What Is DBT?
Do you often feel overwhelmed by your emotions—or find yourself stuck in patterns that leave you feeling drained, disconnected, or misunderstood?
You’re not alone.
Many people struggle with intense emotional responses, impulsive behaviors, or difficulties in relationships. If this sounds familiar, you’re likely not just looking for insight—you’re looking for tools that actually help you feel and function better.
That’s where therapy grounded in DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) principles can make a meaningful difference.
What This Approach Offers
Originally developed for individuals navigating intense emotional struggles, DBT has since proven helpful for a wide range of challenges—especially when traditional talk therapy hasn’t been enough.
Rather than just exploring your past or talking about how you feel, this approach is skills-based, structured, and focused on practical change. It helps you:
- Understand and regulate your emotions
- Respond to distress without making things worse
- Communicate more effectively in relationships
- Build self-respect and emotional resilience
The goal isn’t perfection—it’s progress. You’ll learn how to cope more skillfully, regain a sense of control, and build a life that feels more stable, connected, and meaningful.
Balancing Acceptance and Change
A key principle in this work is learning to hold two truths at once:
- “I’m doing the best I can”
- “I want to grow and do better.”
This both–and mindset helps reduce shame and all-or-nothing thinking. It allows you to validate your current struggles while still making room for change.
What You’ll Learn: Four Essential Skill Areas
We’ll draw from a range of DBT-based tools tailored to your needs. These include:
1. Mindfulness
Learn to slow down, pay attention to the present moment, and respond (rather than react). Mindfulness helps you develop awareness of your emotions, thoughts, and triggers—without judgment.
2. Distress Tolerance
Instead of numbing or avoiding pain, you’ll practice staying grounded during emotional storms. These tools help you get through difficult moments without acting impulsively or hurting yourself or others.
3. Emotion Regulation
Understand what your emotions are trying to tell you, reduce emotional vulnerability, and build up positive experiences. You’ll also learn self-validation—acknowledging your emotions without shame or dismissal.
4. Interpersonal Effectiveness
Whether you struggle with people-pleasing, conflict, or unclear boundaries, these skills help you communicate more confidently, ask for what you need, and strengthen your relationships without losing yourself.
5. This Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All
While these skills are rooted in DBT, our work together is personalized—not formulaic. You don’t need to “fit” into a diagnosis or structure to benefit. In our sessions, we’ll identify what matters most to you and focus on building the tools to help you move forward. We go at your pace, with warmth, honesty, and compassion.
6. You Don’t Have to Do This Alone
If you’ve been feeling stuck or overwhelmed by your emotions, know that change is possible—even if it hasn’t felt that way in the past.
Therapy and You
Therapy using DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) principles offers a clear path forward: one that combines self-awareness with action, compassion with accountability, and validation with growth.
You’re not broken. You’re learning.
And you’re allowed to take steps toward a life that feels more stable, empowered, and worth living.
