Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a proven, structured therapy that provides individuals with the tools to regulate emotions, manage relationships, and navigate the complexities of trauma and emotional distress. As a trauma-informed therapist specializing in Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), CPTSD, and emotional dysregulation, I offer DBT to help clients rebuild a sense of emotional stability, identity, and self-worth.
What is DBT?
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) was developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan in the 1980s to treat individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) but has since proven effective for a wide variety of emotional and behavioral struggles, including CPTSD, anxiety, depression, and more.DBT is designed to help you learn the skills necessary to handle intense emotions, improve interpersonal relationships, and manage the everyday challenges of life. The therapy works by blending mindfulness, acceptance, and change to help individuals transform their emotional responses and reactions.
How DBT Can Help with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is often characterized by emotional instability, impulsivity, challenges with self-image, and difficulty in maintaining stable relationships. DBT has been shown to be one of the most effective treatments for BPD, focusing on teaching individuals the skills needed to:
• Manage intense emotions: Reduce impulsivity and emotional reactivity.
• Build interpersonal effectiveness: Strengthen communication skills and improve relationships.
• Develop distress tolerance: Learn how to cope with pain without self-destructive behaviors.
• Improve mindfulness and self-awareness: Build present-moment awareness to reduce impulsivity and negative emotional spirals.
DBT for Other Emotional Struggles
Although BPD is a core focus for DBT, DBT can also be highly effective for a range of other mental health challenges, including:
• Complex PTSD (C-PTSD): DBT can help individuals regulate overwhelming emotions that arise from trauma and abuse.
• Anxiety Disorders: Techniques like mindfulness and distress tolerance can alleviate anxiety and reduce the frequency of panic attacks.
• Depression: DBT helps individuals confront negative thought patterns and develop healthier emotional regulation strategies.Eating Disorders: For those struggling with emotional eating, DBT focuses on emotional regulation and managing urges.
• Substance Use: DBT teaches strategies to break the cycle of self-destructive behaviors like substance abuse.
• Mood Disorders: By focusing on emotional balance, DBT helps individuals with mood swings or extreme emotional highs and lows.
Core DBT Skills
In DBT, the treatment is structured around four primary skill sets that help you develop the tools necessary for emotional balance and healthier life choices:
1. Mindfulness
Mindfulness helps you stay in the present moment, without judgment. This skill allows you to notice emotions, thoughts, and bodily sensations without becoming overwhelmed by them. Hey
2. Distress Tolerance
This teaches you how to cope with crises without resorting to harmful behaviors. Skills like Radical Acceptance and Self-Soothing help you stay grounded when facing intense emotions.
3. Emotional Regulation
DBT teaches techniques to understand and reduce extreme emotional reactions. Techniques like Opposite Action and ABC PLEASE help you shift out of emotional extremes.
4. Interpersonal Effectiveness
These skills improve communication and boundary-setting. By using DEAR MAN and GIVE, you can assert your needs in a healthy way and manage relationships more effectively.
DBT’s Role in Trauma and PTSD Recovery
If you've experienced trauma, DBT offers a powerful set of tools to help you break free from emotional overwhelm. In combination with trauma-focused therapy like Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), DBT helps you process past trauma while building a healthier emotional foundation. This makes DBT an ideal choice for clients dealing with CPTSD or trauma-related emotional challenges.
• Rebuilding a sense of safety: DBT helps you regulate emotions and reframe beliefs that stem from traumatic experiences.
• Managing emotional flashbacks: Learn grounding techniques that can help you manage intrusive memories and triggers.
• Improving self-worth: Many individuals with trauma struggle with feelings of shame, guilt, and worthlessness.
DBT offers tools to reduce these feelings and promote self-compassion.
• Relevant article: Healing PTSD with Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
How DBT Fits Into Your Healing Journey
DBT is not just about managing symptoms, but also about building a life worth living. Whether you're coping with BPD, CPTSD, or simply struggling with emotional overwhelm, DBT provides tools that help you:
• Create a life aligned with your values.
• Regulate emotions and respond rather than react.
• Set boundaries and communicate effectively in relationships.
• Develop resilience through distress tolerance skills.
DBT Program: Structured Support for Long-Term Healing
I offer a structured 25-week DBT program for clients who want to learn DBT’s core skills in-depth and apply them to their personal lives. This program is tailored to your needs and designed to provide you with lasting skills for emotional regulation, crisis management, and relationship improvement.
Whether you are experiencing emotion dysregulation from trauma, anxiety, or BPD, DBT’s step-by-step approach ensures that you develop a strong foundation for emotional resilience.
When to Consider DBT
DBT is particularly helpful if you struggle with:
• Intense emotional reactions (e.g., anger, sadness, anxiety)
• Relationship difficulties (e.g., difficulty trusting others, poor boundaries)
• CPTSD or trauma recovery (emotional overwhelm, flashbacks, and reactivity)
• Self-destructive behaviors (e.g., self-harm, impulsivity)
• Burnout or emotional numbness
• Difficulty managing stress or panic attacksBorderline
• Personality Disorder
If you’ve been struggling with emotional instability, relationship issues, or trauma, DBT could be the transformative therapy you’ve been looking for.
How I Integrate DBT in Therapy
I combine DBT skills with other trauma-focused therapies like CBT, CPT, and ACT to help you regulate your emotions while processing difficult experiences. This holistic, trauma-informed approach creates a safe space to explore the root causes of your distress and learn to manage it with confidence and clarity.
Ready to Start Your DBT Journey?
DBT offers powerful tools for emotional healing and growth. If you’re struggling with intense emotions, self-destructive behavior, or relationship difficulties, I’m here to guide you through DBT’s structured approach and support you in your healing journey.
Book a free consultation today, and let's work together to help you build a life full of emotional resilience, self-compassion, and balance.
All therapy sessions take place online via a secure Zoom link, ensuring confidentiality and convenience. Each session is 50 minutes long. Online therapy allows you to access support from the comfort of your home, no matter where you are located in Europe or beyond.
In our work together, I use a combination of evidence-based therapeutic approaches tailored to your specific needs. Here's an overview of the therapies I offer to help you navigate complex challenges and improve your mental health:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): An effective, evidence-based approach to help you understand and change negative thought patterns. Through CBT, we identify harmful thoughts and replace them with healthier, realistic perspectives. This therapy is widely used to treat anxiety, depression, PTSD, and more.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Particularly helpful for managing intense emotions, improving relationships, and increasing emotional regulation. DBT offers essential tools like mindfulness, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): A therapeutic approach that helps you accept difficult emotions and move forward, even when discomfort arises. ACT is great for building resilience and living in alignment with your values, regardless of external challenges.
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT): A specific form of CBT, CPT is especially effective for trauma-related conditions like PTSD and CPTSD. This therapy focuses on challenging and reframing unhelpful beliefs that stem from trauma, helping you process and move beyond past experiences.
Motivational Interviewing (MI): A goal-oriented therapy designed to explore your motivations for change, uncovering personal reasons and strengthening your commitment to positive change. It's especially helpful for those feeling ambivalent or uncertain about making life changes.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy: Involves tuning into the present moment to increase awareness and acceptance. Mindfulness helps you reduce stress, improve emotional regulation, and cultivate self-compassion.
Yoga Therapy: Combines physical yoga practices with therapeutic techniques to calm the nervous system, improve emotional regulation, and reconnect you to your body. It is especially effective for those dealing with trauma, anxiety, and chronic stress.
A trauma-informed approach means that therapy is provided with an understanding of how trauma impacts your thoughts, emotions, body, and relationships. My approach centers on creating a safe and supportive environment where you can explore the effects of trauma, learn tools for emotional regulation, and work toward healing at your own pace. I offer trauma-informed care to help clients feel safe, seen, and respected.
During our initial consultation, we will discuss your unique needs and goals. Based on your experience, we will determine the most suitable therapeutic approach, which may evolve as we work together. Whether you need trauma recovery, emotional regulation, or help with relationship dynamics, I’ll guide you through a personalized plan that aligns with your healing process.
The duration of therapy depends on your unique needs and goals. Some clients may find relief after just a few sessions, especially when working on specific issues or challenges. Others may choose to continue therapy for a longer period to explore deeper patterns or address more complex concerns.
For example:
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)Typically, this structured trauma-focused therapy lasts around 12 weeks. It's ideal for those dealing with trauma, PTSD, or trauma-related symptoms.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)This approach is often a longer-term commitment, with a typical program lasting 25 weeks. It focuses on emotional regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance, making it well-suited for individuals managing complex emotional challenges.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)The length of CBT depends on your individual needs and goals. Some clients may complete their therapy in 8 to 12 sessions, while others may extend their work if they’re addressing ongoing anxiety, depression, or behavioral patterns.
Ultimately, therapy is a personalized journey, and we'll decide together what pace works best for you. Whether you're looking for short-term support or longer-term growth, we’ll ensure the therapy process is tailored to meet your specific needs and objectives.
The first session serves as an introductory space where we discuss your reasons for seeking therapy and your goals. We’ll also explore what has felt overwhelming and what changes you hope to see. This session is about building trust and establishing a plan that works for you, with a focus on creating a safe space for you to express yourself.
Session Fees: Each 50-minute online session is €90. I offer a sliding scale for clients who are outside Western Europe or students facing financial hardship. Please reach out during the consultation to discuss your specific needs.
Follow-up Resources: After each session, I provide detailed follow-up emails with personalized homework, psychoeducation, and tools to support your progress.
Cancellation Fees:
Cancellations within 48 hours of the scheduled session incur a 50% cancellation fee.
Cancellations within 24 hours incur a full session fee.
Therapy is a collaborative process, and you will be actively involved in it. As we work together, I will provide you with practical tools, techniques, and feedback to support your healing and growth. We will regularly check in to assess progress, adjust goals, and ensure that therapy remains beneficial for you. Each 50-minute online session is €90. I offer a sliding scale for clients who are outside Western Europe or students facing financial hardship. Please reach out during the cons