DBT & Commitment

National Recommitment Month is celebrated in the month of May. This is an opportunity for us to reevaluate the important areas of our lives. This is in line with Dialectical Behavior Therapy’s (DBT’s) main goal to build a Life Worth Living!

DBT takes commitment and hard work. It is not an easy task to reduce ineffective behaviors like self-harm, procrastination, or substance abuse. Or to learn the many DBT skills from various modules: Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation and Interpersonal Effectiveness. However, through these changes a Life Worth Living doesn’t seem so impossible anymore. With the skills and perseverance, you are able to regulate your nervous system during times of stress and achieve your goals one action step at a time!

We all get off track sometimes. Different things take priority and difficult times in our lives push us into ‘survival mode’. Take this moment as an opportunity to look at your priorities and goals you want to achieve. Where are you at in working toward these goals? What will help you recommit to the work necessary to work towards your goals?

Each goal may take different types of effort. Sometimes we need to allow ourselves to be vulnerable, self-compassionate and admit our shortcomings. Other times we need to rework our schedules and time management skills to make action steps more of a priority. Wherever you are, know that you are not alone. We all need to come back to the drawing board and recommit to the goals that are most important to us!

Some DBT skills that can help you recommit to your DBT treatment or other areas of your life:

• First, remember why you set this goal in the first place. What do you want to change? Be different? What effect will this have on your life?
• Mindfulness: Mindfully tune into the present moment. Note what is working and what is not and come back to doing what is Effective!
• Distress Tolerance: Use Paced Breathing (deep breaths into your belly & even longer breaths out) to calm your nervous system when you get stressed out about progress. Use STOP! when you fall into self criticism – Stop, Take a step back, Observe & Proceed Mindfully.
• Emotion Regulation: Tune into your values. What are the things that are most important to you? Break down your values and long-term goals into smaller goals and action steps – we call this Accumulating Positives in the Long Term.

If you want more support in learning and applying the skills – visit our website to learn more about our programs at dbtcenteroc.com

Written By, 

Nora Josephson LMFT LPC

Clinical Operations Director

Photo Credit: Olivie Strauss on Unsplash

Sources:

https://nationaltoday.com/national-recommitment-month/

Linehan, M., M., (2014). DBT Training Manual. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.