Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Therapy in Natick & Greater Boston + online across MA
For those ready to move beyond survival mode
Your emotions are valid AND they get in the way sometimes
They come in waves - anger, anxiety, sadness - or swing into numbness when it’s too overwhelming. Stress builds fast. Small things hit big. You may have been told you’re “too sensitive,” but deep down, you’re just exhausted from holding it together.
DBT may be right for you if:
You feel overwhelmed by emotions like anxiety, sadness, or anger - and don’t know what to do in the moment
You go through intense mood swings or feel emotionally “numb” and disconnected from life
You use distractions (scrolling, drinking, overeating, isolating) to avoid what you're feeling
You act on impulse - whether it’s with food, money, relationships, or shutting people out.
There’s a critical voice in your head, judging you for how you feel and telling you to "get over it"
You’re constantly questioning your worth, struggling with self-doubt or people-pleasing
You feel anxious in relationships - worried you’ll be rejected or abandoned
You've tried therapy before but need something more practical and skills-based
You deserve tools that actually work. You’re not “too sensitive” or “too much”. Your emotions just haven’t been supported in the right way. We’ll build practical strategies so you can stay grounded, steady and in control without shutting yourself down.
With DBT, You’ll Learn To:
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DBT helps you pause sooner, recognize patterns earlier, and respond more intentionally. You’ll build a toolkit of healthy coping strategies like mindfulness, grounding, and distress tolerance to feel more in control and less reactive.
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I’ll help you build effective communication skills, set healthy boundaries, and approach conflicts with confidence. You’ll learn how to balance your needs with those of others, strengthening your connections while staying true to yourself. We’ll explore the roots of abandonment fears, help you understand them, and build safer, more secure relationships - starting with the one you have with yourself.
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Impulsive behaviors like binge eating, overspending, or shutting down are often attempts to escape emotional pain. DBT helps you pause, choose differently, and break free from patterns that don’t actually help long term.
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Self-doubt and shame can be loud. We’ll work on building self-compassion, challenging negative beliefs, and helping you feel more confident in your own skin. Whether you feel numb, detached, or unsure what you’re feeling, DBT helps you tune back in and find calm and clarity in the present moment.
Let’s Build Something Different
I’m a DBT-Linehan Board Certified Clinician™, meaning I’ve been rigorously trained to deliver the full, gold-standard DBT model developed by Dr. Masha Linehan. With this expertise, I help clients build emotional resilience, navigate relationships, and break free from unhelpful patterns using DBT’s proven strategies for lasting change.
Together, we’ll develop personalized strategies to help you regain control, build resilience, and create lasting change. If you’re ready to take the first step, I’m here to support you on your journey to healing and growth.
Build a life worth living
DBT FAQs
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DBT is a structured, evidence-based therapy that helps you respond instead of react, especially when emotions feel intense or overwhelming. It’s widely used for anxiety, trauma, mood swings, and patterns driven by emotional intensity.
DBT combines four key components to help you manage emotions and improve your quality of life:
Mindfulness: Learn to stay present in the moment, helping you become more aware of your thoughts and feelings without judgment.
Distress Tolerance: Develop coping skills for handling crises and emotional pain in a healthier way, instead of resorting to impulsive behaviors.
Emotional Regulation: Understand your emotions and learn to manage them, so you don’t feel controlled by your feelings.
Interpersonal Effectiveness: Build skills to improve your relationships, set healthy boundaries, and communicate more effectively.
In DBT, we work together through individual therapy, skills training, and out of session phone coaching to practice these skills in real-life situations.
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DBT may be a good fit if you understand your patterns intellectually but still have trouble changing what happens in the moment. You might know you’re overreacting, shutting down, people-pleasing, avoiding, or acting impulsively but feel like your emotions take over before you can respond differently. DBT gives you practical tools for those moments while helping you understand the patterns underneath them.
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No. While DBT was originally developed to treat BPD, the skills can be helpful for many people who struggle with intense emotions, anxiety, relationship difficulties, impulsive behaviors, or feeling overwhelmed. You don’t need a particular diagnosis to benefit from DBT. We’ll focus on the patterns that are getting in your way and the skills that can help you respond differently.
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DBT tends to be more active and skills-based than traditional talk therapy. We’ll absolutely explore what’s underneath your patterns, but we’ll also focus on what you can do differently when difficult emotions, relationship stress, or old coping patterns show up. You’ll learn concrete strategies you can practice between sessions and use in everyday life.
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Not necessarily. DBT treatment is individualized based on your needs, symptoms, and treatment goals. For some clients, individual DBT may be appropriate on its own. For others, I may recommend or require participation in a DBT skills group or a more comprehensive DBT program as part of treatment. We’ll talk about this early on so you have a clear sense of what I recommend and why.
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DBT is usually structured in phases, with skills training typically taking place over 6 months to a year. The length of treatment depends on your unique needs, goals, and progress. Some people benefit from ongoing therapy, while others find that after mastering the core skills, they can continue practicing on their own. During our initial sessions, we’ll set goals and create a personalized plan that works for you.
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Yes. For some people, DBT and EMDR complement each other well. DBT can help you build skills to manage emotions, stay grounded, and cope more effectively in the present, while EMDR can help address experiences and beliefs that continue to drive those reactions. Whether we use one approach or integrate both depends on your goals, history, and what feels most helpful and appropriate.
For additional FAQ’s about treatment with Betsy, visit the About page