You need about 3-5 Mbps download speed minimum. That's enough for a stable video call. Most rural internet these days can handle that, even if it's not blazing fast. If you're on satellite internet or a hotspot, just test it with a video call to a friend first. If that works without constant freezing, therapy sessions will work fine. You don't need anything fancy.

No, group costs less because the therapist's time is divided among multiple people, not because it's inferior. Online group therapy is highly effective for many issues. Some things groups do better than individual therapy include peer support, social skills practice, normalizing experiences and much more. It's different, and serves a different functional purpose that is usually a material driver of improved therapeutic progress. Cost doesn't determine effectiveness.

If it causes regret, damages relationships, affects work, or feels out of control, then it's a problem. Additionally, if multiple people express concern, then your anger is likely a problem. Healthy ways of reacting to anger is when it's expressed respectfully and doesn't damage relationships.

Trauma therapy alone is an option and is effective for many people without medication. Many people address trauma and PTSD through a combination of online individual therapy and online group therapy at the level that feels right for their needs, or through a virtual intensive outpatient program that is focused on trauma treatment. So the type of therapy done and the intensity can vary. You should work with your therapist and or psychiatrist to determine the best approach for your situation and preferences.

Avoidance is how anxiety grows. It provides temporary relief but maintains anxiety long-term. The hardest part is that facing things you have avoided initially can feel worse than continuing to avoid. Your brain is screaming this is dangerous even when it's not. Therapy supports you through this short term discomfort for long term freedom. Most people say exposure was scary and difficult to do but ultimately the most valuable part of treatment. Exposure is always gradual and collaborative and you're never forced beyond what you can manage with support and skills. You’ll establish a pace that makes sense with your therapist and hold accountable to that even as things can fluctuate. Therapy helps you gradually re-engage.

Therapy can help even in unstable situations. Stabilization is part of the work.Once you're minimally stable, DBT can proceed. DBT helps you create more stability since skills reduce impulsive decisions, distress tolerance helps weather life difficulties, and interpersonal effectiveness improves relationships. Some DBT programs include case management helping with practical life issues alongside therapy when that’s relevant. Some people stabilize enough through therapy to then improve their life circumstances.

PLEASE is an acronym for reducing emotional vulnerability through physical self-care: PL—treat physical illness (get medical care, take prescribed meds), E—balance eating (regular meals, not too much or too little), A—avoid mood-altering drugs (alcohol and drugs mess with emotional regulation), S—balance sleep (enough sleep but not too much), E—get exercise (physical activity regulates mood). This sounds obvious but when you're depressed or stressed, these basics often go out the window. PLEASE skills recognize that physical state affects emotional state, if you're exhausted, hungry, and hungover, of course your emotions are more intense. Taking care of your body makes all other DBT skills easier to use.

Walking the middle path means avoiding all-or-nothing extremes and finding balance. This applies to thinking (avoiding black-and-white thinking), behavior (avoiding extremes of total rigidity or total chaos), and relationships (avoiding extremes of total dependency or total independence). Dialectics, holding two opposing truths simultaneously, is central to DBT. You can accept yourself and want to change. You can validate your emotions and recognize they don't fit the facts. You can set boundaries and maintain relationships. Middle path thinking acknowledges that most things are both/and rather than either/or.

Nope. Anyone wanting to learn emotional regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal skills can benefit. DBT skills are useful for humans in general, not just people with specific diagnoses.Many people use the program proactively for personal growth rather than treating specific conditions. The skills are evidence-based techniques applicable to everyday challenges, not just specific mental health diagnoses.

It's for personal use and certainly helpful for gaining a strong grasp of DBT skills. So the program helps with personal skill development and is helpful to refresh on DBT skills. However, while the program is certainly useful to get a good understanding of DBT for personal use, it’s important to note that it’s not a substitute for formal professional therapist training. Therapists need actual clinical DBT training to practice DBT therapy with clients. So, If you just want personal DBT understanding or client resource recommendations, the DBT self-guided program is helpful. But, of course, you cannot claim DBT competency based solely on completing this program. It should be treated as personal education which is helpful for individuals and mental health professionals with their own knowledge, but it’s not a professional credential.

Video therapist recordings plus structured format plus organized curriculum all in one place. Workbooks are great but the DBT self guided program is more comprehensive and guided than reading a book on your own. Most people are visual learners and need both detailed explanation they can watch and re-watch at their own pace, along with written materials for review and homework.