Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) · An evidence-based approach
Work toward the life you want while treating yourself with compassion along the way.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, is an evidence-based approach for people who feel emotions intensely and want to manage them without being overwhelmed. It pairs the change-focused tools of CBT with an equal emphasis on acceptance.
What it helps with
What DBT can help with
Originally developed for overwhelming emotions and self-harm, DBT now helps with a wide range of concerns.
- Emotions that feel intense or overwhelming
- Emotion dysregulation
- Chronic anxiety and depression
- Impulsivity and crisis moments
- Difficult or strained relationships
- Getting through distress without making it worse
Concrete skills for the moments that matter most
DBT builds concrete skills across four areas: mindfulness, staying present instead of getting swept away; distress tolerance, getting through a crisis without making it worse; emotion regulation, understanding and shifting strong feelings; and interpersonal effectiveness, asking for what you need and holding healthy boundaries.
Your therapist helps you practice these skills and apply them in the moments that matter most. We adapt the approach for teens and adults.
The dialectic in DBT is the balance between accepting yourself as you are and working toward meaningful change.
Our approach
How DBT works at LodeStone
A whole-picture, coordinated path, not a one-size-fits-all plan.
Learn the four skill areas
You build tools across mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.
Practice in real life
Your therapist helps you apply these skills in the moments that matter most, not just in the therapy room.
Balance acceptance and change
You work toward meaningful change while learning to accept yourself as you are, the balance that makes the approach effective.
Not sure which approach fits? Get answers and we will match you with the right clinician.
We provide this care in person at our Hinsdale and Woodstock offices, and by telehealth across Illinois. We are in-network with BCBS PPO, Blue Choice, Aetna, Medicare, and United Behavioral Health, and we verify your benefits before your first visit.