Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is often used to support individuals struggling with emotional dysregulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal challenges. At MLC, we take a DBT-informed approach while centering an anti-oppressive framework—recognizing that many people labeled as “too emotional” or “impulsive” are often navigating the impact of trauma, systemic oppression, and environments that have failed to meet their needs.
Rather than viewing emotions or behaviors as problems to be “fixed,” we see them as adaptive responses to past experiences and current realities. Many DBT skills were developed in a clinical setting that didn’t fully account for how racism, capitalism, ableism, and other oppressive systems shape distress. We incorporate DBT techniques in a way that acknowledges these systems rather than placing all responsibility on the individual.
Our DBT-informed work includes:
- Mindfulness: Using mindfulness as a tool of awareness and self-compassion, not just as a productivity hack.
- Emotional Regulation: Understanding that emotions are not weaknesses and finding ways to engage with them in ways that feel safe.
- Distress Tolerance & Self-Regulation: Developing skills that don’t minimize emotional experiences but instead honor and navigate them effectively.
- Interpersonal Effectiveness: Learning to set boundaries, communicate needs, and advocate for yourself, particularly in oppressive or invalidating environments.
We hold space for the root causes of distress—whether that be trauma, systemic oppression, or internalized narratives of unworthiness—and work toward healing in a way that honors your lived experience.
