Radical Acceptance & Real-Life Tools: Why DBT Works
If you’ve ever felt like your emotions are running the show, you’re not alone. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is designed to give you tools to navigate those big feelings with more ease. Whether it’s handling stress, building healthier relationships, or finding calm in the middle of chaos, DBT offers practical skills—like mindfulness and Radical Acceptance—that can help you feel more grounded and supported in daily life.
By Wallace Colvin, Counselor (MA)
WHAT IS DBT?
Dialectical Behavior Therapy is a modality that is used by therapist to help people who struggle with emotional regulation and emotional reactivity, accepting challenging situations, interpersonal relationships, and Borderline Personality Disorder.
WHAT IS IT USED FOR?
DBT was created by Marsha Linehan in efforts to treat people who have a plethora of problems including treatment for suicidal women. DBT is comprised of evidence-based cognitive-behavioral interventions that are designed for suicidal behavior. Eventually this treatment evolved to treat depression, anxiety, stress, dealing with challenging situations, interpersonal issues, emotional regulation, along with treating Borderline Personality Disorder.
EXAMPLE OF DBT TECHNIQUES AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE USED IN THERAPY
DBT has four core categories (interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and mindfulness). These categories have a plethora of different coping skills: self-soothing, radical acceptance, emotion diaries, wise mind, and many other techniques. If we take Radical Acceptance and utilize it in session— the goal is to teach the client to fully accept something mentally and emotionally. It’s about accepting something whether you approve of it happening or not.
Example: You lose your job. One may typically think “wow this isn't fair I worked so hard and did everything right.” Radical Acceptance- “I am not happy about this, but this was not in my control. It was not personal and there are other jobs that I’m qualified for.” This is how a therapist would go about using radical acceptance in a session with a client who is struggling with accepting their circumstances.
Wallace believes that many of life’s challenges stem from childhood trauma and negative thought patterns which often lead to depression, anxiety and other trauma based symptoms. As a therapist, Wallace is direct and honest while simultaneously holding deep compassion and empathy. In session, Wallace creates a trusting and non-judgmental space where clients can share their unique struggles and challenge maladaptive thoughts thus making space to create new beliefs about oneself, find new ways of engaging with others and cultivating new behaviors. While not working, Wallace enjoys cooking, working out, listening to music, spending time with friends, and playing video games.