Have you heard of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy? It has been noted by some as the best form of therapy out there. It was developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan. It combines Buddhist concepts like acceptance and mindfulness. It is both individual and group type of therapy along with homework assignments for patients.
DBT is something that I learned about in my graduate studies and practically during my time working in a psychiatric hospital setting. Without even consciously realizing it, I formed a program with some of the aspects of DBT for my patients that you’ll hear more about at the end of the blog.
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#1 Know What Is DBT
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Dialectical Behavioral Therapy is a combination of group and individual therapy.⠀
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Check it out here. It brings about 2 opposing ideas into one type of therapy: change and acceptance. It combines both group and individual sessions for the most effective approach depending on the needs of the individual.
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Comment below on your experience or questions about DBT ⬇️ ⠀
#2 Know How DBT Works When Looking For Therapy Styles To Choose From
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It is a very organized therapy program including:⠀
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✏️ homework, ⠀
❤️ 🤗 group therapy
📱 Sessions if needed
📝 individual sessions focused on learning new life skills⠀
#3 Know The Benefits of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy⠀
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It can help you be more accepting of yourself which can lessen depression’s power 🔥. It taps into the group therapy aspects (which build community) and the important individual aspects (that build introspection). ⠀
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Who wants power over their lives?!⠀
The crazy thing is that when I designed the original Move Happy Facilitator Program© for my patients (you’ll read more about later in this blog), I incorporated journaling, group discussion and workouts together. It essentially is a style of DBT, though I identify my psychological style as mixed modality.
#4 Remember That Anything is Possible
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Gradual Progress Is 🔑. Acceptance of where you are at and being open to change is the essence of DBT. ⠀
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DBT is a gradual process including positive reinforcement from your therapist. Eventually you’ll be equipped with the skills to reinforce your own behavior without the need for external reinforcement.
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For more information on DBT or to schedule your first session check with your local mental health community from your insurance provider network…
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Feel free to Email me and I can find one for you in your local area.
#5 Know How Can Move Happy® Can Help DBT Providers
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The Move Happy Facilitator Program© was designed by me for my patients in a live in psychiatric hospital setting. Everyone was accepted in the group, all responses to the journal topics were welcomed and all fitness levels were respected. ⠀
When I designed the MHFP© , I wanted my patients to be able to take the program and the skills they learned with them once discharged. For those that remained at the hospital my goal was that they’d find enjoyment in the group and want to share it with their fellow patient-mates to encourage lifetime fitness and build a close knit community in the 🏥.
I have a background in K-College health and fitness and know a lot of old school methods of exercise and fitness are out there. I wanted to squash the mentality that you have to kill yourself physically in order to get a good workout. I wanted to provide a group where the patients could choose their level of intensity, which I believe long term encourages an intrinsic desire to participate consistently in physical activity and exercise.
I also wanted to create an environment where my patients felt safe to share their thoughts and feelings and not forced to participate in a group for points (like in school to get the A). My expectation was that patients paid attention, shared when they felt comfortable during group discussion, respected their peers, and participated to the best of their ability during the workout sessions.
To my surprise, we had about 90 percent participation from the first round, 95 percent attendance (minus a day or two for some patients that had doctors appointments, court dates, etc.). By the second round we had patients lined up outside our door excitedly awaiting for our group session, maxed out on our capacity and had to move to a larger room. I had patients asking me hours before group (it was the last session of the day) what the workout was going to be. I had patients ask if they could choose the 🎼 of the day for the workout sessions. They were engaged, they were enjoying it, and also to my surprise, they started sharing it with other patients in other halls of the hospital.
One particular patient participated in the group the first round and the third round. He would have joined the second but had a group conflict his doctor recommended. He is a veteran, former high level executive in corporate America, and high achieving leader. He pulled me aside one day and said, “Erin, I’m a no bullshit kind of person. I could see this program on TV one day. You need to share it with others.”
Another patient that cried daily and screamed at the voices in her head on the regular was dancing 💃 and laughing 😆 during one of the workouts I designed. My colleague and co-facilitator pulled me aside and told he she hadn’t seen her laugh in 4 years 😲. It was my first year at the hospital and hadn’t even been there for 4 months when I ran the first round of it. I was still learning their names. It goes to show you, anyone no matter how much experience they have can make a huge impact.
I finally buckled down and compiled video examples of the workouts through the help of a friend and wrote up the curriculum in a simple format so you can run your own Move Happy® group. If you’re looking for new curriculum to run your group therapy sessions and incorporate some fitness into with minimal equipment order it here. ⠀
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40% of proceeds goes back to mental health through the world tour event being held in Nashville, TN next summer!
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PS: If you order between now and Monday I’m throwing in some extra goodies 🎁 Email me your receipt.
Move Happy® Updates
Move Happy® World 🌎 Tour 1.0 Launches 🚀 sometime soon! I’m so stoked! What to expect?! Well we will be renting out The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN and a host of musicians, public speakers and entertainment will ensue. By the end of the event you’ll leave inspired, equipped and ready to move towards your own happiness.
The Move Happy Movement© Podcast is awaiting approval to air on iTunes finally! For those of you following my journey I’m not the most technologically experienced person. However, I never give up on things I am passionate about. After a series of a few dozen emails back and forth between iTunes Support and Podbean Support, we finally figured out why it wasn’t allowing me to submit. Now I am awaiting iTunes review and official approval. I also reached out to Spotify for support on uploading it on my account there. I’ll keep you in the loop once it’s available. For now you can have a listen to the episodes here.
So there you have it folks! DBT is another great option for therapy if you’re looking for both the community aspects and the individual sessions. If you like the idea of doing homework between sessions, I highly suggest you look into receiving some DBT skills from your local practitioner. If you are reading this and you’re a professional in the mental health space, I’d love to connect with you. If you’re looking to add some curriculum to your repertoire, order it here today.
PS: Don’t forget to tell someone you love them today
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