Radically Open DBT
Abri Psychotherapy provides Radically Open DBT in Oregon to help you live your best life through radical openness and connectivity.
What Is Radically Open DBT?
Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (RO DBT) is a transdiagnostic treatment designed to help people who struggle with overcontrol—traits like excessive self-restraint, perfectionism, emotional inhibition, and rigid thinking. Developed by Dr. Thomas Lynch, RO DBT is an evidence-based approach that aims to increase openness, flexibility, and emotional expression, helping individuals build more connected and fulfilling lives. It is particularly focused on improving social connectedness, which is often impaired in people with overcontrolled personality styles.
How RO DBT Therapy Works
RO DBT is built on the idea that some individuals cope with emotional pain not by losing control, but by being overly controlled. In therapy, clients learn to become more open to feedback, increase self-compassion, and take social risks to build stronger relationships. Unlike traditional DBT, which emphasizes emotional regulation for undercontrolled individuals, RO DBT uses skills training, individual sessions, and mindfulness practices to foster emotional openness and social signaling. The approach also incorporates novel concepts like self-enquiry and radical openness to promote psychological flexibility.
How Is RO DBT Different From Traditional DBT?
While both traditional DBT and RO DBT are based on dialectical behavior therapy principles, they serve very different populations. Traditional DBT targets issues of emotional undercontrol, such as impulsivity and emotional reactivity—commonly seen in borderline personality disorder (BPD). In contrast, RO DBT focuses on emotional overcontrol—characterized by excessive inhibition, social withdrawal, and perfectionism. RO DBT incorporates new techniques such as social signaling training and focuses more on interpersonal connection and openness rather than behavioral stabilization.
Conditions Treated With RO DBT
RO DBT has been shown to be effective for a variety of mental health conditions where overcontrol is a central feature. These include chronic depression, anorexia nervosa, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD & OCD), treatment-resistant anxiety, autism spectrum conditions with social rigidity, and maladaptive perfectionism. It is especially useful when individuals appear highly functional on the outside but feel emotionally isolated, misunderstood, or chronically disconnected from others.
Who Can Benefit From Radically Open DBT?
RO DBT is well-suited for individuals who are described as “too controlled”—those who tend to suppress emotions, avoid vulnerability, strive for perfection, and find it difficult to trust or connect with others. People who are often viewed as highly responsible, self-sufficient, or emotionally distant may benefit the most. This therapy can be life-changing for individuals who feel lonely or misunderstood despite appearing successful or put-together in daily life.
Is Radically Open DBT Effective for Perfectionism?
Yes, RO DBT is especially effective for perfectionism that stems from emotional overcontrol. It helps individuals recognize how rigid standards and fear of failure can block emotional expression and strain relationships. Through targeted skills training and social-emotional exercises, RO DBT supports individuals in becoming more flexible, self-compassionate, and willing to take risks in how they relate to themselves and others.
Is RO DBT Evidence-Based?
Yes, RO DBT is an evidence-based treatment backed by clinical trials and growing research support. Studies have shown its effectiveness in treating chronic depression, anorexia nervosa, and personality disorders associated with emotional overcontrol. Its structured, skills-based approach makes it both practical and scientifically grounded, with increasing adoption in clinical settings worldwide.
Is RO DBT for BPD?
RO DBT is not the first-line treatment for borderline personality disorder (BPD), which is typically characterized by emotional undercontrol and is best treated with standard DBT. However, in cases where BPD symptoms coexist with significant overcontrolled traits—like emotional suppression or perfectionism—RO DBT may be used in combination or as a follow-up treatment to address those specific patterns. The two approaches serve different needs, and a trained clinician can help determine the best fit.
What Are the Core Skills in Radically Open DBT?
RO DBT teaches a distinct set of skills designed to increase openness, emotional expression, and connection. Core skills include self-enquiry (a mindful exploration of beliefs and behaviors), flexible responding, social signaling, and radical openness (the willingness to be wrong or challenged). These skills aim to help individuals move away from perfectionism and emotional guarding toward greater authenticity and connection.
What to Expect in RO DBT Sessions
RO DBT typically includes weekly individual therapy sessions and a separate weekly skills class, similar in format to standard DBT. However, the content is different—focusing less on crisis management and more on building trust, increasing vulnerability, and strengthening social connections. Sessions often include mindfulness practices, discussions about social behavior, and structured exercises to increase emotional expressiveness and openness to feedback.
Start Radically Open DBT in Oregon
Information and Frequently Asked Questions:
Do you accept insurance?
We accept the following insurances:
- Kaiser Permanente
- PacificSource
- Legacy Health Plan
- CareOregon (OHP)
- Trillium (OHP)
- Mentia
Please note, Medicaid must be your primary insurance to be billed. We are out-of-network for all other insurances at this time and do not submit out-of-network claims or bill secondary insurances. We do not accept Medicare at this time.
What are your out of network rates?
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Increase Openness and Receptivity. Create A Life Worth Sharing.
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1. Fill out the form.
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2. Schedule your consultation.
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3. Begin your path to openness and growth.
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