DBT For Trauma: Build Skills for Recovery and Resilience

Written by Katie Jackson-Griffin, LCPC

Trauma can leave lasting impacts on a person’s mental health. This impact can cause a ripple effect which leads to difficulty with how one moves through the world including relationships, physical well-being, and work. Trauma encapsulates a wide range of experiences from single incidents to long term experiences. For many, it can be overwhelming to consider what type of treatment to use to get some relief. One approach that can be effective is using Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for trauma.

What is DBT?

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) was developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan in the 1980s. Originally, it was used to treat individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, it has been adapted to treat a wide range of challenges including anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorders. It is a powerful tool that combines the principles of acceptance (mindfulness) and change (behavioral skills). This combination is effective with guiding individuals toward long-lasting change.

How Does DBT for Trauma Support Recovery?

DBT teaches concrete skills that can be individualized for every unique person. It empowers people to have the tools they need to heal from trauma and move forward. Here are some specific ways that DBT can help with trauma recovery:

Mindfulness

One of the core aspects of DBT is mindfulness. This is the practice of staying present. Trauma can make individuals feel disconnected from the present due to coping with symptoms such as flashbacks, hypervigilance, and intrusive thoughts. It can feel as though people struggling with trauma are “living in their own heads” more than they are in the present moment. Mindfulness skills can help break free from that cycle.

These skills include deep breathing, meditation, and grounding (just to name a few). The goal with these skills is for the individual to get in touch with their body and what is in front of them instead of focusing on distressing thoughts. These skills can be a daily practice to create a calm baseline, as well as in the moment when someone is emotionally activated.

Emotional Regulation

Experiencing trauma can illicit intense emotions including anger, sadness, or shame. These emotions can be so intense that they feel out of control and overwhelming. Often, these emotions arise due to a traumatic experience. DBT teaches skills to regulate emotions by first observing and labeling the emotional experience and then using skills to contain them. Identifying and labeling emotions can increase a sense of control as the emotion is no longer an unknown. Then, they can successfully use their skills to manage the emotion so it doesn’t escalate.

Distress tolerance is a critical skill that teaches individuals how to endure difficult emotions instead of being afraid of them. When an individual feels confident that they can manage an emotion, they are less likely to act impulsively to get it to go away. Instead, they can allow the emotion to dissipate on its own. Shifting to comforting activities can provide some relief while the emotion dissipates.

Interpersonal Effectiveness

Trauma has far-reaching impacts on an individual with their own internal experience and regarding their relationships. It can make it difficult to trust others or trigger feelings of isolation due to having intense emotions that can be misunderstood. DBT teaches ways to identify and communicate needs, set boundaries, and navigate conflict effectively.

Relying on a support system is critical for those who have experienced trauma. Also, it can be difficult when coping with the symptoms that trauma creates. Learning these tools can help those trauma survivors create the supportive environments that they need to heal and remain resilient.

Radical Acceptance and DBT for Trauma

Radical acceptance is a core concept of DBT for trauma. This skill involves fully accepting the reality of a situation no matter how distressing it can be. The goal is to not resist this reality, as resistance often makes the pain worse. Often, those who have experienced trauma will wish it hadn’t happened or focus on all the ways they “could have” or “should have” prevented it from happening. This only causes more distress and shame. One way to practice radical acceptance is to create a neutral, factual narrative about what happened. This allows the individual to stay grounded and focused on the facts and not the “what ifs.”

 

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Accepting trauma doesn’t have to mean that it was okay that it happened. Acceptance allows an individual to move forward and focus on what they can change: taking care of themselves now.

Moving Forward: Building a Life Worth Living

Healing from trauma is not easy. There isn’t a “one size fits all” approach that can help every person. It takes a lot of dedication and willingness to believe that life can be different. DBT for trauma provides individuals with the support and skills needed in order to rebuild. Recovery is possible!

If You Still Need Support, Restorative Counseling Can Help!

If you are considering DBT as part of your healing process, remember that you don’t have to navigate trauma recovery alone. The entire team at Restorative Counseling believes in taking an individualized approach to helping you thrive. Our clinicians can support you rebuilding your life after trauma. In order to get started, schedule an appointment today with one of our clinicians today.