DBT was developed to help people build a “Build a Life Worth Living,” as creator Dr. Marsha Linehan says.  Dr. Matthew Mandelbaum finds that it can help people “Build a Life of Worth”.

DBT combines Western practices of cognitive behavioral therapy with Eastern contemplative practices of mindfulness to create problem solving skills that bring about change.   With dialectics, people learn to avoid black and white thinking and can learn to tolerate ambiguity to see the potential for development.  Originally developed  to worked with clients who have borderline personality disorder, DBT has been used to treat those who have depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, PTSD, eating disorders and other conditions.

People have come to DBT seeking help with life skills that cover  four main competencies: mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation and distress tolerance.

Mindfulness is the capacity to be in the moment and use your most wise self combining your thoughts, feelings, and actions to make good decisions and move your life forward.

Interpersonal effectiveness is the capacity to work with others to get what you want, say no to what you don’t, develop high-quality meaningful relationships, and encourage your self-respect.

Emotion regulation is the capacity to understand your emotions and to work towards increasing positive emotions and learning to cope with and change negative emotions.

Distress tolerance is the capacity to handle difficult situations by doing things to take good care of yourself to minimize damage that can be done when things are not going so well.

Building a life worth living means building a life filled with hope to know that you have the capacity to dream. It means a life of faith to know that your dreams can become a reality through your actions.  

Practicing Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) brings about a wonderful opportunity to learn skills. Your environments become your laboratories for changing behavior through DBT. Utilizing the skills can increase your coping mechanisms, so that you can begin to thrive.

These skills can help your whole life on family, friendship, and career levels.

Dr. Matthew Mandelbaum, PhD offers DBT individual and group programs for Executives, Business and Healthcare Professionals, Emerging Adults, Educators, and University Students in NY, CT, and FL addressing the unique needs of these populations, including identity development, social growth, and academic and professional achievement, and immerses the learning in the context of your life.

Contact him now for a free 20-minute consultation dr.matthew.mandelbaum@gmail.com 212.933.0758 to talk about therapy options.