By: Lacey Brunner 

Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, was originally developed for people who experience intense emotions that feel overwhelming and difficult to control. For anyone who has felt emotions escalate from zero to one hundred in seconds, or struggled to manage feelings that seem impossible to contain, DBT offers practical strategies that can help. The word “dialectical” refers to holding two seemingly opposite things as true at the same time. In therapy, this means accepting oneself exactly as they are right now while also working toward change. A person can be doing their best and still need to do better. Parents can love their teen while also feeling frustrated by certain choices. DBT teaches how to live in this tension rather than choosing one side or the other. 

DBT focuses on four main skill areas that work together to help people navigate life more effectively. Mindfulness teaches how to be present in the moment without judgment. Distress tolerance provides tools to get through crisis situations without making them worse. Emotion regulation helps people understand and manage feelings rather than being controlled by them. Interpersonal effectiveness teaches how to ask for what’s needed, set boundaries, and maintain relationships while respecting both oneself and others. For teens, these skills can be transformative when dealing with friendship drama, family conflict, or the pressure of social media. For parents, they provide concrete ways to respond to challenging situations without losing composure. 

DBT emphasizes building a life worth living, not just reducing symptoms. Feeling less anxious or depressed isn’t enough. The goal is to create meaning, build healthy relationships, and develop confidence in the ability to handle whatever comes next. In therapy sessions, clients practice these skills using real situations from their lives, not just talking about them in theory. DBT acknowledges that change is hard and that everyone is doing the best they can with the tools they have. Therapy helps build better tools.