- Emotional regulation
One of DBT’s main strengths is teaching people how to manage intense emotions.
People struggling with depression often experience strong sadness, anger, or numbness.
DBT offers specific techniques, like opposite action and checking the facts, to help regulate these emotions before they spiral out of control.
Studies exhibit that DBT pointedly reduces emotional dysregulation.
- Improved relationships
DBT pays a lot of attention to interpersonal effectiveness, which is essentially learning how to ask for what you need, set healthy boundaries, and cope with conflicts without exploding or withdrawing.
Relationships can feel tremendous or disappointing for many people with depression. DBT builds practical skills to navigate them better, which improves self-esteem and emotional security over time.
- Improved coping with stress
DBT introduces distress tolerance skills, which are ways to survive emotional pain without making things worse (e.g., self-harm, substance use, impulsive behavior).
It emphasizes short-term strategies like distraction, self-soothing, and improving the moment.
This is huge for people with depression who often feel stuck in cycles of rumination and hopelessness.
- Mindfulness skills
Mindfulness is the foundation of DBT.
It assists in staying present instead of getting trapped in regrets about the past or fears about the future, something particularly helpful for depressive thinking patterns.
Mindfulness-based practices have been shown to lower depressive symptoms and prevent relapse.
- Reduction in suicidal and self-harm behaviors
DBT was created because other therapies weren’t working for chronically suicidal individuals.
- Structured, yet flexible approach
DBT programs typically have a clear structure, such as weekly individual therapy, skills groups, and phone coaching, but they’re adaptable to individual needs.
This balance between structure and personalization makes it more engaging and sustainable, which can be very helpful for those who find traditional therapy too rigid or vague.
- Empowerment and self-efficacy
Unlike therapies that mainly focus on why someone feels bad, DBT also teaches how to feel better by offering concrete, actionable tools.
This builds competence and hope over time, which is critical for recovering from depression.
