(908) 883-4173
Book Appointment
Center for Anxiety and Behavior Management
Call Us (908) 883-4173Text Us (908) 883-4173Book Appointment

DBT-Informed Therapy

What Is DBT-Informed Therapy?

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is based on Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and is a skills-based treatment approach for managing intense emotions that are reported to be difficult to control. Rather than focusing on the cause of these intense emotions, DBT focuses on helping people cope in healthier ways.

Traditional DBT involves a pre-assessment, individual therapy, group therapy, and coaching calls in between sessions. This is most often used for those whose emotions are so intense that weekly therapy appointments are not enough support. For this structure, a specific DBT therapist should be sought.

We use a DBT-informed approach which means we use principles and skills from DBT in the structure of weekly appointments. Skills taught may include emotional regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness.

DBT-informed therapy can be especially helpful when emotions feel too overwhelming, relationships are difficult, or typical coping strategies are making things worse.

What DBT Can Help With

DBT is commonly used to support individuals experiencing the following (and more):

  • Self-harm
  • Suicidal thinking and behaviors
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Binge Eating Disorder
  • Bulimia Nervosa
  • Trauma
  • Intense or rapidly changing emotions
  • Difficulty regulating oneself after being upset
  • Impulsive behaviors

Many clients seek DBT-informed therapy when they feel like their emotions are “too much” or when they know how they want to respond but find it difficult to do in the moment. They often feel regret and shame over “being out of control” and struggle using typically recommended thinking strategies because their emotions take over too quickly.

DBT-Informed Therapy

How DBT-Informed Therapy Works

DBT-informed therapy works like CBT therapy, but the strategies chosen will be specific to your needs.

A main component of DBT is learning how to accept yourself and your unique gifts and also recognize that certain changes will benefit you and help you reach your goals. This balance between acceptance and change can help you feel more in control and capable of responding adaptively to stressors .

Sessions may focus on:

  • Identifying emotional triggers
  • Learning grounding and mindfulness skills
  • Building tolerance for distress
  • Improving communication and boundaries
  • Practicing healthier responses during conflict or stress

Let’s say that you get a critical text from your partner, friend, or coworker and feel the immediate urge to send a nasty text back or call them to yell. Instead of reacting impulsively, DBT helps you pause, notice what you’re feeling, regulate the intensity of the emotion, and choose a response that aligns with your long-term goals. This helps reduce conflict, build stronger relationships, and gives you confidence in handling challenging situations.

We’re human, and emotions (intense or not) are normal. The goal of DBT-informed therapy is not to eliminate your emotions but to help you understand them, regulate them, and respond in ways that align with your values. We want you to feel proud of yourself at the end of the day and not ruminate on regrets.

Our Approach to DBT-Informed Therapy

Our approach to DBT-informed therapy is no different than our other approaches. We start with a thorough assessment to learn about your current situation and history, collaborate with you, understand your unique situations, identify your goals and values, and tailor chosen strategies to meet your needs.

For some, DBT-informed therapy may include structured skill-building. For others, it may involve integrating DBT concepts with other modalities . We work at your pace using skills that we believe would benefit you.

If it would benefit you, we may integrate other therapeutic approaches such as CBT, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness-based strategies, trauma-informed therapy, or other methods depending on your needs.

Benefits of DBT-Informed Therapy

DBT-informed therapy can help you:

  • Feel more in control during emotional situations
  • Respond in ways that align with your goals and values instead of acting impulsively
  • Communicate needs and boundaries more clearly, calmly, and effectively
  • Develop healthier ways to cope with with stress, conflict, and overwhelming emotions
  • Reduce shame and self-criticism
  • Improve relationship patterns and communication
  • Build emotional resilience and distress tolerance

The goal is for you to feel more capable of handling difficult emotions and challenging situations without becoming completely overwhelmed.

What to Expect in DBT-Informed Therapy

In the first few sessions, we conduct a thorough assessment to better understand your unique situation and the factors that contribute to your concerns. We then provide you with information about your concerns including a diagnosis (if applicable), education on the apparent causes and factors that are maintaining them, and identify starting goals

As therapy continues, sessions are active and collaborative. You are the expert on you. Your therapist is an expert in mental health. In combining your expertises, you’ll learn strategies that are the best fit for you and apply them outside of sessions. You’ll be introduced to DBT-informed skills, learn your external triggers, understand your body’s cues that the situation is about to intensify, discuss how to implement strategies outside the office, and provide feedback to your therapist about the effectiveness of the skills practiced. If appropriate, your therapist may use skills from other modalities such as CBT, learning to control where your mind goes when struggles occur. You’ll better understand your feelings and what they signal to you. In understanding thoughts and feelings, you’ll then understand which behaviors will most likely get your needs met and practice them outside of sessions. You’ll provide feedback to your therapist, celebrating your wins and troubleshooting any roadblocks. By the end of your time in therapy, you’ll have a good idea what strategies feel right for you and will be on your way to living a life in line with your goals and values.

Is DBT-Informed Therapy Right for You?

DBT-informed therapy may be a good fit if you want real-world strategies for managing intense emotions, improving relationships, responding to stress more effectively, and living a life in line with your goals.

It can be especially helpful for clients who feel completely overwhelmed by emotions, impulsively reactive, are ready to reduce conflicts with others, are unable to tolerate distress, have many thoughts of self-doubt or feelings of shame, or are unsure how to gain control over expressing emotions in a healthy way.

If you are not sure whether DBT-informed therapy is the right fit, we can talk through your needs and determine what approach may support you best.

If you’re ready to gain control of your life, DBT-informed therapy may be a great fit for you.

Please contact our office to schedule a consultation. We look forward to learning more about your needs and answering any questions you may have.

Call Us (908) 883-4173
Book Appointment

Frequently Asked Questions About DBT-Informed Therapy

No. DBT-informed therapy uses skills and principles from DBT, but it may not include every component of a comprehensive DBT program, such as skills groups or phone coaching.

DBT-informed therapy may include skills for mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and communication or relationship effectiveness.

Yes. DBT-informed therapy may help you better understand intense emotions and use real-world tools for responding instead of impulsively reacting.

Yes, most likely. The best way to learn any skill is to practice (it’s how our brains are designed). You will see more results faster by practicing. Not only that, but practicing helps you provide your therapist with feedback about what works in your unique situation and what does not so that new strategies can be discussed.

No. While DBT was originally developed for intense emotional dysregulation associated with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), DBT-informed skills can also help with intense anxiety and depression, frequent relationship difficulties, impulsivity, and stress.