Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) was developed to help people who feel their emotions intensely, and it has since helped people with a wide range of struggles. At its core is a simple, powerful idea: you can accept yourself exactly as you are and work toward change.
My individual therapy draws on DBT’s skills and principles, adapted to your goals. It is structured enough to give you tools you can use the same day, and flexible enough to make room for your story.
Who it can help
- Emotions that feel overwhelming, fast, or hard to come down from
- Anxiety, worry, and depression
- Relationship patterns that keep repeating, including people-pleasing and codependency
- Impulsive or self-destructive urges, including substance use
- Feeling empty, disconnected, or unsure who you are
The four skill areas
Mindfulness
Noticing what’s happening inside and around you without immediately reacting, the foundation for every other skill.
Distress tolerance
Getting through painful moments without making them worse, especially when you can’t change the situation right now.
Emotion regulation
Understanding what your emotions are telling you, reducing your vulnerability to emotional storms, and shifting emotions that no longer fit the facts.
Interpersonal effectiveness
Asking for what you need, saying no, and keeping your self-respect while protecting the relationships that matter.
What sessions look like
We meet weekly for 55 minutes by secure video. Sessions often combine talking through what’s happened that week, learning or practicing a skill, and planning how to use it. Between sessions, you’ll have small, realistic practice assignments. I may also draw on CBT and mindfulness-based approaches when they fit.
Is this “full” DBT?
Comprehensive DBT programs include weekly skills groups and between-session phone coaching in addition to individual therapy. I offer DBT-informed individual therapy. If you need a comprehensive program, I’m glad to help you find one.