So the big question…What is Dialectics?

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based psychotherapy

that falls under the umbrella of cognitive behavioral therapy. Many of my

clients are often confused or perplexed by the word “dialectics”.

Lets first look at what it means. Dialectics is derived from the philosophical

viewpoint of balancing opposites. So this basically means that the therapist

consistently works with the individual to consider two apparent opposite

perspectives at the same time.

For example, trying to work with the client to avoid “black and white” and

“all-or-nothing” styles of thinking. The dialectic at the heart of DBT is

acceptance and change.

The Change-Acceptance Dialectic

Who knew you could both accept where you are and seek change at the

same time? Complicated huh? Not so much. Many of us are conditioned

to believe to either accept things as they are or change and move on.

However, according to Marsha Linehan, the founder of DBT, emotional pain

without acceptance = more suffering. So the more we fight against our

reality the more likely we are to experience more intense negative

emotions. Therefore the sooner we accept our emotional pain the better

chances we have at changing our reality.