How Can DBT Skills Help Manage Trauma and PTSD Symptoms?

Trauma and PTSD symptoms can be overwhelming. It can affect every aspect of our life. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers a set of skills that can be incredibly effective in managing these experiences. Today we're going to talk about how using DBT skills can help manage PTSD and trauma.

Focusing on the Present

A skill that's used in DBT to help focus on the present would be mindfulness. For people dealing with trauma and PTSD, mindfulness can help ground us when memories and flashbacks become overwhelming. When practicing mindfulness, we can use different techniques such as deep breathing and focusing on our 5 senses which can keep us in the present and help reduce the intensity of traumatic memories. Some examples of mindfulness strategies that we can practice are:

• Mindful Walking: enjoying a slow walk outside, while paying attention to the environment and noticing small details around us.

• Journaling: writing down our thoughts and feelings to clear our mind.

• Guided Meditation: follow guided meditations online. (ex: Youtube) 

• Visualization: imagining a peaceful place, picturing the details vividly.

Creating a Tolerance for Distress 

Distress tolerance skills are important for managing the intense emotions that come with trauma. These skills include strategies like self-soothing, distraction, and radical acceptance. By learning to tolerate distress without resorting to harmful behaviors, we can navigate emotional storms more effectively. 

We can practice self-soothing skills by:

• Deep Breathing: Practice slow, deep breaths to reduce anxiety.

• Warm Bath or Shower: Taking a warm bath or shower can be soothing and help relax our muscles.

• Listening to Music: listen to songs that are calming or uplifting when we need to unwind. 

We can practice distraction techniques by:

• Engaging in Physical Activity: walking, doing some stretches, or engaging in any form of exercise to redirect our energy and focus.

• Watching a Movie or Show: Immersing ourselves in a movie or show series to temporarily divert our thoughts.

• Creative Activities: Participate in activities like drawing, painting, or writing to direct our feelings into creativity.

Radical acceptance is another way to create a tolerance for distress. It is about fully accepting our reality, even if it's painful. This doesn't mean we have to approve of or like what happened, but it helps us stop fighting against reality, which can reduce suffering. Accepting our experiences as they are can be a powerful step towards healing. A few ways we can do this is by:

• Self-Compassion: Treating ourselves with kindness and understanding during tough times. Reminding ourselves that it’s okay to struggle.

• Reframe the Narrative: Shifting our perspective by finding meaning or lessons in difficult experiences. 

• Accept What We Cannot Control: Acknowledging that some situations are beyond our control and consciously let go of the need to change them. 

Understanding and Regulating Emotions

Feeling intense emotions is almost unavoidable when dealing with Trauma and PTSD. Emotion regulation skills can help us understand and manage these emotions. We can practice emotion surfing by starting off with identifying and labeling emotions we are able to understand what we're feeling and why. Then, we can notice where we might feel the emotion in our bodies and use deep breathing techniques. Finally, we can accept that emotions are temporary and let them rise and fall.This can help reduce our vulnerability to emotional dysregulation, increase positive emotional experiences and let the intense emotions eventually subside..  

Creating Healthy Relationships with Others

When we are experiencing trauma, it can strain relationships, making it difficult to communicate and connect with others. We can create healthy relationships with others by communicating openly about how we feel, setting boundaries, and building a support network with understanding people. Interpersonal effectiveness skills focus on these skills can help us maintain our relationships and improve communication with those around us during hard times. We should also remember to take care of ourselves by practicing self compassion, embracing a mindset of personal growth and being truthful to our feelings.

Using DBT skills in our daily lives can significantly aid in our recovery from trauma and PTSD. Regularly practicing mindfulness, focusing on the present, and using distress tolerance skills can enhance mental health during tough times. Additionally, working on emotion regulation, improving relationships, and embracing radical acceptance contribute to overall well-being. Healing is a journey, and it's okay to seek support from therapists, support groups, and loved ones.