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Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) in Arcadia, CA

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

If your emotions feel intense, relationships feel difficult, or stress feels hard to manage, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, often called DBT, can help you build practical skills for emotional regulation, communication, distress tolerance, and mindfulness.

DBT is an evidence-based therapy approach that helps people better understand emotions, cope with distress, respond more effectively during difficult moments, and strengthen relationships.

At Aspire Counseling Group, our therapists may incorporate DBT skills and DBT-informed strategies into individualized therapy for clients navigating emotional overwhelm, anxiety, depression, trauma-related symptoms, ADHD, stress, impulsive reactions, and relationship difficulties.

We offer DBT-informed therapy in Arcadia, CA, with online therapy available throughout California. Our office serves clients from Arcadia, Pasadena, San Marino, Monrovia, Sierra Madre, Temple City, and nearby San Gabriel Valley communities.

Same-week, evening, and weekend appointments are available.

Ready to get started?
Call us at (626) 639-8844 or book an appointment online. Our care coordinator and clinical director can help match you with a therapist based on your concerns, preferred style and approach, language, schedule, and insurance or payment needs.
Call (626) 639-8844
Text (626) 639-8844
Book Appointment

What Is Dialectical Behavior Therapy?

Dialectical Behavior Therapy is a structured therapy approach that teaches practical skills for managing emotions, coping with distress, improving relationships, and responding more effectively during stressful situations.

The word dialectical refers to the idea that two things that seem opposite can both be true.

In DBT, this often means balancing acceptance and change.

For example:

  • You can accept that your emotions are real and still learn new ways to respond to them.
  • You can understand why a pattern developed and still work on changing it.
  • You can validate what you are experiencing while also building healthier coping strategies.

DBT helps create more space between what you feel and what you do next.

Welcoming therapy room at Aspire Counseling Group in Arcadia, California for family systems therapy and family counseling

Bright, welcoming therapy room at Aspire Counseling Group in Arcadia, California, offering a comfortable space for family systems therapy, relationship counseling, parenting support, and individual or family sessions.

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How DBT Therapy Works

DBT focuses on practical skills that can be applied to everyday situations.

Your therapist may help you identify emotional triggers, notice patterns in how you respond to stress or conflict, and practice different ways of coping when emotions feel intense.

DBT commonly focuses on four core skill areas:

Mindfulness

Mindfulness helps you notice thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and urges without immediately reacting to them.

It can help you stay more present and create space between an emotional reaction and the decision about what to do next.

Distress Tolerance

Distress tolerance skills help you move through painful or overwhelming moments without making the situation worse.

These strategies can be especially useful during conflict, panic, grief, trauma reminders, or periods of intense stress.

Emotion Regulation

Emotion regulation skills help you understand emotions, identify vulnerabilities and triggers, and respond to feelings more effectively.

The goal is not to suppress emotions. It is to develop more choice in how you respond when emotions become intense.

Interpersonal Effectiveness

Interpersonal effectiveness skills can help you communicate more clearly, set boundaries, ask for what you need, manage conflict, and maintain self-respect within relationships.

DBT and Emotional Stress Responses

When you feel overwhelmed, rejected, anxious, angry, frightened, or emotionally flooded, it can become harder to pause, think clearly, communicate effectively, or make decisions that reflect what matters to you.

DBT skills can help you recognize these reactions earlier and respond with more awareness.

Depending on your needs, therapy may help you:

  • notice signs that emotions are escalating
  • pause before reacting impulsively
  • tolerate distress without making the situation worse
  • use grounding and mindfulness strategies
  • communicate needs more clearly
  • navigate conflict more effectively
  • reduce shame after difficult emotional moments
  • build confidence in your ability to handle stress

DBT is not simply about “calming down.” It is about understanding emotional responses while developing practical skills for handling difficult situations more effectively.

What Can DBT Help With?

DBT skills may be incorporated into therapy for a range of emotional, behavioral, and relationship concerns.

Emotional Overwhelm

DBT can be useful when emotions feel intense, change quickly, or become difficult to manage.

Therapy can help you notice patterns, identify triggers, and practice strategies for responding with greater steadiness.

Anxiety

DBT skills may help with anxiety, panic, avoidance, overthinking, social anxiety, and the physical experience of feeling overwhelmed.

Mindfulness and distress tolerance strategies can help you remain more present when anxiety becomes intense.

Learn more about our Anxiety Therapy services.

Depression

DBT-informed therapy may help with emotional shutdown, hopelessness, withdrawal, self-criticism, and difficulty coping with painful emotions.

Treatment may focus on increasing connection, developing more effective coping strategies, and reducing patterns that contribute to emotional distress.

Learn more about our Depression Therapy services.

Trauma and PTSD

DBT skills can help clients develop stabilization and emotional regulation strategies when trauma-related triggers or emotions become overwhelming.

Depending on your needs, your therapist may also incorporate approaches such as EMDR, grounding strategies, mindfulness, or other trauma-informed interventions.

Learn more about our Trauma and PTSD Therapy services.

ADHD and Impulsivity

DBT skills may help people with ADHD strengthen emotional regulation, frustration tolerance, impulse control, communication, and the ability to pause before reacting.

Therapy can also address shame or self-criticism that may develop after repeated struggles with attention, organization, emotional intensity, or expectations.

Learn more about our ADHD Therapy services.

Relationship Challenges

DBT can help individuals and couples recognize patterns involving emotional reactivity, shutdown, people-pleasing, communication difficulties, boundary struggles, and conflict.

Interpersonal effectiveness skills may support clearer communication, healthier boundaries, and more effective repair after difficult interactions.

Learn more about our Couples Counseling services.

Stress and Burnout

DBT skills may help with chronic stress, perfectionism, overwhelm, emotional exhaustion, and difficulty managing competing demands.

Therapy may focus on boundaries, coping skills, emotional regulation, and more sustainable ways of responding to pressure.

Learn more about our Stress Management Therapy services.

Self-Esteem and Shame

DBT-informed therapy can help you notice self-critical patterns, respond differently to shame, and practice more compassionate and balanced ways of relating to yourself.

Mindfulness and emotion regulation skills may help you experience difficult feelings without becoming overwhelmed by them.

Therapists Who Can Help With DBT

Our therapists in Arcadia may incorporate DBT skills and DBT-informed strategies into individualized therapy for children, teens, adults, couples, and families navigating emotional overwhelm, anxiety, depression, stress, ADHD, trauma-related symptoms, and relationship concerns.

Our care coordinator and clinical director work together to understand what you’re looking for and help match you with a therapist based on your concerns, preferred style and approach, language, schedule, and insurance or payment needs.

Mandarin-speaking therapist in Arcadia, CA

Jennifer Melyan, AMFT, APCC

Jennifer provides therapy in English and Mandarin Chinese for children, teens, adults, and families navigating anxiety, emotional overwhelm, stress, family concerns, and difficulty regulating emotions. Her thoughtful, direct, and collaborative style helps clients build practical skills for coping, communication, and emotional regulation.

Meet Jennifer

DBT for Teens

DBT skills can be especially useful for teens who experience intense emotions, anxiety, depression, school stress, family conflict, impulsivity, self-esteem concerns, or difficulty expressing what they need.

DBT-informed teen therapy may include:

  • identifying emotions and triggers
  • recognizing physical signs of emotional escalation
  • practicing grounding strategies
  • building distress tolerance
  • slowing down impulsive reactions
  • managing conflict with parents or peers
  • strengthening self-esteem
  • improving communication
  • learning how to ask for support

For teens, DBT skills should be practical, supportive, and developmentally appropriate.

Learn more about our Teen Therapy services.

Amanda Weissmann, ACSW, therapist at Aspire Counseling Group

Amanda Weissmann, ACSW

Amanda works with children, teens, adults, and families navigating anxiety, stress, emotional challenges, communication difficulties, and life transitions. She brings a patient, encouraging, and collaborative style while helping clients strengthen coping skills, emotional regulation, and communication.

Meet Amanda

DBT for Adults

Adults may seek DBT-informed therapy because they feel emotionally exhausted, reactive, shut down, stuck in difficult relationship patterns, or unsure how to manage stress more effectively.

You may know logically that you want to respond differently but find that emotions take over in the moment.

You might shut down, become defensive, overexplain, avoid difficult conversations, people-please, panic, or spiral into self-criticism.

DBT skills can help turn awareness into practice by giving you strategies to pause, regulate emotions, communicate more effectively, and make choices that align more closely with your goals and values.

Learn more about our Individual Therapy services.

Spanish-speaking therapist in Arcadia

Ivana Gomez del Campo, AMFT

Ivana provides therapy in English and Spanish for teens, adults, couples, and families navigating anxiety, emotional overwhelm, relationship patterns, and difficult life experiences. Her warm, patient, and reflective approach helps clients better understand their emotions, communicate more effectively, and build healthier ways of responding to stress and conflict.

Meet Ivana

Is DBT Right for Me?

DBT-informed therapy may be a good fit if you want practical skills for managing emotions, stress, relationships, or difficult moments.

It may be helpful if you:

  • experience emotions very intensely
  • become overwhelmed or shut down easily
  • struggle with anxiety, depression, stress, or trauma-related symptoms
  • have difficulty communicating during conflict
  • react impulsively when distressed
  • feel stuck in shame or self-criticism
  • avoid difficult conversations or emotions
  • struggle with boundaries
  • want practical tools for emotional regulation
  • prefer therapy that combines support with concrete strategies

DBT is not about judging your emotions or telling you to “calm down.”

A thoughtful DBT-informed therapist can help you understand why your emotions and reactions make sense while also helping you develop more effective ways of responding.

Our Personalized Approach to DBT

At Aspire Counseling Group, therapy is never one-size-fits-all.

Our therapists may use DBT skills in a warm, collaborative, and individualized way rather than treating every client with the same set of techniques.

We consider emotions, thoughts, behaviors, physical responses, relationships, stress, past experiences, and the patterns that may be contributing to distress.

Depending on your needs, DBT may be combined with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), EMDR, mindfulness, attachment-based therapy, family systems work, grounding strategies, or other trauma-informed approaches.

Our goal is to help you build practical skills while also developing a deeper understanding of yourself and creating changes that feel realistic and sustainable.

DBT Therapy in Arcadia, CA and Online Across California

Aspire Counseling Group provides DBT-informed therapy in Arcadia, CA for children, teens, adults, couples, and families, with online therapy available throughout California.

Our Arcadia therapy office serves clients from Pasadena, San Marino, Monrovia, Sierra Madre, Temple City, and communities throughout the San Gabriel Valley.

Our therapists provide care in English, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, ASL, and Armenian.

You do not need to know which therapist or therapy approach you need before reaching out. Our care coordinator and clinical director work together to understand what you’re looking for and help match you with a therapist based on your concerns, preferred style and approach, language, schedule, and insurance or payment needs.

Getting Started Is Simple

1. Reach Out

Call, text, or request an appointment online.

2. We Help Match You With a Therapist

Our care coordinator and clinical director work together to understand what you’re looking for and help match you with a therapist based on your concerns, preferred style and approach, language, schedule, and insurance or payment needs.

3. Begin Therapy With Practical Support

Your therapist will work with you to understand your goals, identify emotional and relationship patterns, and develop practical skills for coping with distress, regulating emotions, and communicating more effectively.

Same-week, evening, and weekend appointments are available.

Frequently Asked Questions About DBT

Q: What does DBT stand for?
A: DBT stands for Dialectical Behavior Therapy. It is a therapy approach that teaches practical skills for managing emotions, coping with distress, improving relationships, and practicing mindfulness.

Q: What happens during DBT-informed therapy?
A: Your therapist may help you identify emotional triggers, understand patterns in your reactions, practice coping strategies, and apply DBT skills to real-life situations. Sessions may include both emotional support and practical skill-building.

Q: Is DBT only for borderline personality disorder?
A: No. DBT was originally developed for people experiencing severe emotional and behavioral difficulties, including borderline personality disorder. DBT skills are now also incorporated into therapy for concerns such as emotional dysregulation, anxiety, depression, trauma-related symptoms, ADHD, stress, impulsivity, and relationship difficulties.

Q: What are the four main DBT skills?
A: The four primary DBT skill areas are mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. These skills can help clients become more aware of emotions, cope with difficult moments, communicate more effectively, and respond with greater intention.

Q: Is DBT just coping skills?
A: No. Skills are an important part of DBT, but therapy may also involve understanding emotional and behavioral patterns, identifying triggers, improving relationships, increasing awareness, and practicing different responses in everyday situations.

Q: Can DBT help with emotional regulation?
A: Yes. Emotion regulation is one of the core areas of DBT. Skills can help you better understand emotions, recognize triggers, reduce vulnerability to emotional overwhelm, and practice more balanced ways of responding.

Q: Can DBT help with anxiety and panic?
A: DBT skills may help with anxiety by strengthening mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and the ability to remain present during periods of intense distress. Depending on your needs, your therapist may also incorporate other approaches such as CBT or exposure-based strategies.

Q: Is DBT helpful for teens?
A: DBT skills can be especially useful for teens struggling with intense emotions, anxiety, depression, school stress, family conflict, impulsivity, communication difficulties, or self-esteem concerns. Therapy should be adapted to the teen’s age, needs, and developmental level.

Q: Can DBT be combined with other types of therapy?
A: Yes. DBT skills may be combined with CBT, EMDR, mindfulness, attachment-based therapy, trauma-informed approaches, grounding strategies, and family systems work depending on your individual needs and goals.

Q: Do you offer DBT therapy near Pasadena, San Marino, or Monrovia?
A: Yes. Aspire Counseling Group provides DBT-informed therapy in Arcadia, CA, near Pasadena, San Marino, Monrovia, Sierra Madre, Temple City, and other San Gabriel Valley communities. Online therapy is also available throughout California.

Q: How do I get started with DBT therapy?
A: Call or text (626) 639-8844 or schedule an appointment online. Our care coordinator and clinical director will help match you with a therapist based on your concerns, preferred style and approach, language, schedule, and insurance or payment needs.

Ready to Get Started?

If you feel overwhelmed by emotions, stuck in difficult relationship patterns, or unsure how to manage stress more effectively, DBT-informed therapy can help you build practical skills for coping, communication, and emotional regulation.

Aspire Counseling Group provides DBT-informed therapy in Arcadia, CA and online therapy throughout California.

Call or text (626) 639-8844 or view current availability and schedule an appointment online.

Our care coordinator and clinical director can help connect you with a therapist whose experience, approach, and style fit what you are looking for.

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Ready to get started?
Call us at (626) 639-8844 or book an appointment online. Our care coordinator and clinical director can help match you with a therapist based on your concerns, preferred style and approach, language, schedule, and insurance or payment needs.
Call (626) 639-8844
Text (626) 639-8844
Book Appointment
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