Treatment for Anxiety

Emotions serve an important purpose. Fear is a normal and adaptive response when there is a threat to life, health, or wellbeing, as it motivates us to action to protect ourselves. However, fear and anxiety can arise when it is not helpful or productive and can lead to symptoms, behaviors and consequences we don’t want. DBT is a comprehensive treatment that assists clients in developing skills to reduce overwhelming anxiety and change behaviors that can lead to symptoms.

 

At the start of therapy, clients meet with their therapist and develop an individualized treatment plan. DBT for anxiety typically involves attending both individual and DBT Skills group sessions. Specifically, during DBT Skills group sessions, clients learn mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness skills. During DBT individual sessions, clients learn how to apply the skills to their daily lives. The length of treatment depends on the unique treatment needs of each individual client. However, treatment typically lasts six months. Depending on clients’ needs, DBT PE trauma therapy is an option as well.