DBT: Dialectical Behavioral Training

What This Training Covers

Teachers and coaches are in unique roles with the youth of our community.  Their role places them in front of the young people and allows them the opportunity to provide them with resources to be successful.   Both school and sports can be tough at time for kids.  How the adults respond can make a huge difference.   

 Our section on DBT skills for teachers and coaches can give you the tools you need to be proactive.  Preparing youth for navigating the roller coaster of life is a wonderful opportunity.  Helping them use those skills is a great chance to make lives better.  

Through this program you will be able to teach some skills regarding distress tolerance, emotional regulation, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness.  You will also have the opportunity to reflect on the needs of the youth with whom you work and provide them with resources in the community for additional counseling.    

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What is DBT: Dialectical Behavioral Training

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The Pillars of DBT

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Skills For DBT

Overview

What is DBT: Dialectical Behavioral Training

BASIC ASSUMPTIONS:  All things are interconnected.  Change is constant and inevitable.  Opposites can be integrated to form a closer approximation of the truth. 

Dialectical means “the existence of opposites”. Hence acceptance that experiences and behaviors are valid, and change is needed to manage emotions and move forward.  

Types of dysregulations:  Behavioral, cognitive, self, interpersonal and emotion 

A key concept of learning to regulate is to recognize that two things can be true at the same time such as: 

Two things can be true: 

  • I am strong 
  • You can have both fear 
  • You feel like you can’t go on 
  • You can be intelligent 
  • I want to change 
  • You are happy with yourself 
  • I am capable 
  • Yet vulnerable 
  • And courage at the same time 
  • And you still go on 
  • And lack self-awareness 
  • And I’m afraid to change 
  • And want to improve 
  • And I need support 

Pillars

The Pillars Of DBT

BIOSOCIAL: The biosocial theory of DBT is that when a person is emotionally sensitive, lives in and interacts with an invalidating environment, patterns of emotional regulation develop. Emotional sensitivity could mean 

 A person has a strong over-emotional reaction to emotional stimuli

or

When a person experiences intense emotions they have trouble calming down.  

ACCEPTANCE AND VALIDATION: DBT validates a person’s experiences, thoughts, and emotions.  This doesn’t mean utilizing DBT is approval of destructive behaviors. It means   acknowledging the person’s emotional state, attempting to be understanding, while at the same time teaching skills to change unhealthy thoughts and behaviors. 

BEHAVIORAL CHANGE:  DBT encourages you to interact with people in your environment and practice healthier responses to situations that are emotionally charged.

EMOTIONAL REGULATION: Emotional regulation is both a DBT principle and a DBT skill.  You will learn to identify the emotion, put a name to it, and ultimately change your emotions with other DBT skills such as mindfulness. Recognizing your emotions when they come up allows you to take a step back from a situation. Your emotional vulnerability can be reduced leading to healthier emotional experiences.  

DISTRESS TOLERANCE: Distress tolerance is also a skill and a principle.  Distress tolerance skills teach you self-soothing by using your senses. In order to get out of your head from negative and overwhelming thoughts you can focus on your senses 

INTERPERSONAL EFFECTIVENESS: Interpersonal effectiveness is also a skill and a principle.  Interpersonal effectiveness will also help you communicate better, respect yourself, respect other people, and deal with people that you don’t necessarily like or get along with. 

Skills

The Skills For DBT

Distress Tolerance

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Emotional Regulation

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Mindfulness

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Interpersonal Effectiveness

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