The Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy Workbook
Skills to Help You Overcome Depression, Anxiety, Loneliness, Perfectionism, and Other Disorders of Overcontrol
Published on 11. December 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
200 pages
978-1-64848-078-2 (ISBN)
Description
A powerful, breakthrough approach to help you heal from loneliness, depression, anxiety, perfectionism, and other disorders of overcontrol.
Why don't more people like me? How come I'm so lonely? I try to do things perfectly, but no one appreciates it. I'm outwardly successful, but still feel depressed and anxious. What is wrong with me?
Does this sound like you? If so, you should know that you aren't alone, and there is nothing wrong with you. You likely have an incredible sense of responsibility, attention to detail, and strong work ethic-all of which have led you to great success in your life. But did you know that the characteristics that may make you so successful can also make you lonely, anxious, or depressed?
If you struggle to express vulnerability and build emotional connection in relationships, you may have a disorder of overcontrol (OC). Excessive overcontrol-characterized by high risk aversion, compulsiveness, emotion inhibition, and social deficits-has been directly linked to perfectionism, depression, anxiety, and more. Luckily, there is help. Radically open dialectical behavior therapy (RO DBT) is a breakthrough, evidence-based treatment supported by twenty years of clinical research, and targets a spectrum of disorders characterized by excessive self-control. This workbook offers skills based in RO DBT to help you find a balance between your successful traits and your mental well-being.
The Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy Workbook tackles the loneliness that lies at the heart of disorders of overcontrol, and encourages strong social connections as a powerful tool for recovery. In this step-by-step workbook, you'll learn to identify where you are on the OC spectrum, find practical exercises for self-reflection and self-enquiry, and discover tools to help you connect with others on a deeper, more meaningful level. You'll also find strategies to help you deal with criticism, improve your ability to read complex social signals, and approach others with more trust and an open mind and heart.
If you're tired of being at the mercy of your need for control and the impact it has on your life and relationships, this compassionate and groundbreaking workbook can help you, every step of the way.
Why don't more people like me? How come I'm so lonely? I try to do things perfectly, but no one appreciates it. I'm outwardly successful, but still feel depressed and anxious. What is wrong with me?
Does this sound like you? If so, you should know that you aren't alone, and there is nothing wrong with you. You likely have an incredible sense of responsibility, attention to detail, and strong work ethic-all of which have led you to great success in your life. But did you know that the characteristics that may make you so successful can also make you lonely, anxious, or depressed?
If you struggle to express vulnerability and build emotional connection in relationships, you may have a disorder of overcontrol (OC). Excessive overcontrol-characterized by high risk aversion, compulsiveness, emotion inhibition, and social deficits-has been directly linked to perfectionism, depression, anxiety, and more. Luckily, there is help. Radically open dialectical behavior therapy (RO DBT) is a breakthrough, evidence-based treatment supported by twenty years of clinical research, and targets a spectrum of disorders characterized by excessive self-control. This workbook offers skills based in RO DBT to help you find a balance between your successful traits and your mental well-being.
The Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy Workbook tackles the loneliness that lies at the heart of disorders of overcontrol, and encourages strong social connections as a powerful tool for recovery. In this step-by-step workbook, you'll learn to identify where you are on the OC spectrum, find practical exercises for self-reflection and self-enquiry, and discover tools to help you connect with others on a deeper, more meaningful level. You'll also find strategies to help you deal with criticism, improve your ability to read complex social signals, and approach others with more trust and an open mind and heart.
If you're tired of being at the mercy of your need for control and the impact it has on your life and relationships, this compassionate and groundbreaking workbook can help you, every step of the way.
Reviews / Votes
The Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy Workbook is a powerful radically open dialectical behavior therapy (RO DBT) skills workbook that speaks directly to those trapped by rigid standards and chronic self-criticism. With compassion and clarity, it offers practical tools to break free from the exhausting pursuit of perfection. This workbook is a must-read for anyone ready to trade overcontrol (OC) for connection, flexibility, and true well-being-a game changer for clients and clinicians alike. * Karyn Hall, PhD, MSCP, APIT, licensed psychologist; director of the Houston DBT Center and DBTWise; certified RO DBT supervisor; and author of The Radically Open DBT Workbook for Eating Disorders * Readers will step onto a path toward greater freedom and fulfillment, guided by Tom Lynch and Nicole Little's compassionate, engaging, and entertaining writing, vivid examples, and practical exercises. The Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy Workbook helps overcontrolled readers learn to practice openness, flexibility, and curiosity about themselves and others; find relief from emotional loneliness; build connection and intimacy; and navigate thorny aspects of relationships, such as giving and receiving difficult feedback. I strongly recommend this essential guide for consumers and clinicians alike, overcontrolled or not, and I look forward to using it with my clients (and myself!). * Alexander L. Chapman, PhD, RPsych, professor of psychology at Simon Fraser University; president of the DBT Centre of Vancouver; and coauthor of The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for Shame * This insightful and practical book offers powerful skills to loosen the grip of perfectionism and excessive control by helping readers build flexibility, develop close bonds with others, and find more joy in life. It's a compassionate guide for anyone seeking to thrive socially and emotionally while pursuing meaningful goals. And along the way, the reader will have a little fun, too, while working with this book. * Martina Wolf-Arehult, PhD, psychologist, coordinator of the national highly specialized medical care unit for severe self-harm and eating disorders, cofounder of the Swedish DBT association, and author of Out of Loneliness *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oakland, CA
United States
Product notice
Paperback (UK-trade)
Dimensions
Height: 248 mm
Width: 201 mm
Thickness: 17 mm
Weight
494 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-64848-078-2 (9781648480782)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Thomas R. Lynch, PhD, FBPsS, is professor emeritus of clinical psychology at the University of Southampton school of psychology. Previously, he was director of the Duke Cognitive-Behavioral Research and Treatment Program at Duke University from 1998-2007. He relocated to Exeter University in the UK in 2007. Lynch's primary research interests include understanding and developing novel treatments for mood and personality disorders using a translational line of inquiry that combines basic neurobiobehavioral science with the most recent technological advances in intervention research. He is founder of radically open dialectical behavior therapy (RO DBT). Lynch has received numerous awards and special recognitions from organizations such as the National Institutes of Health-US (NIMH, NIDA), Medical Research Council-UK (MRC-EME), and the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD). His research has been recognized in the Science and Advances Section of the National Institutes of Health Congressional Justification Report; and he is a recipient of the John M. Rhoades Psychotherapy Research Endowment, and a Beck Institute Scholar.