Feel your emotions without being controlled by them.
If your emotions feel like they go from 0 to 100 without warning — if you find yourself reacting in ways you later regret, or swinging between numbness and overwhelm — DBT was built for exactly this.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy is one of the most practical, skills-based approaches in mental health. It gives you real tools — not just insights. Virtual DBT sessions for women in Florida, New Jersey, and Vermont.
Signs you might benefit from DBT
"DBT doesn't ask you to stop feeling. It teaches you to feel without the feeling running the show."
What DBT actually teaches you
DBT is organized into four concrete skill sets. We work through all of them, integrated into your real life — not just theory you absorb in a session and forget by Tuesday.
Mindfulness
The foundation of everything else. Learning to observe your thoughts and feelings without immediately reacting to them — to create a pause between stimulus and response.
Distress Tolerance
How to survive a crisis without making it worse. Concrete techniques for getting through intense emotional moments without blowing up relationships or engaging in behaviors you'll regret.
Emotion Regulation
Understanding what your emotions are, where they come from, and how to reduce their intensity when they're disproportionate to the situation — without suppressing or dismissing them.
Interpersonal Effectiveness
How to ask for what you need, say no without guilt, and maintain relationships without losing yourself in the process. The skills that make connection feel safer and more sustainable.
DBT skills woven into every session
I don't offer a rigid DBT group program — I integrate DBT skills into individual therapy sessions, tailored to what you're actually dealing with that week. Combined with CBT, this gives us a flexible and highly effective framework.
Real Skills, Not Just Insight
DBT is famous for being practical. You'll leave sessions with specific techniques to practice — not vague takeaways. The skills become yours, not dependent on our weekly session.
Validation First
DBT is built on the idea that your emotional responses make sense given your history — even when they're not serving you. We validate before we work to change. That balance matters.
Works Well With Anxiety & Trauma
DBT pairs exceptionally well with anxiety therapy and trauma work. Many of my clients benefit from a combination — CBT for thought patterns, DBT for emotional intensity, trauma-informed approaches for root causes.
Built for the Relationships in Your Life
A significant portion of DBT is about how you relate to others — how you communicate needs, handle conflict, and maintain your sense of self in close relationships. That's real-world change.
DBT therapy FAQ
What's the difference between CBT and DBT?
CBT focuses primarily on changing unhelpful thought patterns. DBT was developed from CBT but adds a strong emphasis on emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and the balance between acceptance and change. Both are skills-based and practical — I often use them together. See: What is CBT therapy? →
Do I need a BPD diagnosis for DBT?
Absolutely not. DBT was originally developed for borderline personality disorder, but the skills are highly effective for anyone dealing with emotional dysregulation, anxiety, trauma responses, or difficult relationship patterns — regardless of diagnosis.
Is online DBT therapy effective?
Yes — research supports the effectiveness of telehealth DBT, and in some ways it's particularly well-suited to online delivery since the skills are meant to be used in your actual daily life, not just in a clinical setting. Practicing from your own home makes the skills more immediately applicable.
How quickly does DBT work?
Many clients notice meaningful shifts in their ability to manage emotional intensity within the first 6–8 weeks of consistently practicing the skills. DBT requires practice between sessions — it's not passive. The more you use the tools, the faster they become second nature.
You can feel deeply and live well.
Book a free 15-minute consultation. Let's talk about what's going on and whether DBT skills might help.
Book Free Consultation