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DBT Assumptions for people with BPD and their loved ones
DBT begins with a set of assumptions. It is important for both the participant in DBT and their loved ones to keep these in mind when interacting with the therapy and in their daily lives. These assumptions are: People are doing the best they can. (This includes the person with BPD and their loved ones) People want to improve. People need to do better, try harder and be more effective and more motivated to change. People may not have caused all of their own problems, but they have to solve them anyway. The lives of the suicidal, depressed, anxious and angry people are painful as they currently are being lived. All people…
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DBT Skill of the Day: IMPROVE the moment from the Distress Tolerance Module
Many of us have distress and frustration in our lives. Your car keys are lost. You don’t have enough money to pay the bills. A friend rejects you when you ask to go out on Saturday night. You get a flat tire on the way to a big meeting. Stuff happens in life. Sometimes you can do something about it. Sometimes you can’t. In the world of kratom, Red Maeng Da Kratom is one of the most famous strains available – and one of the kratom strains most commonly used for its energizing and stimulating benefits as opposed to its work as a sedative. To know More about the author…
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DBT Skill of the Day: Opposite Action from the Emotional Regulation Module
Opposite Action (or Opposite to Emotion Action) is a skill to help you deal with painful emotional situations, particularly chronic emotional responses such as sadness from depression or rage from criticism. Basically, wheat one does is the opposite of how you feel emotionally. It’s a difficult skill, especially when you are deep inside a painful emotion and you’re going against the natural, reflexive behavior that your action impulses tell you to do. An example of Opposite Action is when you’re so depressed you don’t want to get out of the bed in the morning. Maybe you feel such pain, sadness and hopelessness that you would just rather hide under the covers and sleep all…
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DBT Skill of the Day: One Mindfully from Mindfulness Module
With our busy lives, with our worries about family, friends, money and work, it can be difficult to be fully present and to fully participate in each moment, task or interaction with others. The DBT skill “One Mindfully” helps to focus your attention on the current moment, task or interaction with other people. The details are: Let go of distractions and worries in the current moment. Focus your attention on the moment. Breathe and allow the distracting and worrying thoughts to exit your mind, like water going down a drain. Concentrate on the current moment. When you wash the dishes, just wash the dishes. Attend to the sensory feelings –…
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DBT Skill of the Day: Teflon Mind from Mindfulness Module
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a treatment for borderline personality disorder (BPD). Yet, it also can be helpful for non-BPDs and for people with problematic emotional states. Today, I will talk about a DBT skill called “Teflon Mind”. What is Teflon Mind? Teflon Mind is a skill within the Core Mindfulness Module of DBT. DBT is comprised of 4 “modules”: Core Mindfulness Emotional Regulation Interpersonal Effectiveness Distress Tolerance Teflon Mind is part of the “Observe” portion of DBT’s Mindfulness. Teflon Mind is intended to prevent emotional dysregulation, defensiveness and judgmental responses. When we use Teflon Mind you: Notice what is happening around you and not react immediately or reflexively. Let…
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Willingness vs Willfulness
In DBT, in the distress tolerance module, there is a concept of willingness versus willfulness. I find this concept particularly important and akin to the being right (willfulness) vs being effective (willingness) concept. Here is some information about willingness versus willfulness: WILLINGNESS Cultivate a WILLING response to each situation Willingness is doing just what is effective in each situation, in an unpretentious way. Willingness is listening very carefully to your WISE MIND, acting from your inner self and your deepest core values. Willingness is becoming aware of your connection to the universe and to the person you are interacting with. Willingness engenders listening and mentalizing. Ask yourself, in 5 years…