Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Skills Group

A structured 6-month intensive program

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based treatment developed by Marsha Linehan to help people build practical skills for managing intense emotions, improving relationships, and reducing behaviors that feel hard to control. This DBT Skills Group is a 90-minute weekly therapy group that follows a structured curriculum over six months, allowing participants to learn and practice all core DBT skills in a supportive and consistent environment. The focus of this group is not just understanding emotions, but learning what to do differently in real-life situations when emotions feel overwhelming, urges are strong, or relationships feel unstable.

Who This DBT Group Is Designed to Help

This group can be especially helpful for individuals who experience emotional dysregulation, intense mood shifts, or patterns that feel difficult to manage. It is commonly supportive for those living with borderline personality disorder or related traits, depression or chronic emotional distress, anxiety and trauma-related symptoms, eating-disorder behaviors or urges, addictive behaviors or relapse cycles, impulsivity, self-harm urges, or frequent interpersonal conflict. DBT is a highly skills-based and practical approach. Many participants appreciate having clear, structured tools rather than relying on open-ended talk therapy alone.

What Makes This DBT Group Intensive

This is not a drop-in support group. It is a structured therapy program that requires weekly participation and ongoing practice. Each session is intentionally designed to help participants not only learn skills, but also apply them to real-life challenges as they arise.

Sessions include skills teaching and guided practice, review of diary cards and weekly homework, coaching around real-world situations, and structured processing that stays focused on skill use rather than unstructured discussion. Participants also benefit from supportive accountability within a consistent group setting. Homework is assigned each week and reviewed during every session to help skills become part of daily life.

Core DBT Skills Taught in This Group

Mindfulness is the foundation of DBT. These skills help participants notice thoughts, emotions, and body sensations without immediately reacting to them. Mindfulness supports staying present, slowing impulsive responses, and accessing Wise Mind during stressful moments.

Emotion Regulation skills help participants understand emotions, name what they are feeling, reduce vulnerability to emotional extremes, and learn how to change emotions when appropriate. The emphasis is on working with emotions rather than suppressing them or feeling controlled by them. Distress Tolerance skills are used during crisis moments and intense emotional surges. These skills help participants survive difficult situations without making things worse and learn how to tolerate discomfort safely until emotions settle.

Interpersonal Effectiveness skills support clearer communication, healthier boundaries, asking for needs, saying no, and maintaining self-respect. These skills are especially helpful for reducing conflict, people-pleasing, resentment, and withdrawal in relationships.

Addictive Behaviors and Relapse Prevention are also addressed through DBT-specific skills. Participants learn how to anticipate high-risk situations, respond differently to urges, and build safer alternatives over time.

Diary Cards and Weekly Practice

Diary cards are a core part of DBT and are used throughout the program. They help participants track emotions, urges, and behaviors, notice patterns over time, identify which skills were used, and strengthen accountability without shame. Diary cards also guide which skills are reviewed during sessions. Homework and diary cards are reviewed weekly in a supportive, collaborative, and non-judgmental way.

Window of Tolerance and Somatic Coping

Many people struggle not because they lack skills, but because their nervous system becomes overwhelmed. This group integrates the concept of the window of tolerance to help participants recognize when they are becoming over-activated or shut down, and how to return to a more regulated state before attempting problem-solving. Somatic and nervous-system-based coping strategies may include grounding and orienting techniques, breath- and body-based regulation tools, recognizing early signs of escalation or shutdown, and learning how to return to a sense of safety. These tools help DBT skills work more effectively, especially for individuals who feel flooded or disconnected under stress.

Group Expectations and Guidelines

To support safety and effectiveness, participants agree to maintain confidentiality, communicate respectfully, arrive on time, and remain for the full session. Group members are asked to limit cross-talk unless invited, practice skills between sessions, and commit to the full course whenever possible. The focus of the group remains on learning, growth, and change rather than blame. This group is designed to support stability and progress. If someone is experiencing an active crisis, additional support options will be discussed as needed.

Structure of the 6-Month Program

While exact dates and pacing may vary, the program generally progresses through an orientation to DBT and its framework, mindfulness foundations and Wise Mind, distress tolerance and crisis survival skills, addiction-focused DBT and relapse prevention, reality acceptance and radical acceptance skills, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and integration with continued skill practice. Homework is assigned weekly, and each session builds upon previously learned skills.

Is This Group a Good Fit?

This DBT Skills Group is a strong fit for individuals who prefer a structured approach, are willing to practice skills consistently, and want practical tools for moments when emotions feel overwhelming or difficult to manage.​

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Cost, Participation, and Policies

Session Fee
The DBT Skills Group is offered at $60 per person per 90-minute session. This fee includes all course materials, printed workbooks and handouts, diary cards, and any worksheets or supplies used during sessions.

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Program Structure
Participants commit to a six-month program (approximately 24 weekly sessions). This commitment helps ensure continuity, safety, and the best opportunity for real change over time.​

What the Fee Covers

• Comprehensive DBT curriculum taught by two experienced therapists

• Initial workbook and 3-ring binder to hold all handouts and skills materials

• Weekly worksheets, diary cards, and handouts

• Group-based experiential and somatic exercises

• Safe, confidential, therapist-led environment

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Attendance & No-Show Policy
Regular attendance supports consistency, skill-building, and group cohesion. Because our sessions rely on committed group participation:​

• If you need to miss a session, please provide at least 24 hours’ notice.

• This policy helps respect everyone’s time and preserves the therapeutic integrity of the group for all participants.

• If you miss a session without giving a 24-hour notice or do not attend after committing, you will be charged the full session fee.

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Refund Policy***
Because the group unfolds as a cohesive, 6-month structured course with materials provided and session time committed, we do not offer refunds for sessions already attended. If you choose not to continue, that is respected. We encourage open communication around any needed breaks or adjustments.

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Why This Cost Matters
DBT is a skills-based therapy that requires consistent attendance, structured content, and therapeutic guidance. The rate covers more than just the time; it includes the cost of materials, printing, therapeutic oversight, safe space, and the unique value of two therapists facilitating.​ We aim to offer high-quality, evidence-based group therapy that remains accessible, and we believe transparency helps clients feel confident and respected.​​​​