Building Resilience with Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) Lite
by Kat Rowe | December 19, 2023
Practical strategies for navigating life’s twists and turns
Our Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT Lite) program is designed to empower individuals with practical strategies for navigating life’s twists and turns.
At Stride, we understand that resilience is more than bouncing back from adverse circumstances. It’s the ability to adapt and grow stronger in the face of life’s challenges.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Lite is a FREE 12-week group therapy program offered at Stride Hub Caboolture and Stride Hub Springwood. DBT Lite focuses on building resilience through a unique blend of therapeutic techniques.
The program is tailored to individuals involved in clinical care who are looking to improve their emotional regulation, distress tolerance and communication skills.
Core Components of DBT Lite
Dialectical Behavioural Therapy is a form of talk therapy that was developed to treat Borderline Personality Disorder, with a focus on improving one’s emotional regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness and practising mindfulness. The main goal of DBT is to implement both acceptance and change, to build a “life worth living”. DBT is now commonly used to treat people suffering with substance use issues, eating disorders, gambling addictions, PTSD or emotional dysregulation issues.
In DBT Lite you can learn to:
- Accept who you are
- Build skills to regulate your emotions and find healthy coping mechanisms
- Improve interpersonal relationships and boundary-setting
Distress tolerance and overcoming adversity
Distress tolerance refers to how we deal with managing our difficult emotions in a crisis or stressful situation. In DBT the focus is on learning healthy coping mechanisms that keep us from engaging in harmful behaviours. By learning these strategies we can keep ourselves safe in times of stress.
Regulating, managing and understanding emotions
A key aspect of DBT Lite is the exploration of emotions. Participants delve into the intricacies of regulating and managing emotions, by learning skills such as naming our emotions, how to check-in with ourselves and understanding why we experience such a broad range of emotions. This equips participants with a better understanding of themselves, and what they may be experiencing.
Mindfulness strategies
DBT Lite encourages individuals to cultivate mindfulness and be present in the moment. By practising grounding exercises, breathing regulation or sensory engagement we can help to be in the present moment. Mindfulness can help us respond carefully rather than react to what is going on around us.
Practical applications and navigating the challenges of DBT Lite
DBT Lite isn’t confined to theoretical learning, it extends practically to everyday life. Participants can learn how to integrate DBT Lite techniques into their daily routines.
Overcoming obstacles is an inherent part of the journey, and DBT Lite provides strategies for turning challenging moments into opportunities for growth.
The role of DBT Lite in fostering healthier connections
Effective communication is vital for building and maintaining resilient relationships. DBT Lite emphasises the development of communication skills, enabling participants to express themselves authentically and connect more meaningfully with others.
Self-validation is a powerful tool in building resilience. DBT Lite encourages individuals to acknowledge and validate their experiences, therefore fostering a positive self-image and strengthening the foundation of resilience.
Embark on your journey toward greater resilience
Interested in finding out more about Stride’s FREE Dialectical Behaviour Therapy services? Get in touch with Stride’s friendly team to learn more about the service.