What Is DBT?
Comprehensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Adults
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a structured, evidence-based treatment developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan to help people who struggle with intense emotions, suicidal thoughts, self-harm, and patterns of behavior that feel overwhelming or difficult to change.
Over time, DBT has been shown to be effective in treating a broad range of emotional and relational difficulties. It offers practical skills within a supportive framework—helping people build emotional resilience, respond to stress more confidently, and make meaningful life changes.
At Integrative Path Healing, I provide Comprehensive DBT for adults with a grounded, collaborative approach that honors the full DBT model while tailoring it to your life.
What Does “Dialectical” Mean?
DBT is based on the idea that two things can be true simultaneously. We often work with this through the lens of acceptance and change. For example, someone might say, “I’m doing the best I can,” and “I want to learn new ways to cope.”
These two ideas may seem like opposites, but both can be true at the same time.
This is the heart of what makes DBT so powerful—it teaches us how to hold space for acceptance and change and opens the door to real growth without judgment.
The Four Core Skill Areas in DBT
DBT teaches practical tools across four main areas. These aren’t abstract ideas—they’re concrete skills you can learn, practice, and use in your daily life.
Mindfulness
The core of DBT, helps you stay connected to the present moment, rather than getting lost in past regrets or future worries. You begin to notice what’s going on around you—and inside you—so that when things feel intense, you have a little more choice in how you respond.
Distress Tolerance
Distress tolerance skills help you survive moments of crisis without making things worse. This includes tools for getting through intense emotional waves and strategies for accepting reality when it can’t be changed.
Emotion Regulation
This part of DBT skills helps you get to know your emotions better so you can respond to them instead of reacting without thinking. Emotions have meaning and purpose, and DBT teaches you how to listen to what they’re telling you, without letting them take over. It’s not about shutting feelings down. It’s about learning to handle them in ways that work.
Interpersonal Effectiveness
It is about strengthening how you relate to others. These skills can help you express yourself more clearly and handle difficult conversations with more confidence. You might use them to ask for something you need, say no when something doesn’t work for you, or stay steady during a disagreement, without losing your self-respect in the process.
DBT can help if you’re struggling with things like:
Intense emotions that feel hard to manage, mood swings or emotional sensitivity. Thoughts of self-harm or suicide. Relationship conflict or feeling easily rejected. Acting impulsively, including with substances or food. Difficulty with anger, anxiety, or emotional pain. Trauma symptoms (which may also be addressed with DBT, Prolonged Exposure, or EMDR)
What Comprehensive DBT Includes
I provide Comprehensive DBT using the full model developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan. This approach includes four main parts that all work together to support real change. It’s structured, yes—but it’s also flexible, collaborative, and built around what works for you.
Individual DBT Therapy Sessions
These weekly one-on-one sessions focus on what matters most in your life—managing intense emotions, navigating relationships, or creating lasting change. We’ll examine what’s getting in the way and use DBT skills in a practical, step-by-step way to help you respond differently.
While more structured than traditional talk therapy, these sessions are still personal and supportive. Everything we do is grounded in your present experience, with an emphasis on both validation and growth. This is your space to feel seen, build skills, and move forward—one step at a time.
DBT Skills Training
DBT skills training is a key part of treatment. Most clients participate in the skills training in a group, where we focus on practical tools you can use in daily life.
Groups are offered in two formats:
🖥️ Online, open to adults in California, Nevada, and Oregon
🏢 In-person, currently available in Las Vegas, NV only
I also offer individual skills sessions if a group isn’t the right fit. These are usually held at a different time than your weekly therapy sessions.
DBT Consultation Team
I actively participate in a structured Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) consultation team as part of my ongoing commitment to providing the highest standard of care to my clients. This collaborative environment allows me to receive valuable feedback, maintain fidelity to the DBT model, and continue developing my clinical skills. Just as clients benefit from support and accountability, DBT therapists also thrive when we work together, challenge each other, and stay grounded in evidence-based practice.
Phone Coaching
In-between session support to help you use skills in the moment when you need them most. Phone coaching is available as a way to bridge the gap between sessions, offering brief, focused guidance when you’re feeling stuck or unsure how to apply DBT skills in real-life situations. It’s there to support you in the moments that matter—helping you stay on track, build confidence, and strengthen your ability to respond effectively, even when things feel overwhelming.
Who I Work With
I work exclusively with adult clients (18 and older), focusing on the unique challenges and transitions that come with adulthood. If you’re looking for DBT services for a teen or adolescent, I’d be more than happy to help connect you with a trusted provider who specializes in working with younger clients. Ensuring you or your loved one gets the right fit is important, and I’m committed to helping you find the support that best meets your needs.
Is DBT Right for You?
If you’ve ever thought, “I feel out of control, and I don’t know how to stop,” or “My emotions are too big, too fast, and too much,”—DBT might be a good fit.
DBT may be a good fit if you’re:
Feeling things deeply or having trouble managing emotional intensity. Open to trying a structured, skill-building approach. Willing to look at both change and acceptance as part of healing. Frustrated by therapy that hasn’t gone deep enough
You don’t have to figure it all out before reaching out. We’ll talk it through together.
Begin Our DBT Program in Torrance, CA , Las Vegas, NV, or Oregon
We know that life is painful at the DBT Center. When we don’t have the tools to manage, we can create bigger problems for ourselves. You deserve to be heard and supported as you learn skills to live a more intentional, fuller life. If you are ready to start DBT at our Los Angeles area center, the Summerlin area of Las Vegas, NV, or from anywhere in either state using online therapy in California, Nevada, or Oregon, follow the steps below.
- Reach out to us here.
- Start meeting with a trained DBT therapist.
- Find hope and motivation to learn and grow.
Other Services at DBT Integrative Path Therapy
Our DBT center, located just south of Los Angeles, CA and the Las Vegas, NV Summerlin area, has helped many people find the motivation to live fuller, more connected lives. We provide treatment to adolescents and adults. Furthermore, we provide DBT to help with managing anger, social isolation and loneliness. Our therapist at the DBT Center also specializes in helping those experiencing suicidal thoughts and self-harming behaviors. I also provide EMDR Therapy to provide quick relief and healing so you can be free to live the life you want to live today. You can access our services from anywhere in either state using online therapy in California and Nevada.
