Talking therapy is when you talk to someone who is trained to help you cope with your negative thoughts and feelings. There are many types of talking therapy and you do not need to be diagnosed by a professional with an illness to benefit from talking therapy. This kind of therapy helps you determine what kinds of negative feelings you're experiencing and why. It also helps you develop strong coping mechanisms and other strategies to deal with this negative feelings in a healthy way.

 

Dialectical behavior therapy, or DBT, is a talk therapy that focuses on individual psychotherapy as well as group sessions to help people use new skills and strategies to create a life they think is worth living. DBT is used to treat a multitude of mental health issues (suicidal thoughts, borderline personality disorder, substance dependence, etc). During DBT, the client and their therapist will work to set goals that are important to the client. They may discuss ways to replace harmful behaviors with behaviors that enhance quality of life. Problematic and unhealthy behaviors develop as a way to cope with stress and other negative thoughts and feelings and DBT effectively combats that by teaching clients healthy ways to cope with their negative emotions. Clients are taught behavioral skills in areas such as mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. DBT has shown through research to be effective in reducing suicidal ideation, self harm, substance use, anger, and depression, among other things. DBT is NOT the same as CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), though they are similar. DBT is a modification of CBT where therapists accept that their clients are who they are while also acknowledging that the client needs to change some of their behaviors. DBT was developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan. If you're interested in DBT or you think that you would benefit from DBT, talk to your doctor and/or psychologist about a specific treatment plan for you.