Treatment Approach
DBT is a skills-based therapy that helps you manage intense emotions, tolerate distress without impulsive coping, and build healthier relationships and boundaries.
DBT is a structured, evidence-based therapy originally designed to help people who experience emotions intensely. It blends acceptance (“this is where I am right now”) with change (“here’s what I can do next”). DBT is widely used in co-occurring care because it targets the exact moments when people are most likely to relapse: emotional overwhelm, conflict, shame, loneliness, or crisis.
DBT is built around skills you practice repeatedly—like learning a language. Over time, the skills become a new default response when distress hits.
DBT helps reduce impulsive coping (including substance use) by giving you alternatives that work in the moment. It strengthens emotional regulation and relationship patterns—two areas that often drive relapse. In recovery settings, DBT also supports accountability and structure: you learn what your early warning signs look like and what to do before things escalate.
People often find certain skills especially useful early in recovery—when cravings and emotions can spike.
In PHP/IOP, DBT skills show up in a repeated cycle: learn the skill, practice it in group, apply it to a real situation you’re facing, then review what worked and what didn’t. This repetition is key—especially for people whose relapse pattern is tied to emotional intensity or relationship stress.
If you or someone you love needs help, we can walk you through next steps and build a plan that fits your situation.
Educational information only; not medical advice. If you feel unsafe or at risk of harming yourself or others, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.