Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy is a skills-heavy treatment originally developed for borderline personality disorder, now widely used for emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and the kind of intense reactivity that exhausts the people you love. It's evidence-based, structured, and concrete.
Most major insurances accepted.
Don’t see your plan? We sign new contracts a few times a year — ask during intake and we’ll let you know if yours is being added soon.
How Dialectical works in our practice.
DBT teaches four skill modules: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Sessions move between teaching the skills, processing what came up between sessions, and working on the relational dynamics that brought you in.
We use DBT-informed care — meaning your individual therapist integrates DBT skills with the broader work, rather than running you through a strict 24-week program. For clients who need full DBT (with weekly skills group + phone coaching), we'll refer you to a comprehensive program.
DBT works well for women with mood instability, chronic suicidality, eating disorders, intense interpersonal patterns, or trauma reactions involving emotional dysregulation. It's also useful adjunctively for postpartum patients with intense affect that CBT alone hasn't addressed.
From first call to first session.
- 01
Skill of the week
Each session teaches one specific skill (e.g., TIPP for crisis, DEAR MAN for assertiveness) that you practice between sessions and bring back.
- 02
Behavior chain analysis
When something blew up between sessions, we map the chain — what happened first, what thought followed, what emotion, what behavior — and identify the leverage point for next time.
- 03
Validation + change
DBT holds two truths at once: 'you're doing the best you can' AND 'you need to learn new skills.' That dialectic is the engine.
Common questions about dialectical behavior therapy (dbt).
Is DBT only for borderline personality disorder?+
No. It was developed for BPD but is now used for any condition involving emotional dysregulation — mood disorders, PTSD, eating disorders, chronic suicidality, and complex interpersonal patterns.
What's the difference between DBT and CBT?+
CBT focuses primarily on changing thoughts and behaviors. DBT adds mindfulness, distress tolerance, and explicit interpersonal effectiveness skills — and prioritizes acceptance of current state as a precondition for change.
Do I need a full DBT program?+
Comprehensive DBT (4 components: individual + group + phone coaching + therapist consult team) is the gold standard for severe BPD or chronic suicidality. For other presentations, DBT-informed individual therapy is often enough — that's what most of our clinicians offer.
Can I do DBT during postpartum?+
Yes. DBT skills are particularly useful for postpartum mood swings, intense reactivity, and the relational strain new parenthood adds. Several of our perinatal-trained therapists weave DBT skills into perinatal care.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is also referred to as DBT therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, DBT skills training, emotional regulation therapy, and borderline therapy. Whatever you call it, our specialists treat it.
Often paired with this work.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
The most-researched, most-evidence-based talk therapy for anxiety and depression.
Mindfulness-based approaches
Present-moment awareness as a skill — for anxiety, perinatal mood, and chronic stress.
Trauma & PTSD
Sexual trauma, betrayal, narcissistic abuse, IPV, birth trauma, PTSD — treated with EMDR, somatic, and trauma-informed CBT.
Ready to start?
Same-week availability, in-network with major insurance, and a specialist who actually treats dialectical behavior therapy (dbt) as their main work.