Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
When emotions feel intense or hard to manage
What is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)?
You might feel like your emotions come on quickly, strongly, or are hard to control. Maybe stress builds up fast, small things feel overwhelming, or you’re not sure how to cope in the moment.
DBT is a skills-based approach that helps you better understand & manage your emotions, handle stress, & navigate relationships more effectively.
Instead of just talking about challenges, DBT focuses on learning & practicing tools you can use in real-life situations.
Why this approach can be helpful?
Many people were never taught how to manage strong emotions or cope with stress in a way that actually works.
DBT fills that gap by giving you clear, structured skills to help you respond to situations differently, so you feel more in control, grounded, & confident.
The core areas of DBT:
Mindfulness
Learn to slow down, be present, & observe your thoughts & emotions without immediately reacting.
Helps with:
• overthinking
• feeling disconnected
• difficulty staying present
Emotion Regulation
Get to know your emotions & learn how to navigate them in a way that feels more balanced & manageable.
Helps with:
• intense or shifting emotions
• feeling overwhelmed
• mood swings
Distress Tolerance
Build skills to get through stressful or overwhelming moments without unhealthy coping strategies.
Helps with:
• crisis moments
• feeling overwhelmed
• reacting impulsively
Interpersonal Effectiveness
Learn how to communicate your needs, set boundaries, & navigate relationships more confidently.
Helps with:
• people-pleasing
• difficulty saying no
• relationship stress
What this looks like in our work together
In sessions, we don’t just talk - we actively work on building skills you can use in your daily life.
This might look like:
• learning specific tools and strategies
• practicing how to apply them to real situations
• breaking down moments that felt overwhelming
• building confidence in your ability to handle stress
DBT is often integrated with other approaches to meet your specific needs.
DBT may be a good fit if…
• you feel overwhelmed by your emotions
• you struggle to manage stress in the moment
• you tend to react quickly or feel out of control
• you have difficulty setting boundaries or communicating needs
• you feel stuck in patterns that aren’t working.
Over time, DBT helps you:
• feel more in control of your emotions
• respond instead of react
• handle stress more effectively
• build healthier relationships
• feel more grounded and confident in yourself