Our therapists offer DBT / dialectical behavior therapy in Joliet, IL

My go-to approach for helping people in dialectical behavior therapy is using one's physical senses and physical movements to increase mindfulness and emotional regulation. I believe DBT is beneficial because our rationality can be difficult to manage when intellectual abilities are compromised from trauma, age, developmental delays, or general mental illness imbalance. Using our physical self can be a great complement to regulating emotions.

I teach the following tools in dialectical behavior therapy: interpersonal relationship effectiveness skills, including FAST self-respect, GIVE relationship maintenance, and DEAR MAN to communicate needs objectively and assertively; emotional regulation; distress tolerance; mindfulness meditation and activities; and WISE MIND to make balanced decision making.

I know a client is making meaningful progress in dialectical behavior therapy when they are able to use the skills effectively and independently, think about what is best in the long run, use self-respect and respect for others, and accept the dialectic nature of life, such as two different aspects of life can both be true instead of thinking that only one or the other can exist.

Clients can supplement their time in dialectical behavior therapy by developing mindfulness to increase the mind and body connection and live in the present.

To prepare for their first dialectical behavior therapy session, an individual can identify at least one activity that they enjoy and can hold their attention for 15 minutes.