Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a cognitive-behavioral treatment originally developed by Marsha M. Linehan. Diagnosed herself with BPD, Linehan had insight into how to improve treatment services for this population. The goal of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy is to help people identify and use their strengths. In addition, this helps clients build self-esteem and positive feelings about life. Thus, DBT combines both cognitive and behavioral therapy techniques to further this goal.

DBT is a therapeutic approach that helps individuals struggling with emotion regulation, interpersonal relationships, mindfulness, and distress tolerance. Through DBT, clients learn practical skills to manage overwhelming emotions, improve communication, and change harmful behaviors. These skills help clients build a life worth living and make daily life more manageable.

DBT and RO-DBT (Radically Open DBT) are treatment modalities founded on the idea that the combination of your genetics and the environment you are in explain the ways we cope with stressors in life (whether helpful or harmful). Both models provide you with tangible skills to manage emotions and change behavior. RO-DBT addresses problems of "over control" such as restrictive eating disorders, perfectionism, self-judgment, rigidity, and treatment resistant depression.

DBT aims to help people create lives worth living. For treatment with DBT to be comprehensive, it needs to include all four of these modes of treatment: • Individual therapy to enhance motivation • Skills groups to enhance capabilities • Phone coaching to generalize skills to natural environment • Consultation team meetings to enhance therapist motivation and capability

I have extensive training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and draw from it to help individuals who experience frequent conflict, intense emotions, and anger management. I also integrate DBT in the treatment of eating disorders.

I have taken numerous trainings in DBT including intensive trainings. I have participated on DBT consultation teams, provided individual DBT therapy, and have facilitated DBT skills groups. This is a form of therapy that I really love because it brings a number of really effective psychotherapies and philosophies into a nice package that is practical for everyday life. DBT is something we can all use!

I have extensive experience with training and application of Dialectical Behavior Therapy. I have trained at multiple facilities that specialized in evidence based treatment, including DBT and have led multiple DBT groups. I currently lead a DBT group in the outpatient department of BronxCare Hospital.

I am DBT trained and use these skills in individual therapy with my clients. Additionally, I have 7 years experience co-facilitated DBT groups.

Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) is a type of talking therapy that is based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) with an eastern philosophy influence. Alison utilizes DBT for people who feel emotions very intensely. DBT helps to understand and accept difficult feelings, learn skills to manage big feelings, and become able to make positive changes in your life.

Dialectical Behavioral therapy weaves Zen Buddhism with practical, down to earth resources for a broad range of issues – from the occasional difficulty with communication to folks who struggle meeting their basic needs and having relationships, DBT has something for everyone (even me!). Previously I’ve offered a DBT group and individualized DBT sessions, and now I incorporate DBT concepts into individual and couples therapy as it feels relevant and desired by my clients.

I utilize Dialectical Behavioral Therapy in my work with children and adolescence to support them with developing resiliency. I utilize elements of Radically Open DBT to support my clients struggling with restrictive disordered eating.

DBT helps you build healthy coping skills, feel a part of the therapeutic process and build your emotional resilience.

I am Level 2 trained in DBT and have also completed training in utilizing DBT for PTSD.

We teach DBT skills in a flexible way tailored to our clients. These are skills that are helpful for all of us (why didn’t we learn them in middle school?) to support emotional awareness and regulation, develop healthy communication and assertiveness, and be able to get through intense moments in our life. These skills can also be helpful for clients to gain more self-reliance between therapy sessions, and trust themselves to make wise choices!

I have attained additional training in DBT and utilize the four components (mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance, and emotion regulation) to help clients. I also use these skills as part of their "tool box" of coping skills to help deal with stressors.

As a dialectical behavior therapist, I am proficient in teaching skills for managing emotions, improving interpersonal relationships, and tolerating distress. My expertise allows me to guide you through structured sessions that incorporate mindfulness, emotional regulation, and cognitive-behavioral techniques. This approach empowers you to develop healthier coping mechanisms, achieve emotional stability, and build a life worth living.