Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) in Utah

If your emotions often feel overwhelming or intense and you’ve noticed this affecting your relationships, work or well-being, you’re not alone. Many people experience emotions that feel too big to manage in the moment. However, it is possible to learn new ways to handle strong emotions so they have less hold over your life, and that’s what dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) focuses on. At Salais Counseling, we provide DBT in a nonjudgmental, supportive space, working collaboratively with you at a comfortable speed.

What Is DBT and How Does It Work?

DBT is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that integrates mindfulness and acceptance practices to help with managing overwhelming emotions. It was created to support individuals with borderline personality disorder. Since its creation, this therapeutic approach has been adapted to help with a variety of emotional and behavioral concerns.

In the context of DBT, dialectical means embracing two different ideas at once — accepting your experiences while also working toward meaningful change. This balance is at the center of how DBT approaches healing, and it’s part of what makes the approach feel both validating and practical.

DBT is built around four core skill areas:

• Mindfulness: Staying present and conscious of your feelings and thoughts without judgment
• Distress tolerance: Coping with difficult emotions or situations without turning to harmful behaviors
• Emotion regulation: Understanding and managing intense emotions more effectively
• Interpersonal effectiveness: Conveying your needs clearly and maintaining healthy relationships

Rather than following a rigid program, we’ll tailor DBT to your specific needs and goals. We’ll work with you to determine which skills may be most helpful for your situation, adjusting the focus as you grow more comfortable with each one.

What Can DBT Counseling Help With?

While DBT has traditionally been used to effectively treat borderline personality disorder, it can help with conditions involving overpowering emotions, including:

• Depression: Can help ease persistent sadness and support healthier ways of coping with life’s challenges
• Anxiety: Provides tools for managing excessive worry and its impact on daily life
• Post-traumatic stress disorder: Supports processing traumatic experiences alongside gaining emotional regulation skills
• Substance use disorder: Can help with identifying triggers and developing healthier coping strategies in place of substance use
• Eating disorders: Supports building a healthier relationship with food, body image and emotions

If you’re in crisis or need immediate support, call or text 988.

What Happens During the First DBT Session?

We understand that taking the first step toward healing and growth can be hard. It may feel overwhelming or intimidating to start therapy. We help you ease into the process, supporting you however we can through every step of your journey.

During your first DBT session, we’ll simply focus on getting to know you, including your history, current concerns and goals for therapy. There’s no need to have the right words for what you’re experiencing. We’ll listen, ask thoughtful questions and collaborate on a treatment plan that reflects your needs and the pace that feels comfortable for you.

As you move through therapy, sessions may involve learning and practicing DBT skills by applying them to real situations in your life. For example, you might practice recognizing and jotting down emotional triggers as they come up, try a new coping strategy, or reflect on which skills helped and which ones didn’t. We’ll check in with you on what’s working and what isn’t, adjusting your plan as your needs change, so the process continues to feel supportive and relevant right where you are.

Begin Your DBT Journey With Salais

Building new skills for managing emotions and relationships takes time, and change may feel slow at first. That said, with a therapist’s guidance and support, DBT can help you feel more grounded, connected to others, and in control of your emotions and behaviors.

No matter what you’re going through, whether that means emotional, behavioral or relationship challenges, we’re here for you. We’ll walk you through our options for DBT in Layton, Utah, along with other evidence-based therapeutic approaches, through in-person or telehealth sessions. We also work with many insurance plans to help make care more affordable.

Whenever you feel ready to take the next step, request an appointment online, or call or text us to learn more.