Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy: Theory and Practice for Treating Disorders of Overcontrol 1st Edition

RO DBT is an innovative, ground-breaking,transdiagnostic, evidenced-based treatment that offers hope and relief to a large group of people who have not responded well or at all to existing treatments: those who suffer from problems of overcontrol. RO DBT is indicated for those diagnosed with chronic depression, obsessive compulsive personality disorder, and anorexia in particular.RO DBT also addresses one of the most serious and overlooked areas of maladaptive functioning of our time: loneliness and alienation. Loneliness is a worldwide problem. Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, a former US surgeon general recently wrote "The world is suffering from an epidemic of loneliness. If we cannot rebuild strong, authentic social connections, we will continue to splinter apart — in the workplace and in society." The consequences of loneliness on both physical and mental health are serious. Loneliness and alienation has also caused problems for society, such as the shy, overcontrolled, withdrawn individual who, seemingly out of the blue, acts out in violence.Researchers have recommended that mental health clinicians treat loneliness directly and on its own, not as a component of treatment for other disorders (e.g. Heinrich and Guilone, 2006). RO DBT (described in this book and in the companion book on skills training) focuses on connections with others as a key mechanism of change.RO DBT is an effective and needed treatment that advances the field of psychotherapy. Written by the treatment developer, this book is a comprehensive overview of RO DBT that is easy to read, delineates the research behind the concepts, and is the place to start if you want to offer RO DBT to the clients you see. I highly recommend the book and training in RO DBT. Training opportunities to learn RO DBT are listed at radicallyopen.net.

This manual describes the theory and practice of Radically Open dialectical behavior therapy (RO DBT), a transdiagnostic, empirically-based therapy for overcontrol (OC). Through extensive translational research, the author and treatment developer, Dr. Thomas Lynch, has managed to integrate a biosocial approach with polyvagal theory that addresses difficult-to-treat disorders in a novel, bottom-up fashion that circumvents pitfalls of traditional cognitive-behavioural therapies. This intervention fills a critical gap by effectively and creatively targeting significantly-impairing problems such as Anorexia Nervosa, chronic depression, and Cluster C personality disorders in a way that has been lacking in the literature to date. Dr. Lynch presents this model, which challenges some core misconceptions about psychotherapy with the OC population –e.g., “one size does not fit all” (because emotional loneliness rather than dysregulation is the primary problem) - in a comprehensive yet accessible manner that that makes intuitive sense and will appeal to most clinicians. Though the material is heavily influenced by neurophysiological science, Lynch’s writing remains engaging and reader-friendly throughout. Indeed, this manual will be accessible to a broad audience, including patients, those with an interest in therapy processes, graduate trainees, and mental health practitioners. I cannot recommend this book enough, and have already bought copies to share with my peers and supervisors. This is a treatment that will change lives.

Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy addresses the needs of many who suffer tremendously, yet often get overlooked because they tend not to signal the distress they experience internally to others. These are our clients who grapple with conditions of excessive self control, such as restrictive eating disorders, treatment resistant anxiety, chronic depression and OCPD.With a keen questioning mind, scientific rigor and deep regard for this population, Dr. Lynch has developed a groundbreaking model that effectively targets the emotional loneliness typically underlying these conditions, emphasizing social signaling as the primary mechanism of change.Having been intensively trained in this approach, I have witnessed remarkable changes in clients for whom this treatment proved to be invaluable. Shifts toward increased openness, flexibility, joy and relationship connectedness being among some of the most impactful changes.Based on 20+ years of research, this evidence based, transdiagnostic treatmentis clearly laid out in this comprehensive therapist guide. A broad range of relevant science is seamlessly woven together with principles for clinical practice. This in addition to the case examples and engaging writing style make this a fascinating, useful read for anyone in the field and a must have for those of us seeing clients with conditions of emotional overcontrol.

Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy by Dr. Thomas Lynch provides a clear approach to working with the challenges of clients who over control their emotions. Based on Malamati Sufism, Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy, RO-DBT, assists clients by presenting a discrete set of cognitive and behavioral skills to effect change which increases openness, flexibility, and social inclusion. Targeting social signaling in both the clinician and client, RO-DBT assists clients partially by engaging them socially while they concurrently learn to evaluate internal and external information differently through self-enquiry. Dr. Lynch provides clear examples of how to work with this trans-diagnostic group including celebrations of successes for letting-go, how to arrange your clinical room, and social signaling. In combination with the handouts, worksheets, and skills manual, this book is an excellent primer on a deeply effective and ground-breaking therapy.

Good for those interested in RODBT

this is used throughout therapy hospitals with eating disorders. Fantastic read highly recommend