Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) in Los Angeles
At Conscious Health Center in Larchmont, we take a compassionate and forward-thinking approach to emotional and mental health. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is one of the powerful, evidence-based treatments we offer—designed to help individuals gain emotional clarity, reduce destructive patterns, and build lives rooted in purpose and connection. DBT blends the science of behavioral change with the power of acceptance, helping individuals navigate life’s emotional turbulence with greater stability, self-awareness, and confidence. Our team is dedicated to delivering this approach in a way that aligns with each client’s unique life story and healing journey.
Table of Contents
What Is DBT Therapy?
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a specialized form of cognitive behavioral therapy developed by psychologist Dr. Marsha Linehan. Originally created for individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), DBT has since been proven highly effective across a wide range of mental health concerns—including mood disorders, anxiety, trauma, and behavioral dysregulation.
What makes DBT unique is its foundational blend of two seemingly opposite strategies: acceptance and change. Clients are guided to both validate their emotional experiences and actively work toward more constructive patterns of behavior[1][2].
The therapeutic process typically includes:
Weekly one-on-one therapy sessions
Structured group skills training
Phone coaching or support during moments of distress
Homework and real-world skill application
This multi-dimensional format creates a steady rhythm of learning, practice, and integration—supporting lasting, measurable growth.
Mental Health Conditions DBT Can Address
Anxiety
Depression
PTSD
ADHD
OCD
Four Pillars of DBT Skills Training
DBT teaches practical life skills across four key areas that promote psychological resilience and behavioral flexibility:
- Mindfulness
This core skill helps individuals stay present and aware, without judgment. Mindfulness increases emotional insight, reduces impulsivity, and enhances one’s ability to pause before reacting. - Distress Tolerance
These strategies equip clients with tools to navigate painful situations without resorting to harmful behaviors. Skills include self-soothing techniques, crisis survival methods, and strategies for radical acceptance. - Emotion Regulation
Here, clients learn how to identify, name, and shift emotional experiences. This includes building resilience against emotional overload and developing techniques to increase positive emotional experiences. - Interpersonal Effectiveness
These skills help clients assert their needs respectfully, set boundaries, and maintain relationships while preserving self-worth and emotional integrity [4].
Your First Session
Your first full DBT session will last approximately one hour. During this time, your therapist will introduce core DBT concepts, begin exploring your current emotional coping patterns, and offer tools you can start applying immediately.
What Does DBT help Treat?
DBT is used at Conscious Health to support individuals who experience challenges such as:
Mood disorders – including major depression and bipolar disorder
Personality disorders – especially Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
Anxiety disorders – such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder or Social Anxiety
PTSD and trauma symptoms – this includes PTSD, C-PTSD, and Acute Stress Disorder (ASD)
Self-harming behaviors – including cutting, suicidal ideation, and emotional reactivity
Emotional sensitivity and reactivity – even without a formal diagnosis
DBT is especially effective for people who have not responded well to other types of therapy or who feel overwhelmed by intense emotional experiences [3][5].
- STOP Skills
A grounding strategy that helps you avoid impulsive reactions:- Stop
- Take a step back
- Observe what’s happening around and within you
- Proceed mindfully
- TIPP Skills
Fast-acting tools to lower emotional arousal through body-based techniques:- Temperature: Apply cold water or ice to activate the dive reflex and calm the nervous system
- Intense Exercise: A quick burst of physical movement to release tension
- Paced Breathing: Inhale for 4, exhale for 6 to reduce anxiety
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Tense and release muscle groups to create calm
- DEAR MAN
A blueprint for respectful, effective communication:- Describe the situation clearly
- Express your feelings
- Assert your needs
- Reinforce the benefits of your request
- Stay Mindful of your goal
- Appear confident
- Be open to Negotiation
- Wise Mind
The balance between emotional mind and rational mind. Cultivating “Wise Mind” helps clients make thoughtful, values-aligned decisions [4].
These are just a few of the tools taught in DBT skills training at Conscious Health. Each skill is introduced, practiced, and reinforced with personalized support—helping clients build emotional intelligence, relationship strength, and self-trust.
DBT Cheat Sheet: Everyday Tools for Real-Life Change
Why Choose Conscious Health for DBT?
At Conscious Health, we’re committed to innovation, compassion, and lasting transformation. Our team of clinicians brings specialized DBT training alongside a deep understanding of integrative, whole-person care. Whether you are new to therapy or continuing your mental health journey, we create a space where healing is both safe and strategic.
Here’s what makes our DBT approach distinct:
A private, calm setting in Larchmont designed for comfort and focused care
Clinicians who blend DBT with other forward-thinking modalities for a tailored experience
Evidence-based practices delivered with empathy and real-world relevance
Ongoing support even after primary treatment—including transitional planning and optional alumni involvement
We recognize that each client arrives with a different story. Our goal is not only to treat symptoms but to help individuals build sustainable, empowered lives.
For clients who prefer the comfort of their own space or need a more accessible way to stay consistent in treatment, Conscious Health offers DBT Telehealth Therapy. Our virtual services bring the structure and benefits of Dialectical Behavior Therapy directly to you—no matter where you are in California.
Telehealth DBT sessions include:
Individual virtual therapy sessions with DBT-trained clinicians
Secure online group skills training with peers on a similar path
Real-time coaching and check-ins during moments of emotional overwhelm
Access to digital materials and a personalized DBT Cheat Sheet for daily use
Whether you’re balancing work and family or facing transportation limitations, our telehealth option ensures that high-quality care remains within reach. All telehealth services are conducted over secure, HIPAA-compliant platforms to protect your privacy and promote meaningful engagement [7].
DBT Telehealth Therapy: Flexible Support from Home
Can I Do DBT Therapy via Telehealth?
DBT is a highly structured and skills-based therapy, making it especially well-suited for virtual delivery [7]. Many clients report that remote sessions allow them to implement techniques more immediately within their natural environment, strengthening the connection between therapy and real-life challenges.
DBT Telehealth Therapy at Conscious Health is ideal for:
Individuals with busy or unpredictable schedules
Those living in rural or underserved areas
Clients transitioning between levels of care
Anyone who feels more emotionally secure participating from home
Our clinicians maintain the same level of depth, accountability, and personalized guidance you’d receive in person—while offering flexibility to meet you where you are, literally and emotionally.
Taking the first step toward mental wellness can feel overwhelming—but at Conscious Health, we make the process clear, welcoming, and grounded in support from day one.
What to Expect
When you reach out to Conscious Health Center for DBT therapy, our team will guide you through a thoughtful intake process designed to help us understand your needs and goals. Here’s how it works:
Initial Consultation
You’ll begin with a phone or video call to discuss your mental health concerns, past treatment experiences, and what you’re hoping to achieve. This is a no-pressure conversation where we listen without judgment and explain how DBT might benefit you.Comprehensive Assessment
If DBT is the right fit, we’ll schedule a full 60-minute clinical session—either in person at our Larchmont location or via secure telehealth. During this time, you’ll meet one-on-one with a licensed therapist who specializes in DBT. Together, you’ll explore your emotional patterns, current challenges, and identify specific skills that may support your growth.Personalized Treatment Planning
Based on this assessment, we create a tailored treatment plan that outlines the structure and frequency of your sessions. Most DBT clients attend weekly individual therapy and, when appropriate, join a virtual or in-person DBT skills group.Continued Support and Growth
Therapy is a journey, and we’re here for the long haul. As you build new skills, we’ll revisit your goals, celebrate progress, and adapt your care to meet your evolving needs.
Getting Started with DBT at Conscious Health
Begin DBT Therapy in Los Angeles Today
If you’re ready to explore how DBT can support your mental health, our team is here to guide you. At Conscious Health, you’ll receive a clear, compassionate assessment and a treatment plan built around your needs and goals.
Start building the life you want—with the tools to sustain it. Contact Conscious Health Center today to learn more about DBT therapy or schedule an initial consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dialectical behavioral therapy—most people call it DBT—is a kind of therapy that helps people deal with strong emotions and stop harmful patterns. It gives you skills for handling stress, managing feelings, and improving relationships. It’s not just talking—it’s learning tools you can actually use.
“Dialectical” is just a word for two things that seem opposite but are both true. In DBT, that’s usually about learning to accept yourself as you are, while also working to make changes. It’s not one or the other—it’s both.
DBT was developed by a psychologist named Marsha Linehan. She created it in the 1980s after realizing that some people weren’t getting the help they needed from traditional therapy—especially folks dealing with intense emotions or thoughts of self-harm. Her approach combined structure with compassion, which made a big difference.
It started as a treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder, but it’s used for a lot more now. People with depression, anxiety, PTSD, eating issues, or even addiction have benefitted from it. Basically, if emotions feel too big or hard to handle, DBT might help.
Yes—it’s one of the most researched therapies out there. Studies show it helps lower things like self-harm, suicidal thinking, and emotional outbursts. Therapists and clinics around the world use it because the results hold up over time [3].
They’re more like themes than a checklist, but here’s what DBT is built around:
Balancing change with acceptance
Teaching real-world skills
Practicing mindfulness
Handling crisis moments better
Improving how you relate to others
Working in a supportive, structured setting
The goal is to help you live a life that feels more manageable—and more meaningful [6].
Sources
[1] Linehan, M. M. (1993). Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder. The Guilford Press. Retrieved from: https://www.guilford.com/books/Cognitive-Behavioral-Treatment-of-Borderline-Personality-Disorder/Marsha-Linehan/9780898621839
[2] Linehan, M. M., et al. (2006). “Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder and Drug-Dependence.” The American Journal on Addictions, 15(4), 291–295. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1080/10550490600754382
[3] Bohus, M., et al. (2020). “Evidence-Based Psychotherapy for Borderline Personality Disorder: The Current State of Research.” Current Psychiatry Reports, 22(2), 10. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-020-1132-3
[4] Neacsiu, A. D., Rizvi, S. L., & Linehan, M. M. (2010). “Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Use as a Mediator and Outcome of Treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder.” Behaviour Research and Therapy, 48(9), 832–839. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2010.05.005
[5] Stoffers, J. M., et al. (2012). “Psychological Therapies for People with Borderline Personality Disorder.” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2012(8): CD005652. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD005652.pub2
[6] Swales, M. A. (2019). The Oxford Handbook of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy. Oxford University Press. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780198758723.001.0001
[7] Valentine, S. E., et al. (2015). “Technology Use in Dialectical Behavior Therapy: Pilot Findings and Clinical Recommendations.” Journal of Clinical Psychology, 71(8), 764–777. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22184
Learn More
Concierge Service
A better you
Begin
Your
Journey.
Day-to-day encounters and social pressures can sometimes take a toll on anyone’s mental health. Our team at Conscious Health & Wellness Center recognizes the significance of offering specialized care for those facing challenges to their mental well-being.
Request a confidential call back by filling out this form.
Request a Confidential Callback
While you’re waiting for one of our team members to reach out to you, take a look through our website and familiarize yourself with Conscious Health, our mental health services and what we treat here in Los Angeles, California.
