DBT
Evidence-Based DBT Skills for Anxiety, Emotional Overwhelm, and Life Transitions
DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) offers practical, learnable skills that create real change for those feeling controlled by their emotions, stuck in cycles of overthinking, or struggling to manage anxiety in daily life. We provide DBT-informed therapy online for individuals throughout New York City and New Jersey who are ready to build healthier relationships with their emotions.
DBT was originally developed to help people manage intense emotions and has since become one of the most effective evidence-based approaches for anxiety, emotional regulation, and interpersonal challenges. At Mindful Mental Health Counseling, we integrate DBT techniques into our individualized treatment plans, helping young adults and college students develop the skills they need to navigate life’s demands with greater confidence and clarity.
What Is DBT Therapy?
Dialectical Behavior Therapy is an evidence-based approach that balances acceptance and change. The core philosophy is simple yet powerful: you can accept yourself exactly as you are right now while simultaneously working toward growth. This both-and approach helps you stop fighting against yourself and start building skills that actually work.
DBT provides concrete tools for managing intense emotions, tolerating distress, improving relationships, and staying present in the moment. Unlike approaches that focus only on talking about problems, DBT emphasizes skill-building and real-world application. You learn specific techniques that you can use when anxiety spikes, when you’re overwhelmed, or when difficult situations arise.
/ The Four Core Skills of DBT
Our DBT-informed therapy draws from four essential skill modules, each addressing different aspects of emotional wellness:
Mindfulness helps you stay present rather than getting lost in anxious thoughts about the future or rumination about the past. We teach practical mindfulness techniques that go beyond meditation—skills for observing your thoughts without getting swept away by them and participating fully in your life rather than going through the motions while your mind races.
Distress Tolerance gives you tools to survive crisis moments without making things worse. These are the skills you need when panic hits, anxiety spikes, or you’re overwhelmed and need to get through the next hour. Techniques like TIPP skills (Temperature, Intense exercise, Paced breathing, Paired muscle relaxation) can rapidly decrease emotional arousal when you need it most.
Emotion Regulation helps you understand and manage your emotional experiences more effectively. This isn’t about suppressing feelings—it’s about developing a healthier relationship with your full range of emotions. You’ll learn skills like opposite action, which involves acting opposite to your emotional urge when that emotion isn’t helpful in the situation.
Interpersonal Effectiveness addresses communication, boundaries, and relationships. If you struggle with people-pleasing, difficulty saying no, or knowing what you need but feeling unable to ask for it, these skills can be transformative. You’ll learn to communicate directly, set boundaries without guilt, and maintain self-respect in relationships.
/ Who Benefits From DBT?
DBT is particularly effective for individuals dealing with:
- Anxiety and panic that interferes with daily life
- Social anxiety and fear of judgment
- Perfectionism and harsh self-criticism
- People-pleasing patterns that lead to burnout and resentment
- Emotional overwhelm that feels disproportionate to situations
- Life transitions that bring up uncertainty and stress
- OCD and intrusive thoughts
- Depression and difficulty with motivation
- Phobias that limit your life
We work primarily with young adults and individuals in their twenties and thirties who are managing full-time work, school, or major life transitions while dealing with anxiety and emotional intensity. Whether you’re a college student overwhelmed by academic and social pressure, or a professional trying to manage everything at once, DBT skills can help you feel more in control.
Our Approach: Integrating DBT With Other Evidence-Based Methods
In our practice, we integrate DBT with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and mindfulness practices. This means you receive comprehensive treatment tailored to your specific needs rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
We combine clinical expertise with warmth and relatability. Our work is informed by both professional training and lived experience, which makes therapy feel grounded, accessible, and focused on what you actually need—not just theory, but practical tools that work in real life.
What to Expect in DBT Therapy
Free 15-Minute Consultation
We start with a complimentary phone call where you can share what you’re experiencing, ask questions, and determine if we’re a good fit. There’s no pressure—this is simply an opportunity to see if working together makes sense.
Initial Intake Session
During our first full session, we explore your background, the specific challenges you’re facing, and what you hope to accomplish through therapy. This comprehensive session gives us a clear picture of your experience so we can create a treatment plan tailored to your needs.
Individualized Treatment
Following intake, we develop a personalized approach drawing from DBT skills and other evidence-based methods based on what will be most helpful for you. Not everyone needs every DBT skill in equal measure—your treatment is designed around your specific struggles and goals.
Individual Therapy Sessions
We meet for fifty-minute sessions at your reserved weekly time. Sessions are practical and collaborative. We work on building skills, processing your experiences, and addressing obstacles as they arise. You’ll practice DBT techniques between sessions and we’ll discuss what worked, what didn’t, and how to adjust your approach.
All therapy is conducted online, making it convenient for individuals throughout New York City and New Jersey. Scheduling is managed through Simple Practice, our client portal system.
DBT Skills You'll Learn
In our work together, you’ll gain access to powerful, practical techniques including:
- STOP skill for pausing before reacting impulsively
- Opposite action to break cycles where emotions perpetuate themselves
- DEAR MAN for asking for what you want or saying no effectively
- Checking the facts when emotions feel overwhelming
- Building mastery to reduce emotional vulnerability
- Radical acceptance for situations you can’t immediately change
- Grounding techniques for managing panic and acute anxiety
These aren’t abstract concepts—they’re tools you can start using immediately in your daily life.
Why Choose DBT-Informed Therapy With Us?
Clients choose our practice because we offer a unique combination of clinical expertise, warmth, and real-world relatability. We understand what it’s like to struggle with anxiety and emotional overwhelm—not just theoretically, but personally. This lived experience, combined with our professional training, allows us to provide therapy that feels authentic and tailored to what people actually need.
Our approach is practical and collaborative. We’re interested in who you are as a whole person, not just your symptoms. Together, we’ll build skills that create lasting change—not just temporary relief, but fundamental shifts in how you experience and respond to difficult emotions.
Frequently Asked Questions About DBT Therapy
DBT is a skills-based approach that emphasizes learning and practicing concrete techniques you can use in daily life. While we certainly talk about your experiences, the focus is on building practical tools for managing emotions, tolerating distress, and improving relationships. You’ll leave each session with specific strategies to apply between our meetings.
We integrate DBT with other evidence-based approaches like CBT, ACT, and mindfulness practices to create truly personalized treatment. Our work combines clinical expertise with warmth and relatability—therapy that feels grounded and accessible, informed by both professional training and lived experience. Every treatment plan is tailored to your unique needs rather than following a rigid protocol.
Before scheduling a full-length 50-minute intake session, we offer free 15-minute introductory calls with all potential new clients. During this call, we’ll discuss why you’re seeking therapy, and I’ll share logistical information about rates, insurance, and scheduling.
Prior to the initial 50-minute intake session, you’ll complete the practice’s intake paperwork. The first session is intended for us to get to know each other and talk about what you’d like to accomplish in therapy. We’ll ask you questions about your background, your mental health history, what current problems you’re facing, and what you want out of therapy.
If we’re a good fit, we will create an individualized treatment plan that is unique to you and your specific needs, using tools and techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and mindfulness.
All individual therapy sessions are 50-minutes.
We meet with most clients on a weekly basis. We ask that new clients commit to weekly sessions at the start of treatment, and depending on how things progress over time, we may recommend that we increase or decrease the frequency of sessions to best meet your needs.
Currently, we offer online sessions only.
Online therapy is delivered via a secure video platform. Online therapy provides all of the benefits of traditional therapy in addition to flexible scheduling and the convenience of participating in sessions from home.
Session fees for individual therapy range from $125-$250 per session depending on the clinician you work with. Group therapy sessions are $80 per session. We also offer a limited number of sliding scale spots to help make therapy more accessible. Your specific fee will be discussed with you prior to beginning treatment.
Mindful Mental Health Counseling is out-of-network with insurance. Private pay is a great option for people who want maximum privacy, confidentiality, and flexibility.
If you do not opt for private pay, you may also be eligible to use out-of-network benefits in order to receive reimbursement for sessions. Often, out-of-network benefits cover anywhere from 70-80% of the full session fee. Check with your insurance company directly to ask about out-of-network benefits.
- Do I have out-of-network benefits for outpatient mental health services?
- What is my out-of-network deductible?
- How much of my deductible has been met this year?
- How much will I be reimbursed for a 45-minute psychotherapy session (CPT code: 90834)?
- How do I submit claim forms for reimbursement?
If you plan to utilize out-of-network benefits, we will provide you with a monthly invoice to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement.
Yes. If you are unable to pay the full session fee and do not have out-of-network benefits, please contact us to discuss a sliding scale rate. We reserve a limited number of sliding scale spots for new clients.
If the sliding scale rate is still not within your budget, we can refer you to other local providers in the area.
24 hours notice is required for all cancellations. Otherwise, you will be charged for the full fee for the canceled or missed session.
At Mindful Mental Health Counseling, we are licensed in New York and New Jersey. Clients must live in either New York or New Jersey to work with our team.
Begin Your Journey With DBT
You don’t have to keep managing everything alone or feeling overwhelmed by emotions you don’t know how to handle. DBT skills can give you the tools you’ve been looking for—practical, effective strategies that work in real life.
If you’re ready to develop skills that create real change, we invite you to reach out. Contact us to schedule your free consultation call and discuss whether DBT-informed therapy is right for you. We can explore your specific situation, answer any questions you have, and discuss scheduling and next steps.
We provide online therapy for individuals throughout New York City and New Jersey. Taking that first step toward getting support is significant, and we’re here to help you build the emotional resilience and regulation you’re seeking.
Locations:
New York City
New Jersey
Mindful Mental Health Counseling offers a range of flexible mental health services, including one-on-one individual therapy and specialized group therapy for social anxiety and depression. Their online sessions are tailored for busy New Yorkers and New Jersey residents, providing practical, goal-oriented strategies that can be integrated into daily routines. Through their 10-15 week skills-based groups, clients have the opportunity to connect with a supportive community of peers, breaking the isolation often caused by anxiety while learning tangible coping tools.
