Emma Lauer, LCSW: DBT Skills for Highly Sensitive People

Thoughts on Record: Podcast of the Ottawa Institute of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Dialectical behavior therapy or DBT is a wonderful suite of tools that help people to be more effective with respect to managing their emotions and becoming more interpersonally effective. These are challenges that often loom especially large for those who are highly sensitive. Emma Lauer, LCSW joins us for a discussion of her workbook DBT Skills for Highly Sensitive People. In this conversation we cover:

• what inspired Emma to speak about the implementation of DBT in a way that is tailored specifically to sensitive individuals.
• defining a highly sensitive person in the context of mental health and therapy and how this construct has been empirically defined.
• tell-tale life experiences that are typical of a highly sensitive individual.
• the biggest myths, misconceptions or “lore” about highly sensitive people.
• contrasting sensitivity with weakness.
• why emotional sensitivity can be a super power.
• current self-defeating cultural narratives, behaviours and values around emotional experiences.
• the unique challenges that highly sensitive individuals face that DBT can help address.
• distress tolerance vs. an unhealthy escape from difficult emotions.
• the importance of the so-called "window of tolerance" and top strategies for expanding the window of tolerance.
• some of the unique interpersonal challenges that highly sensitive people experience and how DBT can help to address this.
• managing uncertainty as a central challenge of managing a highly sensitive temperament.
• Laura's favourite emotion regulation strategies.
• some of the challenges of implementing mindfulness for highly sensitive individuals.

Emma Lauer, LCSW, is a therapist specializing in the treatment of eating disorders, self-harming behaviors, and trauma. Emma is an eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)-certified therapist, an EMDR Consultant-in-Training, and she has taught both undergraduate and graduate-level courses at Arizona State University. She currently practices therapy and oversees interns and other staff therapists as clinical supervisor at Find Your Shine Therapy, a group private practice in Tempe, AZ.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/emma-lauer-tempe-az/418090