An RO DBT Austin therapist answers: What’s the Difference Between DBT and RODBT?

There is much confusion about DBT vs RODBT and it doesn’t help that the names are so similar. A Radically Open DBT Austin therapist lays out the differences.

I am very often asked, by clients and therapists alike, to explain the difference between Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (RODBT). RODBT spun off of DBT but is actually pretty difference from the modality that birthed it.

Key Difference Between DBT and RODBT in Austin: Undercontrol vs. Overcontrol

The key difference between DBT and RODBT is what they were designed to address. DBT addresses issues with undercontrol and RODBT addresses issues with overcontrol.

Most people lean a little towards one or the other. A person can be 100% overcontrol or 100% undercontrol and still be psychologically healthy. Problems arise when someone leans so far into one extreme that it starts to work against them.

Distinguishing Between Undercontrol and Overcontrol

By around the age of four or five, a child starts to demonstrate the temperament that will follow him or her into adulthood. Some of these children will lean more toward undercontrol and others will lean more toward overcontrol. As mentioned earlier, everyone leans a little toward one or the other. The following four domains show key differences between overcontrol and undercontrol.

High reward sensitivity vs. low reward sensitivity - Undercontrolled people have a stronger response to things like praise or pleasant activities. They will typically appear more excited about a positive event and more distressed about a stressful one. The overcontrolled, however, need a much higher intensity of stimulus to get excited. An overcontrolled person will seem not impressed by things.

High or low threat sensitivity vs. High threat sensitivity - With some exceptions, the undercontrolled are not as reactive to threats as the overcontrolled. Overcontrolled will see danger in even a neutral stimulus. They also experience more pervasive anxiety and more defensive arousal, yet will show less emotion thus making their distress harder to see.

Low inhibitory control vs. high inhibitory control - Undercontrolled people have a lower tolerance for frustration and their behaviors can vary with their mood. The overcontrolled will carry out the task regardless of whether they feel like it. They have superior self-control, excel at future planning, and have a really hard time relaxing.

Global-focused processing vs. high detail-focused processing - The undercontrolled will tend to see the big picture at the expense of the details. The overcontrolled will, as they say, miss the forest for the trees. They see all of the minutiae but can get so focused on these details that they miss the point of the activity.

Neither of these temperaments is inherently a problem. But they can become a problem if someone leans so far into them that it impact their quality of life.

When Should You Choose DBT or RODBT in Austin?

If undercontrol describes you, and it has become a problem in your life, DBT might be a good option. If overcontrol describes you, and it has become a problem in your life, Radically Open DBT might be a good option.

Contact an RODBT Therapist in Austin for a Free Consultation

Feel free to reach out to me here to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation if you think you might benefit from one of these approaches. I offer Radically Open DBT in Austin. I do not offer DBT but I know some wonderful therapists who do.