Effective Behavioral Therapy Case Study

Dal is experiencing overwhelming thoughts, feelings, and emotions that are interfering with normal functioning. She is highly unstable and it is difficult for her to distinguish “reality” from her own maladaptive thoughts of the world and of her direct environment. Therefore, the long term goal in therapy will be to build acceptance and tolerance skills to manage intense negative emotions, which will then allow her better control in all areas of her life. Therapy will focus on improving Dal’s self-knowledge, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, cognitive distortions, and mindfulness skills. Dal will learn that she is not necessarily bad or flawed, and that her coping mechanisms, such as self-harm, impulsive spending, and binge eating are

In order to reduce suicidality and self-harm, she will need to learn new skills in order to manage difficult emotions, impulsive behaviors, binge eating, dysphoric moods, and substance use. She will need to learn how to communicate more effectively by practicing assertiveness skills, as well as relaxation skills to avoid angry and violent outbursts. Since personality disorders are characterized by pervasive patterns of negative cognitions, affect dysregulation, poor impulse control, and deficits in interpersonal functioning, Dal will need interventions that focus on each of these areas. Once these areas are addressed and improved upon, Dal will experience a decrease in self-harm behaviors that are used to reduce highly distressing thoughts, feelings, and

In her case, she is experiencing issues in interpersonal relationships. She is unable to maintain a healthy self-esteem and self-worth, and fears abandonment and rejection. Dal is also experiencing a very invalidating environment, as she cannot maintain a stable intimate relationship. She also has wild mood swings and cannot regulate her emotions. Therefore, in order to reduce suicidality and self-harm behaviors, Dal will need to learn skills in each of the following areas: mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal