If you are experiencing anxiety, sleeplessness, strained relationships, depression and/or hopelessness, you are not alone. All of our lives have been disrupted by the pandemic and mental health has suffered across all ages and situations. Many have been quarantining alone, while others have been trying to function as both teacher to their children and competent employee. Perhaps you are grieving the loss of a loved one or even your livelihood.
Or perhaps you have been told that you are overly emotional, “too much,” or too intense in your reactions to frustrating or disappointing situations. Difficulty in tolerating some of the normal stressors of life, a persistent fear of abandonment and frequent over-reacting, may well be related to wounds from childhood leading to a lower tolerance for stress.
Proven effective in helping individuals gain control of emotions, Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills may be just what you need to manage the ongoing stress of the pandemic. The skills are taught in small groups, online, so that each person can share similar experiences and coping strategies. The strategies you learn include regulating anxiety, reducing conflict with others and tolerating stress, without spinning out of control or damaging relationships.
Many of the skills use a mindfulness approach, and include breathing techniques, relaxing the body and the mind. By accepting what cannot be changed, and changing behavior in a positive way, clients are able to gain mastery over life’s difficult circumstances. DBT skills group does not take the place of therapy. Members must currently see a therapist for individual therapy as a requirement for participation in the group. Additionally, the group runs for six months, and members are expected to attend most sessions.
If you think that an online group that could help you to feel more confident in your ability to manage your emotions could be for you, please reach out to trained facilitator, Trish Cunningham. A new group is currently forming and is limited to eight people.
