What is RO DBT?
What is RO DBT?
Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (RO DBT) was developed to target excessive self-control. The RO DBT process focuses on challenging overcontrolled behaviors and practicing skills that build openness, social connectedness, and flexibility.
Am I Overcontrolled?
Do your emotions build up to the point that their only expression is in exhausted outbursts? Are you commended for your discipline and success at work but inside you feel a crushing need for perfection? Are social gatherings so intimidating that you avoid them altogether? Does the idea of doing something wrong keep you from trying new things?
RO DBT is effective for individuals who experience:
Perfectionism and rigidity
Social anxiety and/or isolation
Chronic or treatment-resistant depression
Anorexia nervosa
Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
Autism spectrum disorders
Key Components of RO DBT
Radical Openness: Encourages embracing new experiences and emotions, even those that are uncomfortable, to foster vulnerability.
Social Signaling: Enhances nonverbal communication skills crucial for building and maintaining relationships such as facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice.
Flexible Control: Promotes adaptability and tolerance of ambiguity to balance overcontrol during changing circumstances.
How can I balance my use of control?
One way to dip your toe into the practice of balancing self-control is to use self-enquiry. Self-enquiry happens when you ask yourself questions that find your “edge”- or the point in where comfort meets discomfort. This is the point where learning happens. Next time you find yourself in a situation in which you are ruminating about a problem or feeling defensive about a situation, practice self-enquiry journaling:
Set a timer for 5 minutes and ask yourself a few of the following questions:
Do I believe I already know all the facts about this situation?
Do I find myself wanting to justify or explain my version of the facts to myself or someone else? What might this tell me about what I need to learn?
Am I finding it hard to question my current point of view or reflect on myself?
Is there a part of me that is insisting it is right or that it’s viewpoint is the true one?
Am I using this experience as another way to beat myself up?
Is there a part of me that is hoping I will fail?
Write down the thoughts, feelings, urges, memories, and reactions that come up for you, and stop when the timer is up. Try to be open and nonjudgmental towards the thoughts that come up during this process. You’ve taken a step to challenge overcontrol and know yourself better.
Written by: Madeleine Bradshaw, LCSW