Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Techniques on a General Psychiatric Inpatient Unit

Psychologically based interventions play a complementary role to biologically based interventions in the treatment of patients admitted to a general psychiatric unit embedded within a general medical hospital setting. Given the acuity, diagnostic heterogeneity, and complexity of patients in this setting, flexibly and creatively integrating select therapeutic techniques into various clinical exchanges is crucial when delivering care. In this chapter, we highlight how Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques can be incorporated into three aspects of inpatient treatment: individual psychotherapy, group therapy, and behavioral programming. This chapter is constructed to: (1) describe the processes by which techniques are chosen and employed into individual therapy, group therapy, and behavioral programming, (2) provide a list of specific skills commonly used, and (3) provide appropriate clinical examples to illustrate the application of these skills in individual and group treatment as well as behavioral programming. Lastly, we discuss specific considerations for the clinician to keep in mind when planning and executing treatment.