Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Learn about Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a third wave form of behavioral therapy geared towards individuals with persistent emotion dysregulation, and/or mental health challenges.
DBT's approach to therapy is helpful for those struggling with feelings of distress, difficulty in regulating everyday emotions, challenging relationships, and for some, urges to self-harm. DBT is comprised of four main sections: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal skills. With the goal of learning to build a life worth living, DBT takes a practical, yet personal, approach to behavior change that empowers individuals to transform even the hardest of
life's circumstances.
What to Expect
DBT programs are typically comprised of 1-2x/week 50 minute individual sessions, and 1x/week 90 minute group sessions. Both elements can be done either in person or virtually.
DBT treatment focuses on building a life worth living, and can be helpful for those struggling with emotion dysregulation, depression, significant anxiety, OCD, neurodivergence, ADHD, or borderline personality. Individual sessions are "an inch wide and a mile deep," diving into each client's specific patterns of emotions, relationships, mental health struggles, and/or trauma. Group sessions are "a mile wide and inch deep," covering the breadth of DBT skills that patients use between sessions to attain treatment related goals. Individual and group therapy goals are recorded on a diary card that is discussed weekly with an individual therapist in session; and phone coaching is used as needed to help each patient truly create the change they are striving for in their every day lives. Many participants of full DBT programs find it to be transformative.