Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Training Use of handouts and books

I offer a DBT informed approach (not strictly DBT as I pull from other modalities when appropriate) as to me it is the most all encompassing therapy I have come across. It helps teach life skills such as mindfulness practice, radical acceptance, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness and emotional regulation. All such skills can help with most mental health challenges and addictive tendencies.

Why ruminate when you can free your mind and soul to be in the moment? Can you tell I have a thing for mindfulness. DBT is where mindfulness and CBT meet. The main goals of DBT are to teach people how to live in the moment, develop healthy ways to cope with stress, regulate their emotions, and improve their relationships with self and others.

DBT was born out of CBT and mindfulness, both of which I have studied separately. Getting certified in DBT, thus, seemed natural. I don't do the strict protocols of DBT, which is a group therapy, but I use a lot of the principles frequently.

I am formally trained through Marsha Linehan's training foundation and have used DBT in both residential and outpatient settings extensively.

Dialectics are two seemingly opposite things that can somehow exist at the same time, such as a) accepting yourself for who you are now and b) trying to change for the better. DBT is kind of like a giant playbook of different skills for coping, regulating emotions, relationships, and more. I talk about it all the time. I ALSO talk about its brand-new baby sibling, Radically Open DBT. RO-DBT is all about how social signaling affects our openness to new things.

I have over 3 years experience using DBT in a variety of treatment settings. I was trained using DBT inpatient for eating disorders and have applied the skills with many clients in my outpatient practice. I often combine approaches to meet the needs of my individual client.

I have 60 hours of intensive training and hundreds of hours on DBT consultation teams. I have also helped several clients adopt DBT principles and learn skills that have truly changed their lives. DBT acknowledges both that people are trying the best they can with what they have AND that they can change behavior to make lasting changes. In therapy, we will look at accepting ourselves AND learning emotion regulation, mindfulness, distress tolerance, and assertiveness skills.

DBT combines standard cognitive-behavioral techniques along with acceptance, mindfulness and distress tolerance. DBT can help with treating anxiety, trauma, PTSD and substance use. DBT can help provide steps and ways to cope with any negative feelings and thoughts that may be coming up for you. DBT is evidence-based therapy modality that can provide healthy ways to manage your emotions, thoughts and beliefs.

Step into healing with Nick Worstell, a seasoned professional with a background in residential care and a specialty in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). With a wealth of experience in addressing complex issues, he bring expertise to those seeking transformation. Utilizing DBT's powerful tools, we create a nurturing space for growth, combining empathy with evidence-based techniques. Whether it's emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, or distress tolerance, our therapeutic jou

DBT, or Dialectical Behavior Therapy, is a specialized form of therapy that combines cognitive and behavioral techniques with mindfulness practices. It's designed to help individuals manage intense emotions, improve relationships, and enhance overall emotional well-being.

I utilize DBT to help teach emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and mindfulness techniques. The ultimate goal is to find a balance between who you are now and who you want to be after changing some aspects of yourself in the form of positive self-growth.

A fundamental premise of DBT is building a life we want to live in. It's goal-oriented and focuses on skills we can use and actions we can take to better our lives. DBT focuses on 4 core elements we can all learn more about: mindfulness, interpersonal-effectiveness, emotion-regulation and distress-tolerance.

DBT is especially helpful for people who feel as if their emotions are running their lives. Many are acting in ways they know are not helping them or their loved ones, as a way to feel some level of control over these emotions. I apply DBT in my work with various mental health difficulties, including depression, anxiety, trauma, and even addictive behaviors.

My main training has been in DBT in group and individual settings. I work with clients to learn the DBT skills as well as adapt them to their life.

DBT skills training uses mindfulness, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance skills training to help people improve their coping skills and ability to communicate effectively with others. I have completed trainings in DBT and have experience with this modality.