What kind of skills does DBT help patients to develop?

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is specifically designed to help individuals develop new coping methods and skills that are essential for managing emotions, improving interpersonal effectiveness, and enhancing self-regulation. It focuses on teaching adaptive behaviors that can help patients cope with stressful situations and emotions, which are particularly relevant for those dealing with borderline personality disorder and other emotional dysregulation issues.

DBT includes several key components such as mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Each of these components equips patients with practical strategies to handle their thoughts and feelings in a healthier way. For instance, mindfulness skills help individuals remain present and aware, while distress tolerance techniques provide strategies for managing crises without resorting to harmful behavior. The goal is to enhance the individual's self-acceptance while simultaneously promoting change through the acquisition of these new coping methods.

In contrast, memory and attention skills, physical fitness skills, and communication and relational skills, while important in various therapeutic approaches, do not encapsulate the primary focus of DBT. DBT's unique emphasis lies on helping patients cultivate specific coping strategies that address their emotional challenges.