Woman utilizing DBT therapy for depression

Benefits of DBT Therapy for Depression

Jump to Section

Have you heard about DBT therapy for depression but don’t know what it entails? When someone struggles with the difficulty of living with depression, they require effective therapeutic strategies to help ease their symptoms. For many, the use of DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) helps them gain control of their emotions and have a sunnier outlook on life. 

Montare Behavioral Health offers residential and outpatient treatment for people whose lives have been overrun by depression. We match people with the right types of therapy to help minimize their symptoms. Our experienced and licensed therapists use DBT to make a real difference in how a person feels during their daily lives. It also empowers them to plan and look forward to a future they can get excited about. DBT therapy for depression can also be coupled with prescription medications to provide a person with a real ability to improve their mental health.

History of DBT Therapy for Depression 

DBT therapy was not originally created to help treat people with depression. It was developed in the 1970s by Marsha Linehan, an American psychologist. She found that it helped people who exhibited chronic suicidal tendencies and self-harming behavior. It soon became popular in the use of treating people with borderline personality disorder. 

Patients who have borderline personality disorder or feel suicidal sometimes become frustrated with standard talk therapy. They need something more effective that keeps them engaged and making progress. The same can happen to people struggling with depression. It was discovered that patients who used DBT therapy for depression benefitted from its combination of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and mindfulness techniques. The individual learned to accept their depressive symptoms while working to reduce them. 

DBT, at its essence, equips individuals with techniques for navigating stress, mastering emotional regulation, and enhancing interpersonal connections. DBT emphasizes acceptance and change. This type of therapy can be done individually or in group therapy,

How Is DBT Therapy Used to Treat Depression? 

About 9.5% of adults in the U.S. have a diagnosable type of depression in any given year. That’s almost one in ten people, which means millions require treatment to help improve their symptoms. As well, people with depression often also have anxiety disorders and abuse drugs or alcohol. 

The reason many mental health clinicians provide DBT therapy for depression is because it addresses the symptoms of depressive disorders in an effective way. People mired in depression often reject their emotions or feel consumed by them. They feel like they are bad people for not being able to pull themselves out of their depressive moods. DBT helps people radically change this pattern. They learn to accept their emotions without judging themselves for them while simultaneously using new skills to help change how they feel to something positive. 

This ability to regulate their emotions provides a real boost in the individual’s confidence and how they interact with others. In addition, DBT helps people learn to regulate their emotions rather than feel trapped and victimized by them. They learn to tolerate stress and master their feelings. This provides an entirely new outlook on life and the person’s ability to improve their symptoms of depression. Most therapists recommend attending DBT therapy sessions for several months or more to get the most out of it. 

Benefits of DBT for Depression 

One of the benefits of using DBT therapy for depression is that it can be done in a residential facility or on an outpatient basis. Both options provide a calm setting in which a person can do a deep dive into learning to use DBT to help ease their symptoms of depression. 

DBT teaches people to change how they view themselves and others. Lessons learned during DBT will be employed while in therapy and allow the person to become proficient at them while being guided by a therapist. As well, once they complete a treatment program, using DBT skills will become second nature for those still working on managing their depression. 

Montare Behavioral Health offers the benefit of DBT being provided by skilled and licensed mental health professionals. They use their training and experience to help individuals and groups embrace the lessons that come with DBT and let them guide them as they move forward through life. 

Finally, DBT is more than just what goes on in therapy sessions. The skills the person learns help them have better and more effective interpersonal relationships. Knowing how to respect, recognize, and change some of their emotions helps improve how they interact with family, friends, and their partners.

Contact Montare Behavioral Health About Using DBT for Depression Today

Does DBT therapy for depression sound like it may be the best approach to treating your poor mental health? Many people find that introducing DBT to their treatment plan gives them a leg up they did not have previously. Montare Behavioral Health proudly offers Dialectical Behavioral Therapy to treat depression and other mental health illnesses. The skills learned during the structured therapy sessions make an impact now and well into the future. For many, adding in a prescription drug can give them the best results possible.

Contact us today and let’s talk about how we can help you. We can answer any questions you have and provide a free insurance check.