What is DBT, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy? Dialectical, sounds like diabolical – but it is not. Dialectical means opposite. It is a type of behavioral therapy that aims at changing negative thinking and destructive behaviors into positive outcomes. DBT works for substance use disorder and is a great tool to learn at an early age for everyone, even those without an SUD.
Laura Petracek, PhD, LCSW is a certified DBT therapist who, as a recovering addict herself, uses her own experiences with recovery and treatment to help others. Dr. Petracek received her Master of Social Work from the Wurzweiler School of Social Work and her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies. She has worked in the field of psychotherapy for more than thirty years, twenty-six of which have been spent as a practicing Clinical Psychologist in California. Dr. Petracek is an LGBTQ+ member and ally. She believes that mental illness can feel like you’re in a freefall because you’ve lost control of your mind but emphasizes that it’s okay not to be okay. She is committed to providing the highest quality psychotherapy services, as a psychologist and author, that honor where individuals are on their personal growth journeys. Dr. Petracek is the author of The Anger Workbook for Women and The DBT Workbook for Alcohol and Drug Addiction.
