Calming the Emotional Storm

Calming the Emotional Storm: Introduction to Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Emotionally Dysregulated Clients 

Over 75% of mental illnesses described in the DSM are related to emotion dysregulation – the inability to manage emotions effectively. Given that Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) was initially created to treat Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), of which emotion dysregulation is a primary problem, it only makes sense that DBT would be effective in treating other disorders, and research in recent years is supporting this.

This webinar will provide an introduction to DBT, including the origins of the therapy, the Biosocial Theory of how emotion dysregulation develops, and how behaviour theory is used to help clients move toward healing. You will learn about some of the research demonstrating the efficacy of DBT in treating disorders other than BPD.

You will learn about Dialectics, and the importance of balancing validation with change with the dysregulated client; and how to effectively use validation to help clients re-regulate in session, as well as how to teach them to practice this skill on their own.

Finally, you will learn some of the skills used in DBT to help clients manage emotions more effectively (including some skills from the core mindfulness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance modules).