Helping a teen navigate behavioral challenges can feel overwhelming, especially when nothing seems to work. As a parent, you want to understand what’s driving your teen’s emotions and help them find healthier ways to cope, but figuring out where to start isn’t always easy.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy could be the answer you’ve been searching for. It teaches them important skills to live a mentally healthy, fulfilling life during and long after their teen years. In this guide, we’ll explore what DBT is, how it works, and why it’s especially effective for teens. You’ll also learn about the skills it teaches and the behaviors it can help with, so you can determine if it’s the right fit for your teen’s needs.
What is DBT?
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a form of therapy designed to help people manage intense emotions, improve relationships, and make better decisions when under stress. It was originally developed to treat borderline personality disorder but has since been adapted to help with a wide range of mental health challenges, including those that many teens face.
DBT focuses on teaching practical skills to handle emotions, reduce harmful behaviors, and build healthier coping mechanisms. Unlike some therapies that focus mainly on exploring the past, DBT emphasizes staying present and learning actionable strategies to navigate life’s challenges. This makes it particularly effective for teens, who often experience heightened emotions and struggle with impulse control.
What Makes DBT Different From Other Therapies?
DBT stands out from other therapies because it combines two key approaches: acceptance and change. This means it helps teens learn to accept their emotions and circumstances while also working on ways to improve them. Many traditional therapies focus on either understanding emotions or changing behaviors, but DBT blends the two to create a balanced approach.
Focus On Life Skill Development
Another unique feature of DBT is its focus on building specific skills. Teens in DBT typically learn strategies in four main areas: mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. These skills aren’t just discussed in therapy sessions — they are actively practiced and applied to real-life situations.
Multi-Pronged Approach
DBT is also highly structured. It often includes individual therapy, group skills training, and phone coaching for in-the-moment support. This structure helps teens stay engaged and gives them the tools they need to manage their challenges outside therapy sessions.
What Types of Behaviors Does DBT Help With?
DBT is particularly effective for teens who struggle with behaviors driven by intense emotions or difficulty coping with stress. It helps address issues that may feel overwhelming for both the teen and their family. Some of the behaviors DBT can help with include:
- Self-harm, such as cutting or other intentional injuries.
- Suicidal thoughts or frequent emotional crises.
- Risky behaviors, like substance use or unsafe sexual activity.
- Explosive anger or emotional outbursts.
- Avoidance behaviors, like skipping school or withdrawing from loved ones.
- Impulse control issues, such as reckless spending or binge eating.
- Difficulty managing intense sadness, anxiety (including social anxiety), or frustration.
- Struggles with maintaining healthy friendships or family relationships.
4 Core Skills Teens Learn in DBT
DBT focuses on teaching skills that help teens handle emotions, cope with stress, and improve their relationships. These skills address many teens’ challenges and provide practical tools they can use in everyday life.
Here’s a closer look at the four core areas of DBT and why each one is essential:
Mindfulness
Many teens struggle with racing thoughts, like overthinking a social situation or panicking about an upcoming test. Mindfulness helps them slow down and pay attention to what’s happening right now instead of getting lost in their emotions. This could mean noticing their breath, the way their body feels, or the sounds around them.
By staying present, teens can create a mental pause between their feelings and their actions. For example, instead of immediately snapping at someone when they feel annoyed, mindfulness helps them recognize their irritation and choose a calmer way to respond. This skill builds self-awareness, which is the foundation for managing emotions and behaviors.
Distress Tolerance
When a teen feels overwhelmed by stress, sadness, or anger, they might turn to harmful behaviors like yelling, shutting down, or self-harming. These reactions often make problems more complicated and harder to fix.
Distress tolerance gives teens healthier ways to get through emotional pain, like using grounding techniques or focusing on their senses. For example, if a teen feels panicked, they might hold an ice cube or splash cold water on their face to reset their nervous system. These tools help them regain control when emotions feel unbearable, giving them a way to handle stress safely, rather than make the situation worse.
Emotional Regulation
Teens often feel like their emotions are running their lives, especially during high-stress times. Emotional regulation teaches them how to understand what they’re feeling, where it’s coming from, and what to do about it. This skill helps teens avoid extreme highs and lows by identifying patterns and building habits that keep their emotions more balanced.
For instance, a teen might notice that skipping lunch makes them more irritable, or that staying up late leads to feeling anxious the next day. Emotional regulation helps them make small changes — like eating regularly or getting enough sleep — that keep their emotions more stable. It also teaches them how to respond when feelings like anger or sadness hit, so they don’t act impulsively or let emotions take over.
Interpersonal Effectiveness
Interpersonal effectiveness skills help teens build healthier relationships by teaching them how to communicate clearly and handle conflicts respectfully. Teens often struggle with saying “no” or expressing their needs because they fear being judged or rejected. This skill gives them the confidence to stand up for themselves while still respecting others.
For example, a teen might use interpersonal skills to calmly tell a friend they don’t want to join in risky behavior, instead of giving in to peer pressure. Or they might learn how to ask for help with schoolwork without feeling embarrassed. These skills help teens build stronger, more supportive relationships and reduce misunderstandings or unnecessary arguments.
How is DBT Structured for Teens?
DBT for teens is typically offered in a structured format that combines different types of therapy to address their unique needs. This structure ensures they not only learn the skills but also have the support to apply them in real life.
- Individual Therapy: Work one-on-one with a therapist on personal goals, discuss challenges, and track progress. This setting allows for personalized attention and support.
- Group Skills Training: In group sessions, teens learn DBT skills alongside peers. These sessions focus on practicing strategies for mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness
Find the Right Support for Your Teen
If your teen is struggling with intense emotions or challenging behaviors, DBT can provide the tools and support they need to find balance. At Imagine by Northpoint, we help teens manage their challenges by giving them tools that allow them to be more in control of their mental well-being.
Our teen mental health programs will meet your teen where they’re at and provide a supportive environment for them to learn and grow. We offer a range of therapies, including DBT, and customize each treatment plan to create the most effective experience possible.
Contact us today to learn more about how our program can make a difference in your teen.
