Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based form of therapy designed to help people who experience intense emotions, overwhelming stress, and difficulty regulating reactions in relationships and daily life. Originally developed for individuals with chronic emotion dysregulation and suicidal behaviors, DBT is now widely used to treat a range of concerns including anxiety, depression, trauma, borderline personality traits, self-harm, eating disorders, and patterns of impulsivity or emotional shutdown.

At its core, DBT balances two essential truths: acceptance and change. The word “dialectical” means that two things can be true at the same time. In DBT, we hold that you are doing the best you can and that you can learn new skills to reduce suffering and build a life that feels more stable, meaningful, and worth living.

DBT helps individuals learn how to:

  • Regulate intense emotions without becoming overwhelmed

  • Tolerate distress without resorting to self-destructive coping

  • Improve communication and relationship effectiveness

  • Reduce impulsive behaviors and emotional reactivity

  • Build mindfulness and present-moment awareness

  • Increase self-compassion and emotional safety

DBT is especially helpful for people who:

  • Feel emotions very deeply or rapidly

  • Struggle with mood swings or emotional flooding

  • Experience chronic anxiety, shame, or self-criticism

  • Have difficulty with boundaries or fear of abandonment

  • Engage in self-harm, disordered eating, or other high-risk coping

  • Feel “too much” or “not enough” in relationships

In therapy, DBT skills are taught in a practical, structured, and supportive way, often focusing on four core areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. These skills are not about suppressing emotions, but about learning how to understand them, ride them safely, and respond rather than react.

DBT is a compassionate, research-supported approach that helps people move from survival mode into stability, self-trust, and emotional resilience. It offers both the validation of your experience and the tools to change patterns that no longer serve you.