What is DBT and Why It Works for Complex Mental Health
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based treatment originally developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan in the 1980s to support individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Today, DBT is widely used to help people who experience intense emotions, impulsive behaviors, chronic relationship challenges, anxiety, depression, and substance use concerns.
While DBT is rooted in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), it stands apart through its unique integration of mindfulness, acceptance strategies, and behavior change techniques. At Healing Lane Therapy, our team uses DBT to help clients understand their emotions, build resilience, and create meaningful change in their daily lives.
What DBT Helps With
DBT is designed for individuals who struggle with:
Intense or rapidly shifting emotions
Impulsive or reactive behaviors
Self-harm or suicidal ideation
Turbulent relationships or difficulty setting boundaries
Symptoms of anxiety, depression, or BPD
Substance use or addictive patterns
Feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or unable to regulate emotions
The Four Core Components of DBT
Our therapists integrate core DBT skills into sessions to help clients build stability, emotional awareness, and healthier relationships.
Mindfulness
Developing the ability to stay present in the moment without judgment. Mindfulness helps clients observe their internal experiences and choose intentional responses rather than reactive ones.
Distress Tolerance
Learning to tolerate emotional crises without making situations worse or turning to unhelpful coping. These skills help clients navigate intense moments safely and effectively.
Emotion Regulation
Understanding and managing overwhelming emotions. Clients learn how to reduce vulnerability to emotional extremes and gain tools to feel more balanced and in control.
Interpersonal Effectiveness
Strengthening communication, setting boundaries, and showing up in relationships with clarity and confidence. These skills empower clients to ask for what they need and maintain healthier, more fulfilling connections.
Why DBT Works: What Our Clients Experience
1. A Better Understanding of Emotions
Many of the clients we work with describe feeling consumed by emotions or confused about why they react so strongly. DBT helps individuals name and understand what they’re feeling, making emotions feel less frightening and more manageable.
2. Practical, Real-World Coping Skills
DBT gives clients tools they can use immediately—during conflict, in moments of panic, or when overwhelmed by urges or impulses. Skills like grounding, self-soothing, and opposite action help reduce emotional intensity and prevent reactions clients later regret.
3. A Balance of Acceptance and Change
One of the most powerful aspects of DBT is its dual focus: “accepting yourself as you are” while also “working toward meaningful change.” This balance can be transformative for clients who have felt criticized, misunderstood, or pressured to change too quickly.
4. Stronger, Healthier Relationships
Clients often share that DBT helps them break long-standing patterns—people-pleasing, shutting down, or reacting intensely during conflict. With improved communication and boundary-setting, relationships become more authentic and supportive.
DBT at Healing Lane Therapy: How Our Team Supports You
As a group practice specializing in complex mental health issues, our clinicians integrate DBT principles across individual therapy and skills-based support. While each therapist brings their own expertise, what unites our team is a commitment to practical, compassionate, and evidence-based care.
Clients often share that DBT helps them:
Feel more regulated and grounded
Reduce emotional reactivity
Navigate triggers without spiraling
Build trust and confidence in relationships
Develop a more compassionate relationship with themselves
Make meaningful changes that align with their values
We view DBT not simply as a set of skills, but as a pathway toward a more stable, connected, and fulfilling life.
Is DBT Right for You?
If you relate to:
Feeling overwhelmed by emotions
Struggling with impulsive behaviors
Finding relationships painful or confusing
Battling anxiety, depression, or substance use
Feeling misunderstood or “too much”
—you are not alone, and DBT may be a supportive next step.
At Healing Lane Therapy, we offer DBT-informed therapy and skills training to help clients build emotional resilience and long-lasting change.
Get Started
If you’re interested in exploring DBT with one of our therapists, we’re here to help.
Reach out to Healing Lane Therapy today to schedule a complimentary 15-minute consultation and begin your path toward stability, confidence, and a more meaningful life.