Authentic Living Therapy

Home > Specialties > Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

DBT integrates the practice of mindfulness to effectively manage emotional experiences and enhance the understanding of emotions before they escalate into intense reactions. By cultivating present-moment awareness, individuals can anchor themselves in the here and now, enabling them to respond to challenging situations rather than impulsively reacting based on intense emotions. The skills in DBT are divided into three key domains: distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Initially taught separately, these skills are eventually merged to create a cohesive and comprehensive approach that empowers people to cope with and transform unhealthy or counterproductive behaviors and responses.

Originally designed to address Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) has proven highly effective in managing the complexities of suicidal ideation, self-harm, and other self-destructive behaviors frequently associated with intense emotional encounters. As emotional struggles are an intrinsic part of the human experience, and considering that our culture often disregards emotions, DBT has been adapted and found to be successful in treating a range of other conditions, including depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, substance abuse, and eating disorders. The valuable skills acquired through DBT can be utilized in combination with other therapeutic approaches, benefiting everyone by enabling them to recognize and regulate their emotional experiences, leading to improved relationships and personal growth.

I have experience as a former co-facilitator in DBT groups and received training from Marsha Linehan’s Behavioral Tech. As a result, I am proficient in integrating DBT skills into various forms of individual therapy. For individuals participating in DBT group therapy at an outpatient facility, I can also serve as a DBT individual therapist.