Find DBT Therapy

Unlike many forms of therapy that emphasize only insight or emotional exploration, DBT therapy operates on the foundation of balancing acceptance and change. The core DBT message is:

"You are doing the best you can — and you also need to learn new skills."

This dual approach allows individuals to feel validated while also being challenged to adopt new coping strategies. DBT therapy differs from standard weekly talk therapy by providing a highly structured system that includes skill-building, behavioral coaching, and therapist support.

Rather than only discussing problems, clients in DBT actively learn and practice new tools every week. Emotional acceptance is integrated with practical behavioral changes, helping clients develop skills for managing even the most intense emotional storms. Phone coaching allows clients to access support between sessions, ensuring they can apply DBT skills in real-world situations as crises happen.

DBT therapists also meet regularly with peer consultation teams, ensuring consistent treatment quality and ongoing professional development. This level of structure and accountability helps maintain the integrity of DBT therapy, especially when addressing high-risk clients who require specialized support.

While DBT was originally created for individuals suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), research has proven its effectiveness across many diagnoses. People who benefit most from Dialectical Behavior Therapy often struggle with emotional dysregulation, impulsive behavior, and unstable relationships.

Common conditions treated with DBT therapy include:

• Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
• Chronic self-harm and suicidal behaviors
• Severe mood swings and emotional sensitivity
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and complex trauma
• Substance use disorders
• Eating disorders such as binge eating, bulimia, or emotional eating
• Risk-taking or self-destructive behavior in teens and young adults
• Individuals who describe feeling emotionally out of control or chronically overwhelmed

For individuals who feel trapped in cycles of emotional instability, DBT therapy offers a systematic and compassionate way out.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy addresses many of the most painful emotional and behavioral challenges that can dominate daily life. DBT specifically targets:

• Chronic emotional suffering and overwhelm
• Impulsive or self-destructive behaviors
• Extreme fear of abandonment and unstable relationships
• Identity confusion and difficulty with self-image
• Persistent emptiness or emotional numbness
• Intense shame, guilt, or self-hatred
• Uncontrollable anger or rage episodes
• Constant crises or black-and-white thinking

For many individuals, these challenges can feel unmanageable, but DBT provides specific tools to help clients respond differently and regain emotional balance.

DBT therapy follows a comprehensive, multi-faceted program that includes several critical elements. This structure ensures that clients receive consistent, integrated support that addresses both emotional intensity and behavior patterns.

The four core components of DBT therapy include:

• Individual Therapy: Weekly one-on-one sessions allow clients to apply DBT skills to their personal experiences and navigate current life challenges. The therapist works as a coach, guiding skill application and troubleshooting real-world problems.
• Skills Group: Clients participate in structured DBT skills group classes, where they learn specific skills across various modules. These groups typically meet weekly and include handouts, homework assignments, and role-playing exercises.
• Phone Coaching: Between sessions, clients have access to their DBT therapist for immediate support during crises. This real-time coaching helps clients apply skills when emotions are most intense.
• Therapist Consultation Team: DBT therapists meet weekly with their consultation team to ensure adherence to the DBT model, maintain clinical excellence, and prevent therapist burnout. This team model helps sustain high-quality care, even in complex cases.

Clients who engage in full Dialectical Behavior Therapy benefit from this unique, highly supportive structure that combines skill-building, therapist accessibility, and peer-reviewed treatment planning.

DBT therapy teaches life-changing skills through four main modules, each addressing specific areas of emotional functioning. These modules include:

• Mindfulness DBT: Clients learn to become aware of their present experiences without judgment. Mindfulness helps reduce emotional reactivity, increase focus, and anchor individuals during moments of distress.
• Distress Tolerance: These skills teach clients how to survive crises without making the situation worse. Clients learn distraction techniques, self-soothing exercises, and acceptance skills to weather emotional storms without self-harm or impulsive reactions.
• Emotion Regulation DBT: This module focuses on understanding emotional processes, reducing vulnerability to emotional swings, and increasing positive emotional experiences. Clients learn how to prevent intense mood shifts before they start.
• Interpersonal Effectiveness: Clients build healthy relationship skills, including assertiveness, setting boundaries, improving communication, and resolving conflicts while preserving important relationships.

For adolescents and their families, Walking the Middle Path is also taught, which helps teens and parents balance validation with accountability to foster healthier family dynamics.

All these modules are supported by DBT skills handouts and assignments that clients practice between sessions to build mastery.

While many therapists today advertise "DBT-informed" services, full DBT therapy follows strict protocols designed by Dr. Marsha Linehan. When searching to find a DBT therapist, it’s important to distinguish between partial and full adherence programs.

Comprehensive DBT therapy is typically offered by:

• Certified DBT providers who have completed intensive, specialized training.
• Clinics offering full DBT programming, including individual therapy, skills group, phone coaching, and consultation teams.
• Therapists who maintain ongoing education in Dialectical Behavior Therapy and participate in DBT consultation groups.

When you are seeking DBT therapy near me, asking about full-model DBT certification helps ensure you receive the most effective, evidence-based care available.

Full DBT therapy is typically not a quick fix but follows a clear timeline that allows clients to fully develop and master the skills they’re learning:

• Most full DBT programs run for 6 to 12 months.
• The complete DBT skills group curriculum is typically taught over 20 to 26 weeks, with many clients choosing to repeat modules to strengthen skills.
• After core DBT therapy is complete, some individuals transition to DBT maintenance or booster sessions to support long-term stability.

For clients who fully engage in the program, many report significant improvements within the first year, with lasting change building over time.

DBT for adolescents (DBT-A) has been highly effective for youth experiencing emotional dysregulation, risky behaviors, and family conflicts. Teens with issues such as self-harm, mood instability, school refusal, and social difficulties often benefit greatly from DBT’s structured, skills-based approach.

Key features of DBT for teens include:

• Direct parent involvement in skills groups and coaching.
• Family coaching that helps parents support their teen’s emotional regulation at home.
• Teaching “Middle Path” skills that balance acceptance with firm boundaries.
• Targeted skills that address impulsivity, self-harm, and intense emotional reactivity.

Families who participate in DBT for adolescents often experience significant improvements not only in the teen’s behavior but in the overall family dynamic.