality Disorder

Research Findings

Specific research findings for Dialectical Behavior Therapy include:

  • Decreased problem behaviors (suicide attempts, self-harm, binging, purging, etc.)
  • Decreased hospitalizations
  • Higher rates of treatment completion
  • Increased participation
  • Reduction in suicidal ideation, anxiety, hopelessness, and anger
  • increased sustainability of adaptive coping, social adjustment, and reasons for living