House on Fire Podcast
BPS has launched a new DBT-based podcast called House on Fire. Hear our clinicians break down how to use and implement DBT skills in real-world scenarios. It’s a little bit educational, a little bit cheeky and a lot of fun. Check it out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Buzzsprout from the image links below.
Psychology Insights from Behavioral Psych Center
Considering Culture in providing DBT for Latinx Populations in the United States
When it comes to providing therapy, including Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Every individual is unique, and their experiences, values, and beliefs are shaped by their culture. Culture shapes how we understand and...
Self Compassion
Recently, in an off-handed, quasi-self deprecating way, a dear friend remarked to me, “If I were to speak to others the way I speak to myself, I don’t think I’d have that many friends.” I was struck by the statement, as my assumptions about this individual ran wholly...
Cut That Cord! A Parent’s Guide to Using Opposite Action
Here we are again. You’re staring at a sink filled with food-crusted plates, overflowing cups, and more silverware than you can count. How many times have you said, “Clean up after yourself!”? How many conversations have you had about the importance of taking...
Addressing Body Image Concerns Using Mirror Exposure
Who hasn’t experienced some form of self-criticism about their body image? We are all too familiar with examining ourselves in the mirror and zeroing in on whatever it is that we do not like. It’s a process so many of us unconsciously engage in…but what effect does it...
The Adolescent Brain
Brains are like race cars: Powerful, innovative, dynamic, tough, and function like well-oiled machines. Sometimes, however, steering a race car can be hard to maintain control of. Brains are not that different. Our brains have their own accelerator as well as a...
Start SMART this New Year
The New Year is accompanied by a fairly familiar tradition: Setting New Year’s resolutions and then great difficulty actually reaching those resolutions. It is something that, at one point or another, most of us are guilty of experiencing. We pinpoint behaviors to...
The Mindful Brain
The practice of mindfulness can transform us from a rote state to an intentional state. Like a caterpillar morphing into a beautiful butterfly, mindfulness can help transform you into a happier and healthier version of yourself. Yet, what is mindfulness doing in the...
Thinking Dialectically about Recovering from Addiction
Whether you struggle with substance abuse or know someone who does, addiction impacts all of us. It’s easy to judge, to assume, or to have strong opinions about what you think someone should do to get better and survive. It likely comes from a place of love or fear,...
Science & Society: The DBT Brain
In the previous blog post on The Neuroplastic Brain, we began to explore how our environment can influence our brain's development through neuroplasticity. Have you ever considered how this plays out in your life? Well, if you are currently or previously engaged in...
Science & Society: The Neuroplastic Brain
Not everything about a person can be explained just by what is happening in their mind. Every day each of us interacts within many systems, some of which are invisible, that can have subtle influences on our neurobiology. We can think about the interplay between our...
Trick or Truth? How to Change Unwanted Emotions by Checking The Facts
Picture this: You’re alone in your home and hear a loud sound coming from the next room. Immediately you think, an intruder is in the house. Panic sets in and your heart starts racing. You’re terrified, of course, because you’re in danger. . .or are you? Research...
Understanding Suicidality & DBT’s Approach
Suicidality is a prevalent and complex problem in society today. As September is Suicide Awareness Month, it seems timely to revisit DBT’s approach to this global issue. In DBT, we try to understand what emotions are driving a client to suicide while also motivating...
How to Live in Accordance With What Matters: A Crash Course on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
What the heck is ACT? If you find yourself thinking, “another type of behavioral therapy? Another acronym?!” I would get it. It’s true, as a therapist, I geek out on this stuff. But I wouldn’t write a blog post about it if I didn’t think it was really worth your...
3 Skills for Responding to Invalidating Environments
Invalidation is one of the most corrosive factors in any given relationship. After all, chronic invalidation resides at the heart of DBT’s Biosocial Theory, which expounds upon why one may struggle to control one’s own emotions and actions. Invalidation, at its core,...
How to Talk about Consent With Your Children
Sex. It’s a topic parents often cringe at when thinking about how to broach the subject. And while teaching children about the birds and the bees is an important step toward sexual health and safety, allow me to make another suggestion: talk to your kids about consent...
Pop Quiz: What is the difference between pain and suffering?
There are certain circumstances in life which we cannot fix, we cannot problem solve, and we cannot change. To name a few: how others react, our past experiences, our genetic disposition, death, natural disasters, etc. One might ask: are we just meant to suffer? Make...
10 Tips to Support Your TGNB (Transgender/Nonbinary) Loved One
Considering the recent increase in anti-trans legislation across the U.S., I wanted to write this post to show our direct support of transgender, nonbinary and gender-diverse people, who make up a large portion of our clients at BPS. The impact of these bills can be...
There REALLY is No Place Like Home for the Holidays
Perry Como wasn’t wrong when he sang those iconic Stillman lyrics. “There’s no place like home for the holidays.” Really. And whether it’s your biological family, your chosen family or your new partner, home (for the holidays) carries a weighty pressure that perfectly...