When we process our anger as a normal emotion, we can reduce the vulnerability associated with the secondary emotion (i.e. I got really 1.angry with the cashier at the grocery store and now I am feeling 2.depressed because I am a terrible person for feeling this way). ![]() The primary emotion is the initial reaction, whereas the secondary emotion is a reaction to the subsequent thought (i.e. angry, sad, scared, confused, etc.) From there, we can say to ourselves “Ok, I know what I am feeling, now why am I feeling that way?” This then leads us to tease apart primary and secondary emotions. We can better regulate something, in this case, an emotion, when we understand what it is we are trying to regulate. This seems like a lot to pack into one skill, but the Coles Notes version is to understand that negative emotions are not inherently bad or need to be avoided, but are a regular part of life that can be acknowledged, processed, and then let go of. This skills often encapsulates three goals: to understand the emotion, to reduce emotional vulnerability, and to decrease emotional suffering. By learning strategies to manage and change the intense emotions that are causing problems in our lives, we can, in turn, live more peacefully with the world and the people around us. This is the ability to regulate our emotions so that they do not get to the point of controlling/impacting our thoughts and behaviours. By letting go of the need to control, we let go of the distressing emotions and the rigid expectations we hold of ourselves and others. We feel the stress of the day leave with each breath that exits our body, and we breathe in the experiences that the present moment has to offer. This skill may incorporate practices like mindful meditation, body scans, or simply taking a moment to focus on our breath. This can be quite challenging at first, but with practice, it can be liberating and a means of letting go of the extra weight that we perceive life to pile on. ![]() With mindfulness, we can eliminate these two attempts that are ultimately beyond our ability and accept that what is happening in the present moment is all that we have control over. The problem here lies in the inability to change the past or travel in time. Conversely, with depression, we have a tendency to become stuck in the past and reflect on what could have been or should have been. The problem with this is no one can predict the future and therefore it will always remain an unknown to some degree. With anxiety, we have a tendency to live in the future and try to predict what will happen in every possible scenario. These four components are the key to successfully implementing this modality in one’s day to day life.īecause they are such important therapeutic skills, let’s break them down a little further: MindfulnessĪs with mindfulness-based therapy itself, this skill helps one to live in the present moment and accept what is happening in the here-and-now. More specifically, DBT focuses on skills training and includes mindfulness, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness and distress tolerance. Originally developed to help individuals cope with extreme emotions that would often result in harmful behaviours, DBT works towards reducing one’s emotional distress that negatively impacts their wellbeing and the way they interact with their surroundings. Although both CBT and DBT incorporate cognitive-behavioural techniques, DBT is a modified version that places more emphasis on the emotional and social aspects of a person’s life. This can be tough given these are two opposing constructs however, they are vital in the DBT process. It also informs us that we must make positive changes if we wish to have a healthy relationship with the ever-changing, and often-challenging world around us. ![]() DBT teaches that our experiences are real/valid and to accept them as such. What is the Difference Between Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)?Ī key difference between CBT and DBT lies in the concept of validation and relationships. The main focus of Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT for short, is to provide clients with a set of skills to help them manage painful and distressing emotions, in turn helping them to decrease conflict in their relationships and live a life they feel is worth living. There are some that focus on our behaviours, some that look into our past and our childhood, and some that expose us to the things we are truly afraid of. With all the different kinds of therapies and modalities out there, it can be hard to decide which one may be right for you.
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