DBT | A Life In Balance

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based, skills-focused psychotherapy developed by psychologist Marsha Linehan, PhD, in the 1970s to help people who experience intense emotions, chronic distress, and difficulty coping in the moment. While DBT was originally designed to treat Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), it is now considered a gold-standard approach for emotional dysregulation and is widely used to support concerns like anxiety, depression, trauma-related symptoms, and eating disorders.

Modern DBT integrates:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Mindfulness and meditation-based practices
Behavioral science
Dialectical philosophy (holding two truths at once)

Together, these elements create a practical framework that helps you:

Understand and regulate overwhelming emotions
Strengthen self-awareness and emotional “mastery”
Build healthier, more stable relationships
Reduce impulsive and reactive behaviors
Navigate everyday stress with greater resilience and confidence

At the heart of DBT is a compassionate, empowering truth:

“I’m doing the best I can—and I can learn new skills to do better.”

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

A Refined, Evidence-Based Approach to Emotional Transformation.

DBT Components

DBT Skills Training Group

Structured. Experiential. Transformational.

DBT Skills Training is not a process group or a support group. It’s a structured, classroom-style program where you learn—and practice—the core skills needed for emotional balance and healthier relationships.

Groups meet weekly for 24 weeks and include weekly skills practice to help you apply what you’re learning in real life. Training focuses on four skill areas:

Mindfulness

The foundation of DBT. Mindfulness helps you stay anchored in the present with clarity and without judgment. You’ll learn to notice thoughts and emotions without getting pulled into them—so you can respond with intention instead of impulse.

Distress Tolerance

Tools for getting through hard moments without making things worse. You’ll learn how to ride out urges, manage overwhelm, and cope with crisis situations safely and effectively.

Interpersonal Effectiveness

Skills that strengthen how you relate to others. You’ll learn to communicate needs clearly, set and keep boundaries, maintain self-respect, and build relationships that feel more stable, reciprocal, and fulfilling.

Emotion Regulation

Skills to understand and influence emotions—rather than being controlled by them. You’ll learn how to name emotions accurately, reduce emotional vulnerability, decrease unwanted intensity, and create a steadier inner foundation.

With consistent practice, these four pillars support a life that feels more balanced, intentional, and connected.

DBT Individual Therapy

Personalized Support for Real-Life Change

Individual DBT therapy helps you apply DBT skills to the specific challenges shaping your day-to-day life. You and your therapist work together to identify what’s getting in the way of your goals, strengthen effective coping, and reduce patterns that keep you stuck.

Sessions typically meet weekly for 60 minutes and are designed to run alongside the DBT Skills Training Group for the strongest outcomes.

DBT Phone Coaching

Support in the moment—when it matters most

Phone coaching provides brief, skill-based support between sessions to help you navigate difficult situations in real time. When emotions spike or you feel pulled toward old patterns, coaching helps you pause, choose a skill, and take the next effective step—so DBT stays practical and usable in everyday life.

The Four Stages of DBT

A structured path from surviving to thriving.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) isn’t a “quick fix.” It’s a clinically sophisticated, step-by-step model designed to create lasting change—safely, steadily, and over time. Our program follows the traditional DBT progression, so your work is organized, intentional, and grounded in evidence-based structure.Most clients begin in Stage 1—and are surprised how quickly they start moving forward with consistent skills practice.Because when you have the right tools and a supportive structure, momentum builds.

Stage 1 — Stabilization

Safety first. This stage focuses on reducing life-threatening, self-harm, or severely destructive behaviors and building the foundational skills needed to get through hard moments without making things worse.

Stage 2 — Emotional & Relational Strengthening

Build internal control and healthier connection. You’ll strengthen distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness—so emotions feel more manageable and relationships become more stable.

Stage 3 — Building Stability & Confidence

Create a life that functions better. This stage supports autonomy, clarity, and healthier day-to-day patterns—helping you show up with more confidence at work, at home, and in relationships.

Stage 4 — Creating Meaning & Purpose

Live with alignment. The focus shifts to fulfillment, values clarity, and building a life that feels deeply intentional—one that reflects who you are and what matters most to you.

This is what premium DBT is designed to deliver: commitment, depth, safety, and transformation that lasts.

Your Next Step With A Life In Balance

Now that you’ve explored the foundations of Dialectical Behavior Therapy—its philosophy, structure, and core skill sets—you may be ready to begin applying these tools in a beautiful, structured, and deeply supportive environment.

With a Certified DBT Therapist guiding the process, clients receive a level of depth, structure, and fidelity to DBT’s clinical model that elevates the entire experience.

If you’re considering DBT as part of your healing and growth journey, we invite you to learn more about our signature Skills Training Program and how it can support your shift toward emotional mastery and a more balanced, fulfilling life.

Explore the DBT Skills Training Group