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Radically Open dbt (ro dbt)

Promoting emotional flexibility and openness.

At the core of radically open dialectical behavior therapy (RO DBT) is the understanding that self-control and rigidity can sometimes hinder emotional well-being. This innovative therapy is designed for those who benefit from learning to relax their tight grip on control, thereby increasing emotional flexibility, authentic connections, and receptivity to new experiences.

What is Radically Open Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (RO DBT)?

RO DBT integrates techniques that foster openness, flexibility, and direct communication to enhance relationships and promote a genuine sense of connection and satisfaction in life. This approach not only addresses specific psychological issues but also aims to broaden personal horizons and enhance overall mental health through structured yet flexible therapeutic practices. Through this therapeutic approach, participants learn to:

ENHANCE FLEXIBILITY

By challenging rigid ways of thinking and behaving.

INCREASE EMOTIONAL EXPRESSION

Encouraging genuine sharing of feelings to enhance relationships.

REDUCE SOCIAL ISOLATION AND LONELINESS

By fostering openness and social connectedness.

BOOST OVERALL WELL-BEING

Through improved interpersonal relationships and self-awareness.

TARGETED SUPPORT FOR OVERCONTROLLED BEHAVIORS

RO DBT is designed to assist individuals who exhibit excessive control or rigidity in their emotional expressions and behaviors. The three core pillars of RO DBT are:

openness

Encourages clients to be open to feedback from others and to new situations and experiences. This helps them learn to relax their excessive need for control and become more adaptable and accepting of change.

flexibility

Focuses on teaching clients to be more flexible in their responses to challenges. This includes letting go of rigid rules and the excessive need for structure, and learning to tolerate uncertainty and ambiguity in life.

social connectedness

Aims to increase interpersonal connectedness and social behavior. This involves teaching clients to engage with others and build relationships, addressing the social isolation that can come with being overly controlled or perfectionistic.

UNDERSTANDING AND ADDRESSING OVERCONTROL

What is overcontrol and why treat it?

"Overcontrol" describes an excessive, maladaptive level of self-control that can lead to serious mental health issues. While self-control is vital for achieving long-term goals and is linked to success and happiness, too much can cause significant problems, including social isolation, loneliness, poor social functioning, and severe conditions like anorexia, chronic depression, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder. These challenges are often underestimated or misinterpreted because societal norms favor emotional restraint and delayed gratification, complicating recognition and treatment by clinicians.

ro dbt for ocd

RO DBT can serve as a valuable adjunctive treatment for individuals with OCD who display overcontrolled personality traits such as rigidity, perfectionism, and social withdrawal.

While traditional treatments like Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) directly target OCD symptoms, RO DBT can enhance these efforts by promoting emotional openness, increasing psychological flexibility, and improving social connectivity. This complementary approach helps address broader aspects of psychological health, fostering improved interpersonal relationships and resilience against stress, which are crucial for long-term management of OCD.

Our RO DBT program includes:

01

initial Assessment

An RO DBT assessment evaluates a client's suitability for Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy. It involves a comprehensive review of the client's behavioral and emotional patterns, interpersonal effectiveness, and openness to feedback. The assessment helps identify specific areas of concern and tailors the therapy to the individual's needs.

02

weekly individual therapy

Individual RO DBT is done in conjunction with group skills training to enhance care for clients with significant behavioral issues affecting their quality of life and relationships. It uses structured self-enquiry and a diary card to target key behaviors, discussing life-threatening behaviors, therapeutic alliance ruptures, and social signaling problems through behavior chain analysis.

03

Weekly Group skills Classes

RO DBT skills training is a 30-week group cycle teaching mindfulness, radical openness, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Each weekly 1.5 hour session includes mindfulness practice, homework review to assess skill application, teaching a new skill, and assigning homework

Dedicated Expertise

Meet Marie, our RO DBT specialist

To join the Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy program, you can start with a free 15-minute consultation with our RO DBT specialist and program coordinator, Marie. Standard RO DBT is a 30-week process, but some clients may work longer.

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