General Discussion 203 7 to raise awareness that there are always two sides to an issue. None of them are wrong. One can find truth in opposing viewpoints by finding a balance between acceptance of intense feelings and emotions and the need for change by adapting feelings and emotions using emotion regulation [33-35, 46]. Opposites create incongruence between belief and behaviour since the stimuli or the given information contradict each other [47]. The term dialectics always refers to change [48]. That process is always in motion: if a change of views occurs due to opposition, movement towards change follows naturally. The Dialectical coaching strategy should be more sharply emphasized to indicate that the Validation part of this coaching strategy has its focus on the client’s feelings of regret, or disgust or revulsion after giving in to cravings rather than the act of giving in to the cravings. The value of offering Validation as coaching strategy for the situation “after giving in to cravings” therefore requires more research. Is virtual DBT desirable? The literature and the studies we have conducted both have shown that the coaching strategies in general as used within Dialectical Behaviour Therapy are successful for emotional eaters. For this reason, the preferred approach would be to develop a virtual coach inspired by DBT. As mentioned in the introduction, numerous smartphone applications based on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) serve as an extension of conventional face-to-face therapy. These applications provide a platform for users to practice the skills discussed with their therapist [49-51]. However, the drawback is that these applications require users to already possess a solid understanding of the therapy to fully utilize them. These apps are primarily designed for skill practice or completing tasks assigned by the therapist. Users can record their experiences and choose to share them with their therapist if desired. It is important to note that these applications do not function as interactive coaches, meaning there is no direct interaction between the user and the applications. Lastly, it is important to acknowledge that DBT therapists consider face-to-face sessions as the optimal approach for conducting DBT. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, treatment providers have been compelled to transition to remote work. They have adapted by implementing forms of tele-DBT, utilizing telephone and video calls [52-53].
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