Mindfulness And Dbt (dialectical Behavior Therapy)

[Lionheart]

I was wondering if anyone has experience with this form of therapy that they can share with me? My therapist wants me to learn mindfulness skills, but I know little to nothing about DBT and mindfulness. I would like to know if this type of therapy has been helpful for trauma survivors and if so, how?

 

[Abstract]

I think its truly wonderful for us and I have gained enormously despite almost entirely doing it the self help route.

Its strength is many fold but two main areas are helping emotion moderation (coping with intense emotions) and interpersonal interactions. Not sure if you have seen this already but here is a site that will say more. http://www.dbtselfhelp.com/

DBT when taught more seriously is done is a group and almost theory setting.

 

[Lionheart]

Thank you Abstract, I will definitely check out the site. I am happy to learn that DBT is helpful for you and I can't wait to learn more.

 

[Hashi]

Very, very helpful. For me it has been key.

I don't know if you like YouTube videos. If so you might find this useful (Marsha Linehan, who developed DBT, explaining how it came about):

DBT was originally developed for people with a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), but it's increasingly used for a whole range of things. I don't have a BPD diagnosis but I find DBT and mindfulness really helpful for what I am diagnosed with - PTSD, obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety.

The skills have helped me through suicidal ideation and unhealthy coping methods (common to both BPD and to PTSD). They have also helped me to work towards a better life. I don't know if you're familiar with the DBT "strapline", which is "Building a life worth living". I did not have a life worth living and I didn't see it as a possibility, but DBT has given me some hope for that, and some understanding of what that might mean.

To me, DBT and mindfulness are good for severe issues and they're also just good mental health, good coping and good interaction skills. I think they should teach them to everyone in (high) school!

I did find some concepts difficult at first, especially radical acceptance and mindfulness. If the first explanation you get doesn't explain it for you, keep looking/asking for more explanation, and also be willing to only partially understand it but give it a go anyway. I found that understanding it came along with trying to do it.

Something I really like about DBT is that you can approach it at different levels. When I was barely functioning and using very unhealthy coping methods, I could still make a list of things to distract me and things to soothe me. At that point, they were small and fragile lists but they were something. I could do them, and I could use them. That was the foundation for getting to a point of much better functioning and much healthier coping. Now, my lists are much more ambitious and expansive.

I'm so glad for you that your therapist has suggested this. I've had several turning points in healing, and DBT/mindfulness skills have definitely been one of them.

 

[Lionheart]

Very, very helpful. For me it has been key. I'm so glad for you that your therapist has suggested this. I've had several turning points in healing, and DBT/mindfulness skills have definitely been one of them.

Thank you Hashi!!! I am happy to know that DBT has been helpful for you! :) I am excited to learn more and have been given a couple mindfulness exercises to practice over the next two weeks. I enjoy what I am learning so far and I think that my meditation practice will help a bit with the mindfulness skills, (or so I hope).

 

[Abstract]

It was one of those big turning points (in making a better life) for me too. Glad you are excited Lionheart. :)

 

[Hashi]

I think that my meditation practice will help a bit with the mindfulness skills, (or so I hope).

I hope so too.

In addition, mindfulness is also very much about conscious focus when doing practical, even mundane, things. Sort of the opposite of dissociation.

Almost every source I read gave washing dishes as standard for practising mindfulness. I do not agree with this, since washing dishes takes me about half an hour and is like super-advanced mindfulness rather than a beginning practice. Maybe they have dishwashers and only have to wash the occasional cup? Learning to mindfully make a sandwich was more like it. :)

 

[Abstract]

Agreed on the dishwashing! :p

 

[BloomInWinter]

Dialectical-Behavioral Therapy saved my life. Even more importantly, gave me the skills to begin building the life I always wanted.

I highly recommend it.

 

[Nighthawk]

I am in the middle of it. I am not going to say it is easy. I get very agitated by some of the skills they are trying to teach me, To be honest I have been struggling.

 

[Abstract]

Nighthawk, which ones? Do you mind saying? I am finding it impossible to do mindfulness exercises which are inward focused on the body.

All of it felt very counter intuitive to me but that is why it was so helpful I think. I was living the opposite way.

 

[Nighthawk]

I have been getting triggered while in the skill group for weeks. When I first started the meditation was the one thing I could do with out making my situation worse. I am supposed to mindfully eat still not accomplished and could not be bothered. I got so angry at this stuff I no longer practice as much as I should. I no longer even like to open the book. I have gained some new things from this therapy but nothing seems to help when I am triggered. I seem to be that way a lot.

There are skills I think would be very helpful. If you would like to know what has occurred up to this point I will share? I can PM you or try and write it here. You might need to give me some time though or maybe I can break it up.