Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a modification of standard cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).  In the development of DBT, Marsha Linehan, Ph.D. found that using standard CBT with some people was ineffective. While CBT was helpful for some, others became frustrated with the constant focus on change.  DBT adds acceptance-based strategies such as mindfulness and validation to the standard change strategies of CBT.  In DBT, we work hard to balance change with acceptance, which is the core dialectic that is reflected in the treatment’s name. Dialectic means ‘weighing and integrating contradictory facts or ideas with a goal of resolving apparent contradictions’. In accordance with this, we work hard to integrate both passionate feelings and logical thoughts so that our actions are more consistent with our life goals.  

DBT can be especially useful for managing difficult emotional problems such as the following: painful emotions that seem to be unbearable, quickly changing emotions and moods, emotions that control you and lead to impulsive behavior, intense self-hatred and shame, intense feelings of emptiness, loneliness or numbness, relationship problems due to a fear of abandonment or a sensitivity to criticism, and vulnerabilities to irritability or anger.

When doing individual DBT with us, you can expect to be asked to make a commitment to therapy and certain behavioral goals. We will discuss this together and come to an agreement that works for you as well as us.  In individual sessions, we will do some or all of the following: review your diary card, which is a record of emotions and behaviors that occurred during the week, identify problem behaviors (in therapy and outside of therapy), work on solutions that are more compatible with your goals, and review skills that you have learned if you are attending a DBT skills group.

When doing DBT skills group with us, you can again expect to make a commitment to therapy and certain behavioral goals.  You will also earn new skills for managing emotions and relationships, and you will be asked to practice these skills both in group and for homework outside of group.

When doing either individual DBT and/or DBT skills group with us, you can also expect that we will provide telephone skills coaching to you during the week between sessions.  As behavior change can be extremely difficult, we will work together to help you stay motivated to make the changes that you seek, and to integrate new skills and behaviors into your life.

If you are interested in DBT, would like more information, or would like to schedule an assessment, and are in the Chadds Ford or West Chester area, please contact Dr. Linda Filetti. If you are in the Philadelphia, Bala Cynwyd area, please contact Dr. Stephanie Mattei, or Lina Lukens.

Cognitive Behavioral therapy (CBT) is based on idea that the way people think and perceive influences how they feel.  These thoughts and feelings then influence their decisions and when undergoing stress, people often do not think clearly and make choices that are ultimately self-defeating.   We use CBT to help people recognize their negative thought patterns and practice evaluating their thoughts, feelings and behaviors in everyday life.  The purpose is to create more positive, realistic and health-promoting ways of thinking and feeling.

When doing CBT with us, you can expect to be talking about the situations that cause you distress, to be exploring the thoughts that you have about those situations, and the emotions that experience as a result.  In CBT, we will be talking about how to master these situations through challenging some thoughts, accepting others, and identifying skills that might be helpful with both.

If you are interested or would like more information about this service and are in the Chadds Ford or West Chester area, please contact Dr. Linda Filetti.

If you are in the Philadelphia or the Bala Cynwyd area, please contact Dr. Stephanie Mattei or Lina Lukens

If you are in the Philadelphia area, please contact Dr. Andrea Bloomgarden.

EMDR is a therapy for treating the after-effects of  trauma.  Trauma includes major  events that were extremely shocking and disturbing at the time or smaller events that may have seemed relatively less distressing, but were hurtful and repeated over time such as being bullied, mistreated by someone, being discriminated  against, etc. If something occurred awhile ago and the memory of it continues to be distressing, then the experience may have been traumatic and EMDR can help. When we do EMDR together, in a non-traumatizing and supportive way, you  will re-experience some of the difficult thoughts, images and feelings that bother you, in order to shift them into a healthier, less painful state.  There is a great deal of information about the method of EMDR as well as the research supporting its use at www.emdr.com and www.emdria.org.  If you are interested in EMDR feel free to contact Dr. Andrea Bloomgarden

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