DBT Manhattan
DBT Manhattan
In the fast-paced environment of Manhattan, emotions can often reach their peak and impact both professional and personal environments. It’s crucial to have support that understands and addresses these unique challenges. Whether you’re navigating complex relationships, facing personal trials that seem misunderstood, or simply striving for emotional well-being, you’re not alone on this journey.
At the Counseling Center of New York, our therapists are committed to offering a guiding hand toward achieving emotional stability and inner strength. Our DBT programs in Manhattan are meticulously crafted to support both adults and teens.
By engaging in our DBT Manhattan programs, individuals gain access to a supportive community and expert guidance. Our experienced therapists are trained to tailor the DBT approach to each person’s unique needs.
Embrace the journey towards a more balanced and fulfilling life with the Counseling Center of New York. Let our therapists help you navigate the difficulties of emotions and relationships, empowering you with the skills to thrive in the bustling energy of New York City and beyond.
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Our DBT Therapists in Manhattan
Alexis Santiago-Autar, LCSW
Alexis is the Clinical Director for the Counseling Center Group of New York. She has 15 years of experience providing clinical services to children and families. Alexis’ approach to treatment ...
Tanzina Rahman, LMSW
In her therapy room, Tanzina encourages you to get comfortable with discomfort by building resilience together. She understands that therapy can be both draining and uplifting. It requires you to ...
Lucy Nonas-Barnes, LMSW
Lucy knows that therapy is not one size fits all and is committed to creating a safe environment for her clients to process, accept, and grow. Lucy works with adolescents, ...
Kristina Ward, LMSW
Kristina Ward earned her MSW in Advanced Clinical Practice from Columbia University where she was one of 13 students invited to train intensively at the school’s Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Lab ...
Stephanie DeSantis, LMSW
Stephanie works with adults and adolescents struggling with anxiety, depression, eating disorders, self-esteem, and trauma. Stephanie aims to provide a safe and comfortable space for clients to navigate difficult emotions, ...
Eleanor Cummins,LMSW
Eleanor Cummins is passionate about getting evidence-based psychotherapy to clients in a way that’s timely, identity-affirming, and culturally sensitive. Eleanor works with young adults and adults struggling with anxiety, depression, ...
Joe DeBonis, LMSW
Leah Fishman, Clinical Intern
Leah is finishing her Master’s in social work at Columbia University where she is in the intensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) program. She is receiving intensive training in DBT through ...
Devin Pucci, Clinical Intern
Devin Pucci is a dedicated and compassionate graduate student pursuing a Master of Social Work at Columbia University. She has developed a strong foundation in clinical practice and evidence-based interventions, ...
Neil Marshall, Clinical Intern
Neil Marshall is in his final year at the Columbia School of Social Work and a member of the school’s 2025–2026 DBT Intensive Training Program. His social work experience includes ...
What is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)?
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a comprehensive cognitive-behavioral treatment that was originally developed by psychologist Marsha M. Linehan in the late 1980s. It was initially designed to treat individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and suicidal behaviors, but it has since been adapted and applied to a variety of psychological issues involving emotional dysregulation, including eating disorders, substance use disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), among others.
DBT integrates principles of behavioral psychology, which are the foundation of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), with concepts from Eastern mindfulness practices. This approach works on the foundation that some people are prone to react in a more intense and out-of-the-ordinary way toward certain emotional situations, primarily those found in romantic, family, and friend relationships.
DBT focuses on providing therapeutic skills in four key areas:
- Mindfulness: The practice of being fully aware and present in the moment.
- Distress Tolerance: Increasing tolerance of negative emotion, rather than trying to escape from it.
- Emotion Regulation: Recognizing, labeling, and adjusting emotions.
- Interpersonal Effectiveness: Navigating conflict and interacting assertively.
The therapy is structured around the dialectical philosophy of balancing acceptance and change. Clients are taught to accept themselves as they are while simultaneously working on changing their behavior and thought patterns.
DBT involves individual therapy sessions, group skills training, phone coaching (for crises that occur between sessions), and therapist consultation teams (to support DBT providers). This multifaceted approach ensures that clients receive consistent, reinforcing messages about their ability to change and cope effectively.
DBT Manhattan helps individuals develop the skills to manage stress, control their emotions, reduce self-destructive behaviors, and improve their relationships. It emphasizes the development of personal coping strategies based on cognitive-behavioral techniques and mindfulness practices, fostering a life that feels more manageable and fulfilling.
DBT Elements
DBT Manhattan offers a dynamic alternative to traditional talk therapy, featuring a structured, personalized program designed to meet your specific needs. Here’s an overview of what you can expect from our DBT Manhattan programs:
Weekly Individual Therapy: Engage in one-on-one sessions with our specialized DBT therapists in Manhattan, where you’ll tackle personal hurdles using DBT’s core techniques, enhancing your ability to cope with everyday situations.
DBT Skills Training Group: Participate in weekly group sessions that provide a supportive environment to develop and refine skills in key areas such as mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness, alongside peers facing similar challenges.
Phone Coaching: For assistance between sessions, our Manhattan DBT therapists offer phone coaching, providing immediate support to help you navigate difficult moments, and ensuring you have the tools you need whenever challenges arise.
Therapist Peer Consultation: To maintain the highest standards of care, our DBT therapists in Manhattan engage in regular peer consultation meetings, where they share insights and update their approaches with the latest, most effective DBT strategies.
This comprehensive approach ensures that individuals in Manhattan seeking DBT Therapy receive holistic support, empowering them to achieve emotional balance and improved well-being.
Benefits of DBT Manhattan
DBT Manhattan offers a variety of benefits for individuals struggling with emotional dysregulation, interpersonal difficulties, and various mental health issues.
Here are some of the key benefits of DBT Manhattan:
- Improved Emotional Regulation: DBT teaches skills to help individuals understand, accept, and better manage their emotions, leading to reduced emotional volatility and increased emotional resilience.
- Enhanced Distress Tolerance: Through distress tolerance techniques, clients learn how to cope with and withstand negative emotions without resorting to self-destructive behaviors, thereby improving their ability to handle stress and crises.
- Increased Mindfulness: Mindfulness practices within DBT encourage living in the present moment and developing an awareness of thoughts and feelings without judgment, which can enhance overall mental well-being and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.
- Effective Interpersonal Skills: DBT offers strategies for improving communication, assertiveness, and relationship management, helping individuals to navigate conflicts more effectively and build stronger, healthier relationships.
- Reduction in Self-Destructive Behaviors: DBT is particularly effective in reducing self-harm behaviors, suicidal ideation, and substance abuse by providing alternative coping mechanisms and skills for managing distressing emotions.
- Enhanced Coping Skills: Clients acquire a comprehensive set of coping strategies that can be applied to a wide range of life challenges, promoting greater self-efficacy and problem-solving abilities.
DBT as a whole provides a structured, skill-based approach to therapy that empowers individuals to make significant and lasting changes in their lives, improving their emotional, psychological, and interpersonal functioning.
DBT vs Other Types of Therapy
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) differs from other therapeutic approaches in several key ways, tailored to meet the needs of individuals who struggle with emotional dysregulation and other specific challenges. Here’s how DBT stands apart:
- Focus on Emotional Regulation: DBT uniquely focuses on teaching structured skills for regulating intense emotions, making it especially effective for individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD), suicidal ideation, or self-harming behaviors, unlike other therapies that address emotional regulation more generally.
- Structured Skills Training: DBT distinguishes itself with its unique group skills training component, covering mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness, a feature not as prevalent in other therapies that often prioritize individual sessions without a standardized skills curriculum.
- Balance of Acceptance and Change: DBT’s dialectical component uniquely balances self-acceptance with the pursuit of change, guiding clients to embrace their current state while striving for growth, a harmony less emphasized in other therapeutic methods.
- Validation: DBT therapists actively validate their clients’ feelings and experiences as a way to build trust and encourage openness. While validation is used in various forms of therapy, it is a central component of DBT and is integrated with strategies for change.
- Mindfulness Practices: Inspired by Zen Buddhism, mindfulness is a core component of DBT, teaching clients to live in the present and observe their thoughts and feelings without judgment. While other therapies may incorporate mindfulness, it is foundational in DBT.
- Targeted Approach: DBT was originally developed to treat borderline personality disorder and has since been adapted for other conditions associated with emotional dysregulation. Other therapies, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), have a broader application for a wide range of psychological issues.
- Commitment Strategies: DBT employs specific strategies to increase client commitment to the therapy process and to apply skills outside of sessions. This includes therapist availability for coaching calls between sessions, a feature that is unique compared to the structure of many other therapies.
- Therapist Consultation Teams: DBT includes a component where therapists receive support and consultation from other DBT-trained therapists to ensure they remain effective and adherent to the model. This collaborative approach to therapist support is not a standard practice in all therapy models.
Overall, while there are overlaps with other forms of therapy, DBT’s structured approach, emphasis on skills training, and focus on balancing acceptance with change provide a unique and effective framework for addressing certain mental health challenges.
Booking an Appointment for DBT in Manhattan
If you’re aiming to overcome emotional challenges and improve your overall well-being, our Manhattan team is here to assist you with DBT.
Schedule your session or contact us to start your journey toward emotional healing and wellness with DBT Manhattan.