Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

What Is DBT?

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) was originally created to help people who felt deeply emotional and overwhelmed by their feelings and relationships. Over time, it’s become a supportive approach for anyone who feels things strongly — people who care deeply, get hurt easily, or sometimes feel out of control inside.

DBT helps you slow things down, understand what your emotions are trying to tell you, and respond in ways that feel more balanced and kind toward yourself and others.

Whether you tend to spiral after conflict, shut down when you’re hurt, or feel like your emotions take over before you can think, DBT offers practical tools to help you find steadiness, clarity, and self-compassion in the middle of it all.

Why “Dialectical”?

“Dialectical” just means holding two things that seem opposite and letting them both be true.

You can feel hurt and still want connection.
You can accept where you are and want to change.

DBT helps you live in that both/and place— the grey space where growth, compassion, and understanding are possible.

DBT Can Help With...

DBT therapy can be especially helpful if you often feel like your emotions take the wheel or if your relationships feel like they swing between extremes. It’s for people who feel deeply — and want tools to navigate that depth with steadiness and compassion.

It can support you through:

Intense emotions that feel all-consuming — crying out of nowhere, feeling rage that comes on fast, or shutting down when things get hard.
Anxiety and panic — racing thoughts before bed, dread before social situations, or spiraling when plans change.
Depression and emptiness — feeling numb, unmotivated, or disconnected from people you care about.
Relationship stress — fearing rejection, feeling like you’re “too much,” or struggling to say what you need without guilt.
Impulsive reactions — saying or doing things in the heat of emotion that you later regret.
Self-blame and shame — being overly critical of yourself for not being “strong enough.”
Past trauma or invalidation — growing up in environments where your emotions weren’t understood or welcomed.
Feeling “stuck.” — Wanting to change but not knowing where to start.

DBT doesn’t erase your emotions. It helps you understand them, care for them, and respond with intention instead of overwhelm.

What DBT Skills We’ll Focus On

DBT teaches four main sets of skills that we’ll adapt to your life and experiences:

Mindfulness: Learning to notice what’s happening inside and around you — without judgment or pressure to change it.
Distress Tolerance: Finding ways to get through hard moments with a feeling of competence and self-assuredness.
Emotion Regulation: Understanding and caring for your emotions so they feel like signals you can learn from rather than reactions you can't control.
Interpersonal Effectiveness: Building healthy relationships — knowing how to ask for what you need, set limits, and stay connected without losing yourself.

What Sessions Might Look Like

DBT sessions are active, collaborative, and centered on what’s happening in your real life. You can expect to:

Check in about what’s been challenging or painful lately
Practice a new skill — maybe a grounding exercise or distress tolerance tool
Reflect on how you responded in tough moments, and explore what helped (and what didn’t)
Try small, realistic changes between sessions — like pausing before reacting or asking for support differently
Celebrate progress, even when it’s small — because change is built step by step

DBT Therapy in Texas

At Point of Convergence Therapy, our online therapists in Texas are trained in DBT and experienced in helping people who feel “too much” find balance without losing their sensitivity or depth.

You can meet with us virtually from anywhere in Texas — whether you’re in Houston, Austin, or a smaller town in between.

Our work together is about helping you build emotional steadiness, strengthen relationships, and trust that you can handle whatever life brings.

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