My Flexible DBT Approach
What DBT Is
Dialectical Behavior Therapy is an evidence based, skills focused approach that helps people better understand and manage emotions, navigate relationships, and cope more effectively with distress.
I am a DBT certified clinician, and my work is primarily informed by this model. I draw from all four DBT modules—mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness—depending on what feels most relevant in treatment.
In sessions, we focus on building practical, usable skills that support emotional awareness, more effective responses to stress, and healthier ways of relating to others.
Therapy is active, collaborative, and tailored to your individual needs. Rather than simply talking about your week, we'll often practice new ways of responding to difficult emotions, relationship challenges, or stressful situations together so those skills become easier to use outside of therapy. My goal is for what we do in session to translate into meaningful changes in your everyday life.
How I Use DBT Flexibly
While DBT is the foundation of my work, therapy is not rigid or manualized.
Instead of moving through skills in a set order, I integrate DBT tools based on what feels most helpful in the moment and what you’re actually dealing with that week.
This allows therapy to stay responsive to your experience as it shifts over time.
Alongside DBT, I draw from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and other evidence based approaches when helpful, especially to support coping strategies and better understand patterns that tend to show up repeatedly.
There is also space for slowing down when needed, stepping back from skills work to reflect, make meaning of experiences, and understand what’s happening on a deeper level. This is your space, whether you need support, practical tools, a place to process what's on your mind, or simply someone to sit with you in difficult moments.
The goal is to support both immediate coping and longer-term change in a way that feels steady, manageable, and realistic in daily life.
At the same time, I believe therapy should feel human. Some sessions will be deeply emotional, while others may include moments of laughter, curiosity, or simply recognizing that you're doing the best you can. Growth doesn't have to happen in a perfectly serious room, it often happens when you feel genuinely comfortable enough to be yourself.
Who This Approach May Be a Good Fit For
This approach is often helpful for people who experience:
intense or rapidly shifting emotions
difficulty regulating emotions under stress
impulsivity or self-destructive behaviors
ongoing relationship challenges or patterns that feel hard to change
traits of Borderline Personality Disorder
anxiety, depression, or the impact of difficult life experiences
disordered eating patterns