DBT For Dummies 1st edition

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is one of the most popular — and most effective — treatments for mental health conditions that result from out-of-control emotions.

Combining elements of Cognitive Behavior Therapy with Eastern mindfulness practice, DBT was initially used as a powerful treatment to address the suffering associated with borderline personality disorder.

It has since proven to have positive effects on many other mental health conditions and is frequently found in non-clinical settings, such as schools.

Whether you struggle with depression, anger, phobias, disordered eating, or want to have a better understanding of emotions and how to focus and calm your mind, DBT practice serves the needs of those facing anything from regular life challenges to severe psychological distress.

Written in a no-jargon, friendly style by two of Harvard Medical School's finest, DBT For Dummies shows how DBT can teach new ways not just to reverse, but to actively take control of self-destructive behaviors and negative thought patterns, allowing you to transform a life of struggle into one full of promise and meaning.

Used properly and persistently, the skills and strategies in this book will change your life: when you can better regulate emotions, interact effectively with people, deal with stressful situations, and use mindfulness on a daily basis, it's easier to appreciate what's good in yourself and the world, and then act accordingly.

In reading this book, you will:

• Understand DBT theory
• Learn more adaptive ways to control your emotionsImprove the quality of your relationships
• Deal better with uncertainty

Many of life's problems are not insurmountable even if they appear to be.

Life can get better, if you are willing to live it differently.

Get DBT For Dummies and discover the proven methods that will let you take back control — and build a brighter, more capable, and promising future!

"Many compassionate forms of therapy leave people feeling cared for and listened to, but not really knowing what to do with their distress or with the experience of strong emotions. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills have been shown to be effective in helping people, including adolescents, become equal owners of their therapeutic experience. DBT teaches those with unrelenting emotions manage the ensuing impact to relationships and potentially dangerous behavior. But beyond this, the magic to DBT lies in the use of mindfulness as its core skill.Written by leading clinical DBT experts, Drs. Blaise Aguirre and Gillian Galen, Blaise who I personally know as a human whose personal example and wisdom has saved and inspired so many lives, DBT For Dummies makes the skills, philosophies and principles of DBT accessible to all, and whether you struggle with mental illness or not, the skills are ones that, when practiced regularly, can lead to a life of greater autonomy and control."
― Jewel, singer-songwriter, musician, lived experience mental health expert, Grammy-nominated artist, entrepreneur, and New York Times bestselling author of Never Broken

"Dr. Gillian Galen and Dr. Blaise Aguirre have been on the forefront of this impactful, mindful, lifesaving and family saving therapy for close to two decades. DBT For Dummies brings you back to basics and functions from your core values. It is skills-based (not pills!) and surprisingly simple if one truly wants to help make their lives better and suffer less. Dr. Galen has been helping me with my own journey for three years now. I begged her to write this book because I wanted the incredible results of this therapy to be made available to everybody. Especially during these turbulent times, where isolation and suffering are so prevalent, DBT For Dummies can be a savior. And anybody can do it! Read this book and your life gets better. It is as simple as that."
― Mika Brzezinski, New York Times bestselling author, cohost of Morning Joe on MSNBC, and founder and creator of KNOW YOUR VALUE


"To succinctly describe all of the facets of DBT treatment in lay terms in such an engaging way is truly a skill. Galen and Aguirre’s years of clinical and supervisory experience working in residential and outpatient settings make them perfectly suited to write DBT For Dummies. Lay people now have an excellent up-to-date and easy to read comprehensive guide to learn about the modes and functions of DBT, the theoretical underpinnings, the myths about DBT, the numerous DBT skills and the adaptations of DBT for special populations. It's a great read and I highly recommend it!”
― Alec L. Miller, PsyD, Co-Founder and Clinical Director, Cognitive & Behavioral Consultants, LLP; DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, Certified Program; and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine