Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
What is DBT?
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a type of therapy that helps people build a life they feel is truly worth living. It was originally developed to treat individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), but research has shown it to be highly effective for a range of other challenges, including eating disorders, substance use, depression, anxiety, and trauma.
At the heart of DBT is the balance between acceptance and change. It acknowledges that two seemingly opposite ideas can both be true at the same time. This is what "dialectical" means.
For example, a common dialect in DBT is:
“I’m doing the best I can and I can still work to do better.”
This approach helps clients hold space for self-compassion while also moving toward growth.
DBT teaches practical skills in four key areas—mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness, empowering you to better manage emotions, navigate relationships, and handle life’s challenges with more stability and resilience.
If you're ready to feel more in control and aligned with the life you want to live, DBT might be the right path for you. Schedule a free consultation if you would like to discuss further.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present in the moment, on purpose, and without judgment. Mindfulness can help you to observe and describe experiences in a nonjudgmental way and fully participate in them.
Distress Tolerance
Distress tolerance skills teach you how to get through painful or stressful moments without making things worse. They also help you accept reality as it is, which can reduce suffering.
Emotion Regulation
Emotion regulation skills help you understand and name your emotions, reduce emotional intensity, and manage feelings in healthier ways, so emotions don’t feel so overwhelming or in control.
Four Modules of DBT
Interpersonal Effectiveness
Interpersonal effectiveness skills help you communicate your needs clearly, set healthy boundaries, and maintain self-respect, while strengthening or repairing important relationships.
How DBT Can Help?
DBT is useful for those who experience intense emotions, relationship struggles, or feel overwhelmed during difficult moments. DBT teaches practical skills to stay present (mindfulness), manage emotions, cope with distress, and communicate more effectively, so you can feel more in control and connected in your daily life.
What Can DBT Treat?
Eating Disorders
DBT helps individuals with eating disorders manage distressing emotions and develop healthier coping strategies instead of disordered eating behaviors.
Relationship Issues
DBT strengthens communication, boundary-setting, and conflict resolution skills to improve and maintain healthy relationships.
Anxiety
DBT teaches mindfulness and emotion regulation skills to reduce worry, stay in the present moment, and respond more calmly to anxious thoughts.
Depression
DBT helps reduce emotional suffering and increase motivation by balancing acceptance with action-oriented change.
PTSD/trauma
DBT supports trauma survivors by building skills to regulate intense emotions, reduce reactivity, and tolerate distress without avoidance.
Self-harm
DBT offers alternatives to self-injury by teaching distress tolerance and emotion regulation tools that reduce the urge to harm.
Start Your DBT Journey!
If you're feeling overwhelmed by intense emotions, struggling in your relationships, or looking for better ways to cope, you're not alone—and you don't have to figure it out on your own.
At Kairos Mental Health Counseling, we’re here to support you every step of the way with therapy tailored to your needs. Whether you're just beginning therapy or exploring new approaches, DBT can help you build the tools to feel more in control, more connected, and more at peace.
Ready to take the next step?
Reach out today to schedule a free consultation or learn more about how DBT can help you.