Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Men in Riverside County
Skills for the Moments When Emotions Take Over
Some men feel like their reactions are bigger than the situation, and they’re tired of cleaning up afterward. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) teaches concrete skills for handling strong emotions, getting through tough moments without making them worse and dealing with people more effectively.
At a glance
- Best for men whose anger, mood swings or impulses keep costing them.
- Four skill areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation and dealing with people.
- How it’s taught: skills groups plus one-on-one therapy.
- Used in PHP, IOP and outpatient care.
What DBT is
Accepting Where You Are While You Change
DBT grew out of cognitive behavioral therapy and adds a strong focus on mindfulness and acceptance. The word “dialectical” just means holding two things that seem to clash at the same time. In DBT, those two things are: you’re doing the best you can right now, and you can still learn to do better. Both are true.
It was first designed for people whose emotions hit hard and fast, and it’s well studied for exactly that. If you’ve ever gone from calm to furious in a few seconds, said something you couldn’t take back or done something reckless just to make a feeling stop, DBT gives you a set of tools for those moments.
None of this is about becoming a softer version of yourself or talking about feelings for the sake of it. Think of it as training. The skills are specific, they have names, and you practice them until they’re there when you need them, the same way you’d drill anything else you want to get good at.
DBT at Entelos
How the Skills Get Taught and Practiced
Much of DBT is taught in skills groups with other men. A clinician introduces a skill, explains why it works and walks through examples, and then the group talks about where they could use it. It’s closer to a class than a counseling session, which a lot of men find easier to step into.
Here’s an example. Distress tolerance includes quick ways to bring your body down when you’re about to lose it: cold water on your face, intense exercise for a few minutes, slow paced breathing. A man might practice this in group, try it the next time his ex sends a text that sets him off and come back the following week to talk about what happened.
Your individual therapist helps you apply the skills to your own life, figure out what’s getting in the way and track your progress. You may be asked to keep a simple daily card noting your emotions, urges and which skills you used. It’s a quick way to see patterns you’d otherwise miss.
Between sessions, phone coaching is available to help you put DBT skills to work in real situations, right when you need them.
Skills you build
What DBT Helps You Do
DBT skills are meant for real life, not just the therapy room. These are some of the things men learn to do.
- Notice an emotion building before it boils over
- Ride out an urge without acting on it
- Calm your body fast when stress spikes
- Name what you’re feeling instead of just reacting
- Ask for what you need clearly and respectfully
- Say no without guilt or a blowup
- Keep relationships intact during conflict
- Accept what you can’t change so you can focus on what you can
- Build daily habits that make you less reactive
At Entelos
Where It Fits in Your Treatment
DBT skills are woven into care at every level. In partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient, you’ll have more frequent chances to learn and practice them in group. In outpatient care, your therapist helps you keep using them as life gets back to normal.
DBT often works alongside other approaches. Once your emotions are steadier, CBT can help you work on the thinking patterns underneath. If trauma is part of your story, DBT skills can make it easier to handle the harder work of trauma therapy. And when reactions are hurting your relationships, family sessions can help the people closest to you understand the skills you’re using.
Therapies that may be part of your plan
Often used for
Levels of care
Questions
Common Questions
How is DBT different from CBT?
DBT is built on CBT but puts more weight on acceptance, mindfulness and managing intense emotions in the moment. CBT focuses more on changing the thoughts behind your feelings. Many men use both.
Is DBT only for people with a personality disorder?
No. DBT was first developed for that, but its skills help anyone who struggles with strong emotions, impulsive choices or conflict with other people.
Do I have to share personal things in a skills group?
Skills groups focus on learning and practicing tools, not on telling your whole story. You can share examples from your life as much or as little as you’re comfortable with.
Keep reading
Related Pages
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Spot the thought patterns that keep you stuck and practice new responses.
Learn more