Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is a transformative therapeutic approach that has been changing lives since its development in the 1970s by Dr. Marsha Linehan. Originally designed to treat individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD), DBT has since expanded its reach to address a wide range of mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorders. […]
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
Choices and Ruminating Cycles
Our choices are sometimes a result of our ruminating cycles. Have you ever had a thought that led to another thought, and then another, and so on until your thoughts are snowballing out of control? If so, you’ve experienced a ruminating cycle. When we make choices after engaging in ruminating cycles like this, our choices aren’t usually the type of […]
Ruminating Cycles and Triggers
In previous blogs we’ve talked about the idea of ruminating cycles. If I have a negative thought, and that negative thought leads to two or three more negative thoughts, then those negative thoughts lead to a couple of dozen more negative thoughts, I am ruminating on negative thoughts. “Ruminating” literally means “to chew on.” So a ruminating cycle is a […]
Emotional Regulation
Successful mood management comes from successful emotional regulation. Emotional regulation means recognizing patterns of emotional aggression and stopping the cycle of emotional aggression before it starts. This means becoming aware of and attuned to your own cycles of emotions. Before you can become attuned to your own cycles of emotional behavior, you must first be able to identify your emotions. […]
How Gaslighting Works
Last week we talked about what emotional aggression is and how emotionally aggressive people often use gaslighting to achieve their goals. Today we’re going to talk about how gaslighting works. We’ll also discuss some common statements used by gaslighters who are being emotionally aggressive. The term “gaslighting” comes from the 1938 play, Gaslight. This was made into a film in […]