DBT-Informed Therapy for Children, Teens, and Young Adults in Portland, OR

What Is DBT-Informed Therapy?

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based treatment that helps people build skills for managing intense emotions, improving relationships, tolerating distress, and staying present in the moment. Please note, I do not offer full-fidelity DBT. While full-fidelity DBT is a comprehensive treatment program that typically includes individual therapy, skills groups, phone coaching, and consultation teams, many children, teens, and young adults benefit from learning DBT skills without needing the full DBT model.

In my practice, I provide DBT-informed therapy, which means I incorporate evidence-based DBT skills and strategies into treatment while tailoring them to each client's needs, goals, and developmental level. DBT-informed therapy can be particularly helpful for young people who experience intense emotions, impulsive behaviors, self-harm urges, conflict in relationships, or difficulty coping with stress.

The core DBT skills are Mindfulness, Emotion Regulation, Distress Tolerance, Interpersonal Effectiveness, and “Walking the Middle Path,” which involves learning how to balance different points of views.

What Difficulties Can DBT-Informed Therapy Help With?

As a child psychologist, teen therapist, and young adult therapist in Portland, Oregon, I use DBT-informed strategies to support children, teens, and young adults experiencing difficulties such as emotional regulation difficulties, self-harm urges or behaviors, suicidal thoughts, depression, anger and irritability, impulsivity, family conflict, relationship difficulties, and chronic feelings of overwhelm or emotional intensity.

DBT-informed therapy is often especially helpful for young people who recognize that their emotions feel much bigger, faster, or harder to manage than they would like.

What to Expect During Therapy

Therapy begins with a comprehensive assessment to understand your child's strengths, challenges, goals, and current concerns.

Treatment may focus on: building emotional awareness, developing coping skills, managing self-harm urges safely, improving communication and relationships, reducing impulsive reactions, managing anxiety and stress, increasing self-compassion, strengthening resilience, and building confidence in handling difficult situations.

When working with children and adolescents, I adapt DBT concepts into developmentally appropriate activities, discussions, games, and exercises. Parents and caregivers are often included to help reinforce skills and support progress outside of sessions.

Important Note About My Practice

While I incorporate DBT skills and interventions into therapy, I do not provide a comprehensive or full-fidelity DBT program. If a client requires the full DBT model, including skills groups, phone coaching, and intensive DBT services, I may recommend a specialty DBT program or coordinate care with other providers. Locally, I recommend Portland DBT Institute, which has programs for teens and adults.