The Transformative Power of DBT for Young People

Core DBT Skill Sets

DBT teaches four key skill sets, which are particularly helpful for teenagers:

1. Mindfulness

Mindfulness practices teach teenagers to become aware of their thoughts, feelings, and surroundings in a non-judgmental way. Mindfulness helps them stay present and reduces the likelihood of becoming overwhelmed by emotions.

2. Distress Tolerance

Distress tolerance skills focus on helping teenagers cope with painful emotions in the moment without resorting to impulsive or self-destructive behaviors.

3. Emotion Regulation

This skill set helps teenagers identify and manage their emotions, reducing mood swings and emotional intensity.

4. Interpersonal Effectiveness

Adolescence is a time when social relationships are both crucial and complicated. DBT’s interpersonal effectiveness skills teach teenagers how to communicate their needs assertively, navigate conflict, and build stronger, healthier relationships.

DBT and Adolescent Depression

Depression in teenagers is often marked by feelings of hopelessness, sadness, isolation, and irritability. Adolescents may struggle to express these feelings or cope with them in healthy ways, leading to emotional dysregulation, social withdrawal, and impulsive behaviors.

DBT helps adolescents manage their depression by providing them with concrete tools for emotion regulation. For example, mindfulness practices help teenagers observe their emotions without becoming consumed by them. When teens learn how to tolerate distress and regulate their emotions, they are less likely to resort to self-harm or suicidal behavior as a means of coping.

DBT’s validation techniques also offer much-needed emotional support, helping teens understand that their feelings are real and important and that they can learn ways to manage them more effectively.

DBT and Anxiety in Adolescents

Anxiety in teenagers can manifest as intense worry, fear, or nervousness, often accompanied by physical symptoms like headaches, stomachaches, or panic attacks. DBT helps teenagers manage anxiety by teaching them mindfulness and distress tolerance skills. These skills enable them to focus on the present moment and tolerate uncomfortable emotions without becoming overwhelmed.

By focusing on mindfulness, DBT encourages anxious teens to stay grounded in the here-and-now, rather than getting caught up in the “what-ifs” that fuel their anxiety. Additionally, distress tolerance techniques provide teenagers with healthier coping mechanisms for managing anxiety-provoking situations, reducing the likelihood of avoidance or panic.

DBT and Impulsivity in Adolescents

Impulsivity in teenagers is often linked to emotional dysregulation and can result in risky behaviors such as substance misuse, unsafe sexual practices, or reckless driving. DBT helps adolescents develop self-control by teaching them to recognize and regulate their emotions before they act on impulse.

The emotion regulation skills learned in DBT allow teenagers to pause and reflect on their emotions before making decisions, leading to more thoughtful and deliberate choices. In addition, distress tolerance skills provide teenagers with alternative ways to cope with emotional pain, reducing the urge to act out impulsively.

DBT and Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors in Adolescents

Perhaps the most critical application of DBT for adolescents is its use in treating suicidal thoughts and behaviors. DBT has been shown to be particularly effective for individuals at high risk of suicide, as it directly addresses the emotional pain and impulsive behaviors that often lead to suicidal actions.

DBT therapists work closely with adolescents to identify and replace the behaviors that contribute to suicidal ideation, such as self-harm, substance use, or emotional outbursts. By teaching distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness, DBT equips teenagers with the skills they need to manage suicidal urges and build a life worth living.