Thriving with DBT

Catastrophic thinking can feel convincing until you examine it closely. This episode dives into the DBT skill "Check the Facts" as a practical way to untangle cognitive distortions and the anticipatory anxiety that comes with uncertainty. The conversation also explores building an emotional dictionary, processing sadness, and practicing radical acceptance when the pain is still fresh.

Takeaways

• Observing and Describing Emotions
• Building an Emotional Dictionary
• Check the Facts and Cognitive Distortions
• Catastrophic Thinking and Anticipatory Anxiety
• Sadness, Grief, and Radical Acceptance

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Emotion Regulation
• 06:19 Observing and Describing Emotions
• 13:49 Understanding Anger
• 20:15 Exploring Happiness
• 26:58 Building an Emotional Dictionary
• 36:00 Anxiety and Anticipatory Thoughts
• 44:38 Radical Acceptance and Emotion Regulation
• 51:02 Applying DBT Skills in Everyday Life
• 56:23 Changing How We Feel

Ever wondered what actually happens inside a DBT program? Join expert therapists Dr. Alicia Smart and Dr. Jesse Finkelstein in "Thriving with DBT." In each episode, they conduct real one-on-one coaching sessions with students from TheraHive’s group program. Gain a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills are practiced, where people often get stuck, and how to master the tools needed to regulate emotions and build a life worth living.

The conversation covers the introduction to emotion regulation and SMART goals, the practice of mindfulness and breathing, the development of emotional resilience and decision making, coping with high-stakes situations and pressure, the use of distress tolerance and skill stacking, and the challenge of tolerating uncertainty and fear-based thinking. The conversation delves into the exploration of emotional regulation and vulnerability factors, highlighting the impact of past experiences and the urge to react. It emphasizes the importance of practice in developing and implementing emotional regulation skills.

Takeaways

• Emotion Regulation and SMART Goals
• Mindfulness and Breathing
• Emotional Resilience and Decision Making
• High-Stakes Situations and Pressure
• Distress Tolerance and Skill Stacking
• Tolerating Uncertainty and Fear-Based Thinking Emotional Regulation
• Vulnerability Factors

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Emotion Regulation and SMART Goals
• 10:14 High-Stakes Situations and Pressure
• 27:03 Tolerating Uncertainty and Fear-Based Thinking
• 39:17 Understanding Emotional Regulation
• 45:36 The Impact of Past Experiences
• 01:00:20 The Urge to React
• 01:07:22 The Importance of Practice