Regain Control with Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Ever feel like your emotions take over before you even know what’s happening? One minute you’re fine—the next, you’re overwhelmed, shut down, or saying things you wish you hadn’t. Maybe your relationships feel like an emotional rollercoaster, or you’re just exhausted from feeling everything all the time.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a research-backed, skills-based approach that helps you manage intense emotions, reduce reactivity, and find balance. It teaches you how to notice what’s happening in your body—like a racing heart, clenched jaw, or that familiar wave of heat—so you can intervene before things spiral. Those physical cues become your early warning signs, helping you pause and use the tools you’ve learned instead of reacting on autopilot.

At Southwest Counseling Center, I use DBT with clients who want more than just a space to vent. You’ll learn concrete, real-world strategies to help you feel more stable, less reactive, and more in control of how you respond—to stress, to others, and to yourself.

What Is Dialectical Behavior Therapy?

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) was developed by psychologist Dr. Marsha Linehan to help people who struggle with intense emotions, impulsive reactions, and patterns of behavior that feel out of control. Originally created for individuals with chronic emotion dysregulation, DBT is now widely used to help anyone who feels “too much, too fast,” or stuck in all-or-nothing thinking.

DBT combines the practical tools of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with the grounding principles of mindfulness and acceptance. The goal isn’t to suppress emotion—it’s to help you understand, manage, and channel it in healthier, more effective ways.

Here’s what DBT teaches:

→ Mindfulness – Notice what’s happening in the moment without getting swept away by it.

→ Distress Tolerance – Cope with big emotions or crises without making things worse.

→ Emotion Regulation – Understand where your emotions come from and how to shift them before they take over.

→ Interpersonal Effectiveness – Communicate clearly, set boundaries, and get your needs met without guilt—or burning bridges.

Through these core skills, DBT helps you stop reacting on impulse, manage emotional overload, and build a life that feels stable and balanced—even when things get tough.

What Can I Expect from Using Dialectical Behavior Therapy?

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) isn’t your typical “talk therapy.” It’s a structured, evidence-based approach that blends mindfulness, cognitive strategies, and practical skills to help you manage emotions, relationships, and stress more effectively. DBT is about real-life change—learning how to stay grounded when things get intense and making choices that actually work for you long term. Here’s what our work together typically includes:

Build Awareness (Without Judgment)

The first step in DBT is learning to notice what’s happening inside you—your thoughts, emotions, and body responses—without instantly reacting or labeling them as good or bad. Mindfulness in DBT isn’t about becoming calm or “Zen.” It’s about staying present enough to see the full picture before deciding how to respond. This awareness gives you space between the feeling and the reaction, and that space is where change begins.

Learn and Practice DBT Skills

Each session includes hands-on learning and practice of DBT’s four core skill sets: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. We’ll break these down into real-world situations—using examples from your daily life, role-playing difficult conversations, and troubleshooting what’s not working. The goal isn’t just to “know” the skills—it’s to use them automatically when life hits hard.

Regulate Emotions in Real Time

DBT helps you understand the physiological warning signs of emotional overload—a racing heart, tight chest, tunnel vision, or the urge to escape—so you can act before your emotions take the wheel. You’ll learn step-by-step tools to calm your body, shift your mindset, and regain control in moments that used to feel impossible. Over time, you’ll start to respond instead of react—and that changes everything.

Improve Relationships and Boundaries

DBT also focuses on improving how you communicate, connect, and set limits. We’ll work on expressing needs clearly, asking for what you want, and saying “no” with confidence and respect. You’ll learn to manage conflict without losing yourself in the process, so your relationships feel more balanced, authentic, and stable.

Build a Life That Works (Even When It’s Hard)

At its core, DBT is about living a life that feels worth living—even when things aren’t perfect. It teaches you how to hold two truths at once: acceptance of where you are, and commitment to change. Through this balance, you’ll develop emotional stability, self-compassion, and resilience to navigate life’s ups and downs without losing your footing.