Dialectical Behavior Therapy Workbook - M. McKay, PhD

[ScarletOlive]

The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Workbook Author: Matthew McKay, Ph.D., Jeffrey C. Wood, M.D., and Jeffrey Brantley, M.D. Publisher: New Harbinger Publications; 1 edition (July1, 2007) Paperback: 248 pages ISBN-10: 1572245131 ISBN-13: 978-1572245136

Book Description
Dialectical behavior therapy, though originally created for treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder, has been effective at helping many other psychological disorders. Research shows that DBT, as outlined in this workbook, can help those suffering from intense emotions and stress. Instead of losing control or resorting to destructive coping mechanisms, the goal of DBT is to increase your ability to handle distress.  This book helps you to build skills in the areas of distress tolerance, mindfulness, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.

The workbook expounds on direct steps and exercises, from easier introductory exercises to more advanced skills in later chapters. DBT can be very effective at helping you handle emotions, and this workbook may be an effective tool to help.

About the Authors
Dr. Matthew McKay, Ph.D., holds his doctorate in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology. He specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy to treat depression and anxiety. Additionally, he is an author and co-author of many books, including The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook, Self-Esteem, Thoughts and Feelings, When Anger Hurts, and ACT on Life Not on Anger, and is also a professor at the Wright Institute, a clinical psychology graduate school, in Berkeley, CA.

Dr. Jeffrey C. Wood, Psy.D., a clinical psychologist who specializes in the use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy for the treatment of mood and anxiety disorders, trauma, chronic pain, and personality disorders. He is also a part-time professor at the Wright Institute, a clinical psychology graduate school, in Berkeley, California.

Dr. Jeffrey Brantley, M.D., a consulting associate in the Duke Department of Psychiatry, also founded and directs the mindfulness-based stress reduction program at Duke University’s Center for Integrative Medicine. In addition, he has also authored several other titles including Calming Your Anxious Mind, Daily Meditations for Calming Your Anxious Mind.

[Steph]

DBT is about the only effective therapy for BPD, at least so far.

Here is the Wiki definition. My DBPDh has been in it for 3 yrs almost now, and its working some huge miracles. He is STILL in it, still working hard, still dealing with stuff... DBT gives him the skills to maintain emotional equilibrium, however, and makes his life a whole lot better. Feel free to PM me if you have questions.

Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) is a psychological method developed by Marsha M. Linehan to treat patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD).[1] Research indicates its application to also be effective in treating patients who represent varied symptoms and behaviors associated with spectrum mood disorders, including self-injury. Key elements DBT practitioners emphasize include, behaviorist theory, dialectics, cognitive therapy, and, DBT's central component, mindfulness.

There are two essential parts of the treatment, and without either of these parts the therapy is not considered ":)BT adherent."

An individual component in which the therapist and client discuss issues that come up during the week, recorded on diary cards and follow a treatment target hierarchy. Self-injurious and suicidal behaviors take first priority, followed by therapy interfering behaviors. Then there are quality of life issues and finally working towards improving one's life generally. During the individual therapy, the therapist and client work towards improving skill use. Often, skills group is discussed and obstacles to acting skillfully are addressed.

The group, which ordinarily meets once weekly for two to two-and-a-half hours, learns to use specific skills that are broken down into four modules: core mindfulness skills, emotion regulation skills, interpersonal effectiveness skills and distress tolerance skills.

1.1 Mindfulness

1.2 Interpersonal effectiveness

1.3 Distress tolerance

1.4 Emotion regulation

Mindfulness

The essential part of all skills taught in skills group are the core mindfulness skills. Mindfulness is derived from the Zen tradition and can be studied in Zen literature.[citation needed]

Interpersonal effectiveness

Interpersonal response patterns taught in DBT skills training are very similar to those taught in many assertiveness and interpersonal problem-solving classes. They include effective strategies for asking for what one needs, saying no, and coping with interpersonal conflict.

Individuals with borderline personality disorder frequently possess good interpersonal skills in a general sense. The problems arise in the application of these skills to specific situations. An individual may be able to describe effective behavioral sequences when discussing another person encountering a problematic situation, but may be completely incapable of generating or carrying out a similar behavioral sequence when analyzing his or her own situation.

This module focuses on situations where the objective is to change something (e.g., requesting someone to do something) or to resist changes someone else is trying to make (e.g., saying no). The skills taught are intended to maximize the chances that a person’s goals in a specific situation will be met, while at the same time not damaging either the relationship or the person’s self-respect.

Distress tolerance

Most approaches to mental health treatment focus on changing distressing events and circumstances. They have paid little attention to accepting, finding meaning for, and tolerating distress. This task has generally been tackled by religious and spiritual communities and leaders. Dialectical behavioral therapy emphasizes learning to bear pain skillfully.

Distress tolerance skills constitute a natural development from mindfulness skills. They have to do with the ability to accept, in a non-evaluative and nonjudgmental fashion, both oneself and the current situation. Although the stance advocated here is a nonjudgmental one, this does not mean that it is one of approval: acceptance of reality is not approval of reality.

Distress tolerance behaviors are concerned with tolerating and surviving crises and with accepting life as it is in the moment. Four sets of crisis survival strategies are taught: distracting, self-soothing, improving the moment, and thinking of pros and cons. Acceptance skills include radical acceptance, turning the mind toward acceptance, and willingness versus willfulness.

Emotion regulation

Individuals with borderline personality disorder and suicidal individuals are frequently emotionally intense and labile. They can be angry, intensely frustrated, depressed, or anxious. This suggests that these clients might benefit from help in learning to regulate their emotions. Dialectical behavioral therapy skills for emotion regulation include:

Identifying and labeling emotions

Identifying obstacles to changing emotions

Reducing vulnerability to emotion mind

Increasing positive emotional events

Increasing mindfulness to current emotions

Taking opposite action

Applying distress tolerance techniques

[Breakable]

This is a self-help book for people with BPD. It looks especially useful for those who are undiagnosed because although it mentions BPD, it says that DBT can also be helpful to others. In other words, it deals with the behaviours without having to put a label on them.

I'm thinking about the possibility of suggesting it to my uBPD mother (who has had therapy in the past and does read self-help books)

Has anyone read this book? Or even recommended it to a uBPD loved-one?

[Lemlover]

When my husband was in DBT, I got a dialectical behavior therapy workbook, read and practiced exercises for myself. They are sold in bookstores, online, and you may even find in library. I still refer to it/practice  to keep things at forefront (especially if h is dysregulated) or I have been triggered. The book is no substitute for the actual DBT, but as a non who loves someone w/BPD--I find it very useful and practical.

[qcarolr]

I also bought a workbook for DBT when I first heard about it, just to understand what it was. It really helped me to acknowledge that I am bipolar, but not BPD. The one I purchased is: "The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook... ." by Matthew McKay, PHD, Jeffrey C Wood, PsyD, Jeffrey Brantley, MD.  It was a random selection from Amazon.com.

It covers the four sections of DBT in a easy to understand, worksheet/excercise format that worked for me. I still have not gone through the whole book yet.

Four parts to DBT:

1. Distress Tolerance

2. Mindfulness

3. Emotion Regulation

4. Interpersonal Effectiveness

qcr

[faerie]

I ordered this workbook from Fishpond.com.au for about $25.  I thought it would help me to understand the mechanisms behind DBT and also to have at hand should my daughter ever come back into my life. I thought there might be some members here who would be interested in it.

It focuses on the four areas that BPDs need to learn in order to function in life and relations.hips

[qcarolr]

I had this workbook, and have worked through the beginning of it. Then I gave it to my DD25 when she returned to our home in June as she cycled out of a long-term bf r/s. She was reading it and writing in a notebook for the first 2 months - she resists working with a T and the mental health center would not open their DBT group to her until she 'proves' that she can attend some other group - though non of the ones suggested fit DD's needs very well. Since she has connected with a new bf I am thinking the DBT workbook has sat dormant - at least until she may find she needs it again.

I am trying to stay out of her life as much as possible. I think this workbook's skills can be helpful for anyone wanting to improve themselves and their r/s with others. Think I need to order another one for me, and will ask my T when I see him next week if he would help me work through it. I have kind of lost my focus recently.

qcr