DBT Skills
Practice ways to respond to intense feelings and get through difficult moments without adding to the problem.
When Overwhelm Takes Over the Moment
A small frustration can feel much larger after a demanding week. You might snap at someone, shut down or pull away before you have words for what happened. I draw on Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills, or DBT skills, in individual therapy with adults roughly 20 to 45. I use selected skills for overwhelm; I do not offer a full DBT program.
Understand the Sequence
I ask about a recent hard moment and what led up to it. We may look at sleep, the situation, the emotion and the action that followed. Those details help us identify where a skill could fit, instead of treating the reaction as a flaw in your character.
Name an Emotion More Precisely
Emotion regulation starts with noticing what you are feeling and what might be contributing to it. Anger after a canceled plan may include disappointment or fear of being left out. In our conversation, I help you distinguish those feelings so the response can address what is actually happening.
Pause Before Responding
A pause can create time between an intense feeling and a message you might regret sending. We can rehearse stopping, noticing your body and deciding what needs attention first. Practicing in the appointment makes the skill more concrete than simply telling yourself to calm down in the next argument.
Get Through a Difficult Stretch
Distress tolerance skills focus on getting through discomfort without making the situation harder. We might discuss grounding your attention in your surroundings or postponing an impulsive response. These are ways to handle a moment, not instructions to accept harmful treatment or keep putting up with an ongoing problem.
We can practice a pause before the next hard moment asks for one.
Bridget Moore, LCSWPractice and Scope
Work on the Conversation Afterward
Once the intensity has eased, there may still be a request to make or a limit to explain. I can help you practice saying what you need in plain language. We consider your priorities in the relationship and how to communicate them without assuming you can control the reply.
Try One Skill During Your Week
For a student or young professional, a short practice may fit better than a long assignment. We choose one situation where you can try a skill, then review it together. If it was difficult to remember or use, that gives us information about what needs adjusting in the plan.
Keep the Scope Clear
Drawing on DBT skills is part of my individual therapy approach alongside CBT, ACT and other methods I use. It is not a claim that you are enrolling in a comprehensive DBT service. We discuss your needs at consultation and intake so you can ask about the care I offer.
Know the Limits Between Appointments
Clients can text for quick wins and scheduling changes, not emergency support or ongoing skills coaching. Therapy is not crisis care. If you need immediate help, call or text 988, or call 911. Regular appointments are during weekday daytime hours, with online sessions limited by your physical location.
Discuss the Moments That Feel Too Much
A free 15-minute consultation gives us time to discuss your reactions to overwhelm and the limits of my practice. Ask how selected DBT skills could fit individual sessions with me.
Free 15-Minute Consult