At its foundation, DBT balances two core concepts: acceptance and change. Clients are encouraged to acknowledge where they are emotionally and behaviorally, while also working toward implementing healthier behaviors and thought patterns. This dual focus makes DBT especially effective for people in addiction recovery, who may grapple with guilt, shame, and emotional instability all while trying to resist the pull of substances.
Goals of DBT in Addiction Treatment
- Reduce Substance Use: Helping individuals recognize urges and develop alternatives to drug or alcohol use.
- Stabilize Emotions: Teaching strategies to handle distress without becoming overwhelmed or turning to substances for relief.
- Enhance Coping Skills: Equipping individuals with the tools needed to respond to real-life stressors in a healthy, grounded way.
- Strengthen Motivation for Recovery: Encouraging personal responsibility and a vision for a more fulfilling, substance-free life.
- Improve Relational Health: Fostering more effective communication, boundary-setting, and emotional connection with loved ones.
These goals are interwoven into every stage of the recovery process at Amity San Diego, creating a customized DBT experience that addresses both the emotional roots of addiction and the everyday challenges of sobriety.
Core Skills Taught in DBT for Addiction
DBT for addiction treatment is a little-known treatment, that can have a huge impact for your recovery. One of the most urgent needs in addiction treatment is helping clients get through moments of crisis without using addictive substances. Distress tolerance skills offer safe, effective alternatives to numbing emotions or stress. These tools include distraction, acceptance, and crisis survival strategies that can provide relief without negative consequences.
Example: A client experiencing a panic attack or intense cravings after a triggering phone call can use DBT’s “ACCEPTS” skillset (Activities, Contributing, Comparisons, Emotions, Pushing away, Thoughts, Sensations) to ground themselves and avoid relapse.
Mindfulness is the cornerstone of DBT. It involves learning to observe and describe your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations without judgment. In recovery, this can be essential for recognizing cravings, identifying emotional triggers, and making more intentional choices.
Example: A person walking into a party where alcohol is present might feel tension and anxiety rising. With mindfulness, they can pause, breathe, and check in with their internal state. They can notice the discomfort without being controlled by it.
Many individuals struggling with addiction report difficulty managing their emotional responses. DBT helps clients identify what they’re feeling, understand why, and regulate their emotions before they spiral. Techniques include increasing positive emotional experiences, reducing vulnerability factors (like hunger or sleep deprivation), and learning to take the “opposite action” when emotions are driving unhealthy behavior.
Example: Someone feeling isolated and tempted to use addictive substances might instead choose to reach out to a friend, take a walk, or engage in an activity that brings joy (even if it feels unnatural at first).
Recovery doesn’t happen in isolation. DBT teaches clients how to navigate difficult relationships, ask for what they need, and say “no” when necessary — all without aggression, guilt, or manipulation. These skills are vital when rebuilding trust with loved ones or setting boundaries with people who may still use substances.
Example: A client may use the GIVE skills (Gentle, Interested, Validate, Easy manner) when reuniting with a family member, repairing old wounds while maintaining emotional safety.
Benefits of DBT for Addiction Recovery
Because DBT emphasizes coping in the moment, clients gain tools to ride out cravings and urges without acting on them. Over time, this reduces the frequency and intensity of relapse episodes.
By learning to regulate emotions, clients feel less like victims of their moods. They can navigate stress, grief, anger, and anxiety with more resilience. This can be a crucial skill in avoiding self-medication through drugs or alcohol.
Healthy relationships are a cornerstone of recovery. DBT can help individuals stop people-pleasing, avoiding conflict, and instead communicate authentically. This can be life-changing for those who’ve historically used substances to cope with interpersonal tension.
DBT can help set individuals up for long-term success. Recovery is not just about abstaining, but building a new life. DBT can help individuals create a roadmap for that new life, rooted in mindfulness, self-respect, and conscious choice.
For many, addiction is a response to unresolved trauma. While DBT is not strictly designed for trauma treatment, its stabilizing influence often makes it the perfect first step before engaging in more intensive trauma work.
Can DBT for Addiction Treatment Work With Other Therapies?
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT techniques address thought patterns that can lead to unhealthy behavior, while DBT adds emotional regulation and mindfulness tools to manage those patterns in real time.
- Motivational Interviewing (MI): DBT builds on the insight and self-efficacy cultivated in MI sessions, helping clients act on the desire for change.
- Experiential Therapies: Adventure therapy, art therapy, or music therapy can deepen the emotional breakthroughs achieved in DBT sessions by giving individuals an outlet for expression.
- Medically-Assisted Treatment (MAT): For clients taking medication for co-occurring disorders or participating in MAT for opioid addiction or alcohol use disorder, DBT can help a person stay emotionally grounded and committed to treatment.
DBT can enhance an individual’s journey and supplement their treatment plan in tandem with other forms of therapy. For people suffering from a dual diagnosis, DBT can also teach coping skills for dealing with their mental illness on a daily basis. This may lead to lower rates of relapse for the purposes of self-medication.
Recovery with DBT for Addiction at Amity San Diego
At Amity San Diego, individuals will gain access to:
- Licensed therapists: Our team is experienced in addiction treatment, including dialectical behavior therapy and other modalities. Every session is intentional, compassionate, and tailored to your recovery path.
- Group therapy: Clients can learn, practice, and apply DBT skills in a supportive group environment. Role-playing, real-time help, and peer connection are all part of the process.
- Integrated, Client-Centered Care: We don’t just treat addiction. We treat the whole person, including but not limited to co-occurring disorders, trauma, family dynamics, and implementing healthier lifestyle changes. DBT fits seamlessly into this broader, holistic picture of treatment.
- Flexible Levels of Care: Whether you need residential treatment, partial hospitalization (PHP), or an intensive outpatient program (IOP), we offer DBT-informed care at every level.
Located in beautiful San Diego, Amity offers the peace of nature, the comfort of community, and the guidance of professionals who believe in your capacity to heal. We’ve helped countless individuals not only get sober, but maintain sobriety by discovering their inner strength, reclaiming their personal identity, and developing the emotional skills to thrive.
Contact us today or fill out our secure online form to speak with a member of our admissions team. We’ll walk you through your options and help you take the first step toward lasting recovery.
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We understand that navigating the financial aspects of treatment can be challenging. Amity San Diego is here to help. Our team works with many insurance providers to make treatment as accessible as possible. Click below to verify your insurance and learn more about your coverage options. Our admissions team will guide you through the process and answer any questions you may have.
