Radically Open Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (RO DBT) is an empirically based therapy that effectively treats people with emotional loneliness.

Most of the time self-control is a good thing but some folk can suffer from excessive self-control (overcontrol). These folks are often the high-achievers, driven, goal-oriented type who seem to have it all together. They may actually struggle with relaxing. This can result in being overly inhibited, perfectionistic, cautious, and ultimately feeling exhausted by social interactions. To learn more about RO DBT check out this link to access Radically Open Blended Learning online.

Maggie is over-the-moon to be the first art therapist on the RO DBT Senior Clinician Team! She recognizes the effectiveness of this treatment for people who suffer in silence, holding their pain with such controlled ability that few, if any, know how bad they are hurting.

Wondering how RO DBT informs an art therapy session? Check out her blog post - Art therapy, not knowing, and new learning

What’s the difference between DBT and RO?

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) was created back in the early 90s specifically to help people who were chronically suicidal and emotionally dysregulated, often people diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. RO DBT is a new treatment that branched off from DBT in the early 2000s and is focused on the problems of people who are emotionally overcontrolled, basically the polar opposite of who DBT is intended to help. You can read a detailed breakdown of the difference here.

Read the Special Issue on RO DBT in the Behavior Therapist from March 2018 dedicated entirely to RO DBT.