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When someone begins treatment, our clinical team helps them determine which kind of therapy will work best. Dialectical behavior therapy is one possible choice during rehab. This kind of cognitive-behavioral therapy for teens works to aid the individual’s recovery and help them avoid relapsing again.

How Dialectical Behavior Therapy Works

This therapeutic modality helps clients deal with painful emotions. It helps them learn how to reduce conflict within their relationships. Created in the 1980s by a psychologist called Marsha Linehan, it is a kind of cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Originally, the goal of dialectical behavior therapy was to treat borderline personality disorder. Over the years, psychologists tested the therapy on other mental health disorders.

teen smiling on a bench because he found help with dialectical behavior therapyThey discovered very successful results. Today, dialectical behavior therapy helps teens work through difficult emotions and rebuild relationships that may have fallen apart because of substance abuse.

There are generally four parts to this type of therapy. The first part involves learning mindfulness. This meditative practice helps the individual learn how to be present in the moment and to accept everything that happens.

The second step is to develop better stress tolerance. Instead of using drugs to escape from negative emotions, the individual must learn how to live with them instead. Third, they must learn how to manage, adjust, and regulate emotions that cause problems in their life.

The final step is to learn better techniques for interpersonal relationships. These relationship skills help clients learn how to communicate better. They help individuals communicate in an assertive, respectful way with others.

What to Expect

Dialectical behavior therapy may happen in an individual or a group setting. In an individual session, the client works with a trained therapist. This therapist helps the client learn how to overcome obstacles and enjoy a better sense of motivation.

In a group therapy setting, dialectical behavior therapy includes time for sharing and peer support. A trained therapist leads the group, but the entire group participates as well. Also, these group meetings often include homework assignments and mindfulness exercises.

With dialectical behavior therapy, teens get a chance to process some of those intense emotions that accompany mental disorders and substance abuse disorders. While these emotions may feel overwhelming, it is possible to change them. Dialectical behavior therapy helps clients develop better emotional health.

Furthermore, dialectical behavior therapy gives teens a chance to learn how to healthily regulate emotions. Dialectical behavior therapy gives your teen the tools he needs to recognize his pain, anger, or other negative emotions. Then, he can process these emotions in a healthy way that doesn’t involve using drugs and alcohol. For individuals who began using substances due to mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety, this tool can be invaluable to the recovery process.

Therapy for a Long-Lasting Recovery

A high-quality rehab offers services and therapies that support long-term sobriety. The individual’s physical, mental, and emotional health can all impact how comfortable it is to stay sober. With the help of our clinical team and dialectical behavior therapy, your teen can get the tools he needs to maintain a sober lifestyle. Furthermore, developing a strong support group and better overall health can help people focus on their recovery.

At Foothills at Red Oak, our clients can find therapy options such as:

Dealing with a substance abuse problem is rarely easy, but you do not have to go through rehab alone. Through a high-quality program, you can take the first step in your recovery. To learn more about how Foothills at Red Oak can help, call us today at 866.300.5275.