DBT Program in St. Paul, MN (MN DHS State Certified)
If your emotions feel overwhelming, hard to manage, or consistently impact your relationships or daily life, a more structured level of support may help.
Our comprehensive, adherent Dialectical Behavior Therapy offers the consistency, skills, and support needed to create meaningful, lasting change. It is ideal if you are struggling with significant emotion dysregulation, relationship challenges, and difficulty managing distress.
The program is offered in partnership with Twin Cities Counseling to ensure adherence to the DBT model, with care and creating a supportive, structured, and compassionate environment. Individual sessions are in person at my St. Paul office or online anywhere in Minnesota, and skills groups meet online.
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, PTSD and other emotional health disorders.
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.
Who This Program Is For
This program may be a good fit if you:
Feel overwhelmed by intense emotions
Experience frequent reactivity or shutdown
Struggle in relationships or fear abandonment
Have tried therapy but still feel stuck
Need more structure, support, and accountability
You don’t have to be in crisis to benefit.
You just need a more supported and consistent approach.
Learn more about how DBT helps with borderline personality disorder, emotion dysregulation, anxiety and PTSD.
“You can’t think yourself into new ways of acting; you can only act yourself into new ways of thinking.”
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 situations
Consultation Team — therapists working together to ensure high-quality care
DBT Skills Group
DBT skills group is a structured, supportive space where you’ll learn how to manage intense emotions, reduce distress, and improve your relationships — all while building a life that feels more grounded, intentional, and fulfilling.
The purpose of skills group is to help you develop new ways of thinking, feeling, and responding to life’s challenges. If your current patterns are causing emotional pain, conflict, or overwhelm, DBT skills can help you change those behaviors in practical, life-affirming ways.
This is not a traditional therapy group. It’s an in-depth learning experience, where you’ll be introduced to over a hundred powerful, evidence-based skills over time. Each session begins with a brief mindfulness practice, followed by time to share your experience using the previous week’s skill. After a short break, we’ll move into learning new skills through engaging teaching, group discussion, and weekly practice assignments.
You'll be positively supported as you integrate these tools into your daily life — and begin to see meaningful change in how you respond to emotions, relationships, and stress.
There are two online groups, Mondays 4–6 pm and Thursdays 4–6 pm. You join one group and attend once a week. Each group has 8 to 10 members.
Join From Wherever You Feel Comfortable
DBT Skills Groups are offered virtually, allowing you to participate from a private, comfortable space without the added time and stress of commuting. You’ll still receive the structure, support, connection, and practical skill-building of an interactive group.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is DBT different from regular talk therapy? DBT is structured and skills-based. Alongside talking through what's hard, you learn specific skills, practice them between sessions and track your progress, so change carries into daily life.
Can I join the skills group without the full program? The skills group is part of the DBT program and isn't offered on its own.
Is the program state-certified? Yes. It runs in partnership with Twin Cities Counseling PLLC, a Minnesota DHS-certified DBT provider.
Is DBT covered by insurance? I accept most major insurance plans, but not Medicare. Your cost depends on your plan.
Can I do the program online? Yes. Skills groups meet online, and individual sessions can be online for anyone in Minnesota or in person in St. Paul.
How to Join
Call me at 612-444-9741 or send me a message through my contact form to schedule a free 20-minute consultation. We'll talk about what you're looking for and whether the DBT program is the right fit
DBT Skill Modules
🌿 Mindfulness
The foundation of all DBT skills, mindfulness teaches you how to stay present in the moment without judgment. You’ll learn to observe your thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations with greater awareness, which helps create space between feeling and reacting.
🔥 Distress Tolerance
These skills help you get through emotional crises without making things worse. You’ll learn how to tolerate pain, manage urges, and cope with intense feelings in healthy, effective ways — especially when you can’t change the situation right away.
💛 Emotion Regulation
Emotion regulation skills teach you how to understand, name, and shift overwhelming emotions. You’ll learn how to reduce emotional vulnerability, respond more effectively, and increase experiences of positive emotion.
🤝 Interpersonal Effectiveness
These skills help you navigate relationships with more confidence and clarity. You’ll learn how to ask for what you need, set boundaries, manage conflict, and maintain healthy connections — without losing yourself in the process.
⚖️ Walking the Middle Path
This module is especially helpful for individuals struggling with all-or-nothing thinking. You’ll learn how to balance acceptance with change, hold multiple perspectives at once, and move away from extremes. Middle Path skills help you build flexibility, compromise, and mutual understanding in relationships — and within yourself.