Question

what are the seemingly opposing forces - the so-called "dialectics"- that are central to Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)?

Answer 1

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a kind of Cognitive Behavior Therapy focusing on teaching people to live in the moment, improving interpersonal relationships and improving coping mechanisms to deal with stress and anxiety. The dialectical in DBT essentially means two opposing things or feelings being true simultaneously. For example: I love my infant child. But I feel terrible that because of the responsibilities attached to him, I am not able to focus on my career. So, here, though I love my child, I don't like the fact that my career has to suffer because I have to take care of him. This is a dialectical situation where there are two simultaneous yet opposing truths. Another example can be a student saying, 'I am doing my best' also, 'I want to do better'. This is another dialect.

DBT is centered towards a dialect of acceptance and change. The key is to balance both acceptance and change and not stressing on either one of them. Accepting the situation as it is is important to look at it neutrally and deciding whether change is required or not. Change can only happen when there is acceptance. But only acceptance is not enough when change is required, simultaneously one has to take actions to change something. This is where we see the opposites synthesising, i.e. acceptance and change working together for betterment.