FIND YOUR TRIBE

Do you feel like you work harder than other people to get by? Is it hard for you to relax and “be yourself” around others? Do you want closer friendships or relationships? is it hard for you to express your emotions? 

If so, you might suffer from an excess of emotional overcontrol (OC). People who are OC are at risk of certain kinds of mental health issues. OC is a result of both bio-temperment and environmental influence—nature and nurture. 

Radically Open DBT (RO DBT) is a new treatment modality that focuses on problems associated with overcontrol. 

RO DBT defines mental health as:

1. Receptivity and Openness 
   1. to new experiences and to feedback from others 
2. Flexible-control 
   1. adapt to different social contexts and changing conditions
3. Intimacy and social-connectedness (with at least one other person)
   1. based on the theory that long-lasting bonds and trust allowed humans to work in groups or tribes, and that the lack of these bonds causes emotional suffering

You are likely already skilled at self-control. If you’ve been in therapy before, you probably were taught skills to increase your self-control. But what if self-control is what’s keeping you from relaxing and enjoying life? “Stop and smell the roses”—but how exactly do you do this? Does this phrase cause you frustration and confusion? Have you tried different treatments before but none of them really helped? Do you feel emotionally isolated? Have you worked hard to fix things, but your hard work has not paid off? If these fit you and your situation, then RO DBT might be the treatment for you.