ADHD and Impulsivity
DBT can help people with ADHD strengthen emotional regulation, frustration tolerance, follow-through, impulse control, and communication. It can also help reduce shame and self-criticism that may come from years of feeling misunderstood.
Learn more about our ADHD Therapy services.
Relationship Challenges
DBT can help individuals and couples understand patterns in conflict, emotional reactivity, shutdown, people-pleasing, boundary struggles, and communication. Interpersonal effectiveness skills can support healthier conversations, clearer boundaries, and more repair after conflict.
Learn more about our Couples Counseling services.
Stress and Burnout
DBT can help you manage chronic stress, overwhelm, perfectionism, and emotional exhaustion. Therapy may focus on nervous system regulation, boundaries, coping skills, and more sustainable patterns of responding to pressure.
Learn more about our Stress Management Therapy services.
Self-Esteem and Shame
DBT can help you notice self-critical thoughts, reduce shame spirals, and practice more compassionate ways of relating to yourself. Emotional regulation and mindfulness skills can help you respond to difficult feelings without becoming overwhelmed by them.
DBT for Teens
DBT can be especially helpful for teens who experience intense emotions, school stress, anxiety, depression, family conflict, impulsivity, self-esteem struggles, or difficulty communicating what they need.
Teen therapy using DBT skills may include:
Identifying emotions and body cues
Learning calming and grounding strategies
Managing conflict with parents or peers
Building distress tolerance
Reducing impulsive reactions
Strengthening self-esteem
Improving communication
Learning how to ask for support
For teens, DBT should feel practical, supportive, and age-appropriate. It can help teens understand what is happening in their brain and body, while also giving them tools they can use at home, at school, and in relationships.
Learn more about our Teen Therapy services.
DBT for Adults
Adults often come to DBT because they feel emotionally exhausted, reactive, shut down, stuck in relationship patterns, or unsure how to manage stress in a healthier way.
You may know logically that you want to respond differently, but in the moment your nervous system takes over. You may shut down, lash out, overexplain, avoid, people-please, panic, or spiral into self-criticism.
DBT helps turn awareness into practice. It gives you tools to pause, regulate, communicate, and make choices that align more closely with your goals and values.
Is DBT Right for Me?
DBT may be a good fit if you want practical skills for managing emotions, stress, relationships, and difficult moments.
DBT can be helpful if you:
Feel emotions very intensely
Get overwhelmed or shut down easily
Struggle with anxiety, depression, stress, or trauma symptoms
Have difficulty communicating during conflict
React impulsively when distressed
Feel stuck in shame or self-criticism
Avoid difficult conversations or emotions
Want healthier boundaries
Want tools to regulate your nervous system
Want therapy that is both supportive and practical
DBT is not about judging your emotions or telling you to “calm down.” A good DBT therapist helps you understand why your emotions make sense, while also helping you build tools to respond in ways that feel healthier and more effective.
Our Neuroscience-Informed Approach to DBT
At Aspire Counseling Group, DBT is never one-size-fits-all.
Our therapists use DBT in a warm, collaborative, and personalized way. We integrate DBT with a neuroscience-informed understanding of the brain, body, and nervous system, especially when working with anxiety, trauma, depression, ADHD, stress, emotional overwhelm, and relationship challenges.
This means we look at more than symptoms. We help you understand how your nervous system responds to stress, why certain patterns may have developed, and what tools can help you feel more regulated, connected, and empowered.
Depending on your needs, DBT may be combined with other approaches such as CBT, EMDR, mindfulness, attachment-based therapy, family systems therapy, somatic awareness, or trauma-informed care.
Our goal is to help you build practical skills while also developing a deeper understanding of yourself. Therapy can help you feel more grounded, more flexible, and more confident in your ability to respond to life’s challenges.
DBT Therapy in Arcadia, CA and Online in California
Aspire Counseling Group offers DBT therapy in Arcadia, CA for children, teens, adults, couples, and families. We also offer online therapy throughout California.
Our therapists support clients with anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, stress, life transitions, emotional regulation challenges, relationship concerns, and more.
We provide therapy in English, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, ASL, and Armenian.
Getting started is simple. You can call, text, or request an appointment online, and our team will help match you with a therapist who fits your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions About DBT Therapy
Q: What does DBT stand for?
A: DBT stands for Dialectical Behavior Therapy. It is a type of therapy that teaches practical skills for managing emotions, coping with distress, improving relationships, and practicing mindfulness.
Q: What happens during a DBT therapy session?
A: During DBT therapy, your therapist may help you identify emotional triggers, understand your reactions, practice coping skills, and apply DBT tools to real-life situations. Sessions often include both emotional support and practical skill-building.
Q: Is DBT only for borderline personality disorder?
A: No. DBT was originally developed to support people with borderline personality disorder, but DBT skills are now used to help with anxiety, depression, trauma, ADHD, stress, emotional overwhelm, impulsivity, self-esteem, and relationship concerns.
Q: How does DBT connect to the nervous system?
A: DBT helps you recognize when your nervous system is activated and gives you tools to pause, regulate, and respond more effectively. Skills like mindfulness, distress tolerance, and emotion regulation can help you feel more grounded during stress, conflict, anxiety, or emotional overwhelm.
Q: Is DBT just coping skills?
A: No. DBT does teach coping skills, but it is more than a list of techniques. At Aspire Counseling Group, we use DBT as part of a neuroscience-informed approach that considers your emotions, thoughts, body responses, nervous system, relationships, and life experiences.
Q: Can DBT help with emotional regulation?
A: Yes. Emotional regulation is one of the core parts of DBT. DBT can help you understand your emotions, reduce emotional vulnerability, notice triggers, and practice tools that help you respond in a more balanced way.
Q: Can DBT help with anxiety and panic?
A: Yes. DBT can help you manage anxious thoughts, panic, avoidance, and physical symptoms of anxiety. Mindfulness and distress tolerance skills can help you stay more present and grounded when anxiety feels intense.
Q: Is DBT helpful for teens?
A: Yes. DBT can be very helpful for teens, especially when it is adapted to their age and needs. It can support emotional regulation, anxiety, depression, school stress, family conflict, self-esteem, impulsivity, and communication skills.
Q: Can DBT be combined with other types of therapy?
A: Yes. Many therapists combine DBT with other approaches, including CBT, EMDR, mindfulness, attachment-based therapy, trauma-informed therapy, somatic awareness, and family systems work. At Aspire Counseling Group, therapy is personalized based on each client’s needs.
Q: Do you offer DBT therapy near Pasadena, San Marino, or Monrovia?
A: Yes. Aspire Counseling Group offers DBT therapy in Arcadia, CA, near Pasadena, San Marino, Monrovia, and other San Gabriel Valley communities. Online therapy is also available throughout California.
Ready to Get Started?
If you feel overwhelmed by emotions, stuck in relationship patterns, or unsure how to manage stress in a healthier way, DBT therapy can help you build practical tools and feel more grounded.
At Aspire Counseling Group, our compassionate therapists offer DBT therapy in Arcadia, CA and online therapy throughout California.
Call or text (626) 639-8844 or request an appointment online to get started.
