Why DBT?

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, or DBT, is an evidence-based therapeutic approach for youth who struggle to manage intense emotions and deal with stressful situations. It’s helpful for youth with impulsive behaviors and those experiencing thoughts of suicide. Through DBT, teens learn specific skills that help them live in the moment, develop healthy ways to cope with stress, regulate emotions, and navigate social relationships. DBT includes techniques related to mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and walking the middle path. Watch the videos below to learn more about specific techniques.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness skills are about focusing attention on one thing at a time and being aware of the present moment, including thoughts, urges, and behaviors, without judgment.

Wise Mind

Wise mind balances emotion and reason and helps you use both to make good choices.

Mindful Walk

Adding mindfulness to a walk can help with mood and overall well-being.

Mindful Moment

A mindful moment involves taking a short break to pause and be present.

Distress Tolerance

Distress tolerance skills are for managing painful and stressful situations when you lack control over a situation but need to manage your response.

Wise Mind ACCEPTS

This acronym stands for coping strategies that help regulate emotions and distract from negative thoughts.

TIPP

This acronym can be helpful for a young person feeling overwhelmed by intense emotions.

Improve the Moment

This acronym can help distract and shift your focus during a crisis.

Soothe with 6 Senses

Soothe with Six Senses can help young people manage challenging circumstances by engaging all six senses.

Pro & Cons

Pros and Cons can help a young person decide between two courses of action.

Radical Acceptance

Radical Acceptance is designed to keep pain from turning into suffering.

Emotional Regulation

Emotion regulation skills are focused on learning ways to manage strong negative emotions and increase positive emotions for yourself and youth.

Opposite Action

This technique helps change your emotional state by doing the opposite of what your emotions compel you to do.

Creating a Crisis Survival Kit

A crisis survival kit is a collection of items, skills and techniques to have on hand to relieve emotional stress.

ABC PLEASE

This acronym stands for various ways to take good care of yourself.

Interpersonal Effectiveness

Interpersonal effectiveness skills for asking for what you want, saying no, and coping with interpersonal conflict while maintaining the relationship and self-respect.

DEAR MAN

This acronym outlines ways to communicate needs, wants, and boundaries.

GIVE

This acronym is helpful for maintaining and building positive connections through effective communication.

FAST

This acronym focuses on ways to be open and honest, while maintaining self-respect and integrity.

The Middle Path

The middle path skills are meant to assist teens and their families in navigating conflict and challenging situations.

Ride the Wave

Ride the Wave focuses on accepting and riding out intense emotions rather than trying to suppress or avoid them.

Validation

Validation can help a young person build and maintain healthy relationships.

Dialectics

Dialectics teaches us that there is more than one way to see a situation or solve a problem.

Any adult who interacts with youth can benefit from DBT skills training. Participants learn why these skills work and the best ways to apply them in their interactions with youth. Sign up for a free DBT skills training today.

Sign up for a DBT Training