Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a treatment developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan of the University of Washington. This treatment was originally developed to treat chronically suicidal individuals and tested on women with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). It has since been tested and found to be helpful for a variety of emotion dysregulation related problems.

DBT is a form of behavior therapy. Behavior therapies are based on the study of how things are learned. Behavior therapies, including DBT, focus on helping people change ineffective ways of coping by learning new ways of coping and getting things done.

DBT blends behavior therapy strategies with acceptance and validation strategies, which involve communicating to individuals that they are doing the best they can and that their thoughts, feelings, and skillful behaviors make sense and are understandable given their learning history or present circumstances.

DBT also emphasizes “Dialectics,” which means that two things which seem like opposites can both be true at the same time. Dialectical strategies can help depolarize conflicts and identify solutions that honor both sides of a conflict, whether internal or interpersonal. One of the core dialectics in DBT is acceptance and change.

Individuals appropriate for DBT most commonly experience difficulties regulating emotions (including having intense emotions which may fluctuate rapidly), difficulties managing anger, difficulties in relationships, impulsive behaviors, suicidal, and/or self-harming behaviors.

DBT is an “evidence-based treatment,” which means that it has been researched in clinical trials, and, in general, DBT appears as effective or more effective than other psychotherapies for reducing suicidal behavior, substance use problems, anger-related problems, eating disordered behaviors, and interpersonal difficulties.

Most research has been done on Comprehensive DBT, which consists of four components: Skills Group, Individual Therapy, Phone Coaching, and Therapist Consultation team. For some problems, modifications of Comprehensive DBT are appropriate (i.e. Skills Group only).

• Individual Therapy

• Skills Training

• Phone coaching

• Consultation team: Intervention for the therapist

I offer individual therapy, skills training, and phone coaching. I sit on a consultation team with other DBT providers and work to maintain session adherence to and competence in DBT.

DBT SKILLS TRAINING GROUP

I am not currently taking new individual or couple clients. However, I do have room in my Virtual Adult DBT Skills group. It takes place on Mondays from 2-4pm. If you'd like to learn more about this group, please email me.

I have specific training in and knowledge of several SUD treatments and conceptualizations, including DBT for SUDs (DBT-SUD), behavioral and cognitive-behavioral interventions for individuals as well as couples and families, as well as twelve-step and twelve-step facilitation models. Throughout all my work, and specifically when working with people with out-of-control behaviors such as substance use, I believe it is critical to maintain and express compassion and hold each person in a nonjudgmental frame. I work with individuals, couples and families on problems with substance use.

I have extensive training and experience treating trauma of many kinds. Most frequently I employ Prolonged Exposure, either in the context of DBT (DBT-PE) or independently. At times that PE is not the preferred treatment, I also utilize other evidence-based models.

I provide treatment for couples and families. Within this vein, most commonly I treat loved ones of those in DBT and/or with problem substance use. I most commonly conduct couple DBT and behavioral couple therapy.

I provide behavior therapy and CBT for other kinds of problems as well. Most notably for behaviors that feel out of a person’s control, such as binge-eating, interpersonal behaviors that are problematic in relationships, etc. I also frequently treat anxiety disorders.