What Is DBT — and Why Does It Work?

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based treatment developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan. Originally designed to support individuals experiencing intense emotional pain, suicidality, and self-harm, DBT is now widely used to treat anxiety, depression, trauma responses, and emotion dysregulation.

If you struggle with intense emotions, overwhelm, or relationship challenges, DBT offers practical, skills-based tools to help you feel more steady and in control.

DBT works by helping you both accept your current emotional experience and build the skills to create meaningful change.

DBT for Highly Sensitive People

As an intensively trained DBT therapist in the Twin Cities, I specialize in working with highly sensitive people and deep feelers who often feel overwhelmed by the intensity of their emotions.

My approach integrates:

• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

• Mindfulness-based practices

• Trauma-informed care

Together, we focus on helping you regulate emotions, reduce overwhelm, and build a life that feels more grounded, intentional, and aligned with who you are.

What Does “Dialectical” Mean?

“Dialectical” means that two seemingly opposite things can be true at the same time.

For example:
“I’m doing the best I can” and “I want to do better.”

DBT helps you move away from rigid, black-and-white thinking and toward a more flexible, balanced perspective.

This is especially powerful for highly sensitive people, who often experience emotional and cognitive extremes.

In our work together, we focus on both:

• Accepting your reality as it is

• Creating meaningful, lasting change

Not either/or—both/and.

Core Goals of DBT

DBT helps you:

• Stay present instead of overwhelmed

• Regulate intense emotions

• Cope with stress without making things worse

• Improve communication and relationships

• Build confidence in your ability to handle difficult situations

For highly sensitive people, this means learning how to feel deeply without being consumed by your emotions.

What Does Adherent DBT Include?

Comprehensive, or adherent, DBT includes four core components:

• Individual Therapy — personalized support applying DBT to your life

• Skills Training Group — structured learning and practice of DBT skills

• Phone Coaching — in-the-moment support to use skills in real life

• Consultation Team — therapists working together to ensure high-quality care

I offer DBT-informed individual therapy and skills-based support, and I also participate in a DHS-certified DBT program in the Twin Cities, delivered in collaboration with an experienced DBT team.

The Four Core DBT Skill Modules

DBT teaches four essential skill areas:

Mindfulness
Build awareness of your thoughts, emotions, and body without judgment

Distress Tolerance
Get through difficult moments without making things worse

Emotion Regulation
Understand and shift emotional patterns over time

Interpersonal Effectiveness
Communicate clearly, set boundaries, and navigate relationships more effectively

A Therapy Born from Lived Experience

DBT was developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan, who later shared her own lived experience with chronic depression, suicidality, and emotional suffering.

DBT is not only grounded in research—it is rooted in deep empathy and a commitment to helping people build lives worth living.

Is DBT Right for You?

DBT may be a good fit if you:

• Feel overwhelmed by your emotions

• Experience intense mood shifts or reactivity

• Struggle in relationships

• Feel stuck in patterns that don’t serve you

• Want practical tools—not just insight

If you’re ready to explore whether DBT is a good fit for you, I’d love to connect.