Dialectical Behavior Therapy Groups (DBT)

At The Center for Restored & Connected Families, we offer a group therapy approach called Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). It’s designed to help people build practical skills for handling stress, understanding emotions, and improving relationships.

DBT groups focus on four main skill areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. These skills can benefit anyone—but research shows they’re especially helpful for people experiencing anxiety, overwhelming emotions, or relationship difficulties.

For example, one study found that people with social anxiety made greater progress when they practiced DBT’s interpersonal skills during group therapy. Another study noted how DBT empowered people with borderline personality disorder by teaching coping strategies they could use in real-life situations.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness means slowing down and paying attention to what’s happening in the present moment—your thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations—without trying to change them. You might notice your breath, the warmth of a mug in your hands, or a tightness in your chest. The goal isn’t to judge or interpret these feelings, but simply to notice and describe them. Over time, mindfulness helps you stay grounded instead of getting swept away by worries or regrets.

Distress Tolerance

Distress tolerance focuses on handling tough situations without making them worse. These skills help you find healthy ways to get through crises—such as breathing exercises, taking short breaks, or practicing self-acceptance when life doesn’t go as planned. It’s about learning to say, “I can handle this moment,” even when it’s uncomfortable.

Emotion Regulation

Emotion regulation teaches you how to better understand and manage your emotions. This includes recognizing what triggers certain feelings and finding ways to respond that align with your values. When you can identify and name your emotions, it becomes easier to take care of yourself and maintain balance in your relationships, work, and personal life.

Interpersonal Effectiveness

Finally, interpersonal effectiveness is about improving communication and boundaries. These skills help you ask for what you need, say no when necessary, and handle conflict kindly and confidently. You’ll learn to balance being respectful of others with being true to yourself.

Join a group today

We currently offer two types of adult groups, and hope to start a teen group this summer. If you have questions or want to join, look at our DBT Groups page and reach out via the website, email, or phone!

Together, the four DBT modules can help you build a more balanced, resilient, and connected life—both within yourself and with the people around you.

References

DBT Skills from Experts. (2020, December 8). Mindfulness What [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUSaQL1_zXE Dialectical Behavior Therapy. (2025, March 26). Dialectical Behavior therapy: DBT skills, worksheets, videos. https://dialecticalbehaviortherapy.com/

Herbert, J. D., Gaudiano, B. A., Rheingold, A. A., Myers, V. H., Dalrymple, K., & Nolan, E. M. (2005). Social skills training augments the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral group therapy for social anxiety disorder. Behavior Therapy, 36(2), 125–138. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0005-7894(05)80061-9

Kim-Spoon, J., Cicchetti, D., & Rogosch, F. A. (2012). A longitudinal study of Emotion Regulation, Emotion Lability-Negativity, and Internalizing Symptomatology in maltreated and nonmaltreated children. Child Development, 84(2), 512–527. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2012.01857.x

O’Connell, B., & Dowling, M. (2013). Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) in the treatment of borderline personality disorder. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 21(6), 518–525. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpm.12116