Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a form of therapy that was initially created to treat individuals suffering from a borderline personality disorder. Today, DBT is used more widely as part of the treatment plan for many people struggling with behavior or emotions that they can’t control, including problems with self-harm, eating disorders and substance abuse. DBT combines Eastern and Western methods and focuses on teaching individuals mindfulness, social effectiveness, emotion regulation and distress tolerance.

Local experts in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

BriAnne Schults (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LSWAIC

With DBT, I focus on empowering clients to manage intense emotions and improve interpersonal relationships. I teach skills like distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and mindful communication. Through practice and reinforcement, clients build resilience and learn adaptive ways to cope with life's challenges.

View Profile
Katelyn Bessette (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC, CADCIII, CST

I am formally trained in DBT and worked in a DBT intensive program.

View Profile
Katherine Chiba, LCSW

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

I have been a DBT therapist for over 15 years. The approach informs all of my work with clients and I integrate skills training into both individual and couples therapy.

View Profile
Cory Anton

Licensed Professional Counselor

Dialectical Behavior Therapy can be very effective at helping you manage overwhelming feelings, irritability, depression and anxiety. If you are struggling with chronic suicidal ideation or self-harm behavior, I can help you learn the DBT skills to weather these emotional storms safely.

View Profile
Matt Newey (he/him)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MA, LPC

Trained in the theory, interventions and skills of DBT through nearly 20 hours of continuing education.

View Profile
Laken Nelson (She/her)

Professional Counselor Associate

MA

View Profile
Emily Padilla

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a structured program of psychotherapy with a strong educational component designed to provide skills for managing intense emotions and negotiating social relationships. Originally developed to curb the self-destructive impulses of chronic suicidal patients, it is also the treatment of choice for borderline personality disorder, emotion dysregulation, and a growing array of psychiatric conditions. Emily has been trained and is certified in DBT Therapy.

View Profile
Cary (Lazara) Coll

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Dialectical Behavior Therapy provides tools that support emotional regulation. For the past 8 years I have facilitated both group and individual therapy utilizing DBT. I will support your journey towards emotional freedom.

View Profile
Autumn Counseling Services LLC

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

We utilize DBT coping skills for interpersonal relationships, mindfulness, distress tolerance, and emotional regulation. Client's have an option of using worksheets for these skills if they would like, but this is not a requirement.

View Profile
Jana Corbett, Ph.D. (she/ her)

Clinical Psychologist

PhD, CADC-I

I was trained in DBT through the Comprehensive Implementation & Training Initiative and have since received further in depth training in DBT through the DBT Institute. I have worked as a full fidelity DBT therapist for the past two years and continue to be amazed at the effectiveness of DBT. I use DBT skills in my personal life All. The. Time.

View Profile
Dr. David Ixtlahuac (he/him/his)

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

LMFT

View Profile
Leif Moa-Anderson (He/him)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC, LMHC

DBT was born out of CBT and mindfulness, both of which I have studied separately. Getting certified in DBT, thus, seemed natural. I don't do the strict protocols of DBT, which is a group therapy, but I use a lot of the principles frequently.

View Profile
THRIVE Clinic

Clinical Psychologist

While we do not offer full-fidelity DBT through the THRIVE clinic, all of our providers are comprehensively trained and concurrently practicing in DBT with our sister clinic, the nationally-renowned Portland DBT institute. This means that intervention offered at THRIVE are augmented by a deep toolbox of DBT skills and are guided by dialectical thinking.

View Profile
Liz Ward (they/them)

Licensed Marriage Family Therapist

LMFT

I am DBT Trained and integrate aspects of DBT into therapy as appropriate. I find DBT helpful in navigating challenges with emotional distress, emotional dysregulation, interpersonal challenges, and foundational skills that can help create a baseline to engage in life from.

View Profile
Amanda Roberson (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

DBT nicely expands perspective by providing alternate scenarios through use of dialectics and accompanying skills. Created by Marsha Linehan, this modality offers several coping skills to use in extremely emotional moments. The coping skills fall into the following categories: interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and mindfulness.

View Profile
Alyssa Moore (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC

DBT is an evidence-based practice that teaches people a set of skills to help them handle difficult situations, create stronger relationships, get their needs met effectively, and balance reason and emotion. I have been trained in DBT and utilize it often with people who have difficulty managing their emotions, struggle with interpersonal relationships, or engage in self harm or substance abuse.

View Profile
Laura Patiño (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MA, NCC

View Profile
Kara Kazemba (she/her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

View Profile
Ryn Rising (They/Them)

Professional Counselor Associate

View Profile
Preston Turner (he/him)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MA, LPC

View Profile
Kate Keating (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MA, LPC

Because I am interested in self-harm, suicidal ideation, and anxiety as presented in pre-teens and teens, DBT is especially relevant for my practice. I have read various DBT manuals and have attended advanced training at the Portland DBT institute.

View Profile
Sophie Toolanen (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MA, LPC

I have been learning , teaching, and applying DBT strategies for over a decade. DBT is particularly effective in treating personality disorders, addiction, self-harm, and mood dysregulation.

View Profile
Elena Logvinenko (she/her)

Psychiatrist

MD

While I don't offer standard DBT in my private practice (since it requires a treatment team and group therapy), DBT heavily influences my therapeutic approach, and I love working with folks who have completed a formal DBT program once they have built up their skills are ready to safely "step down" to a less intensive format (something along the lines of a weekly individual exploratory therapy).

View Profile
Amelia Mackle MSEd LPC RYT

Licensed Professional Counselor

I have been integrating the coping skills from Dialectical Behavioral Therapy into practice with all my clients for many years. DBT skills are excellent life skills and can lead us to a more fulfilling life, no matter what life challenges we face.

View Profile
Justin Bush, PhD (He/Him)

Clinical Psychologist

PhD

View Profile
Claire Tam (they/them)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MA, LPC

DBT revolves around the philosophy of balancing opposites- how to find ways to hold two seemingly conflicting perspectives at once. Within the DBT framework, we work towards acceptance and change by integrating the use of mindfulness techniques with emotion regulation and communication skills.

View Profile
Joy Oelfke (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a skills-based approach that teaches four different sets of skills. The core DBT skills are Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotional Regulation and Interpersonal Effectiveness. I offer DBT skills support in group settings or individual DBT skills planning sessions (5-10 sessions) to manage a specific target behavior or symptom. Clients are usually established with a primary therapist while participating in either DBT group or DBT skills planning.

View Profile
Kimberly Zeszutek, LPC (She/Her/Hers)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC

I have been trained and supervised by programs specializing in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Within sessions, we discuss mindfulness and skill building to identify and understand emotions, tolerate stress and difficult social interactions. It is my belief that by actively applying DBT strategies, individuals become empowered, and thus more able to create an atmosphere promoting the achievement of personal goals.

View Profile
Alisha Phillips (She/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC

I was trained to use the DBT program to work with clients with a range of presenting issues, such as borderline personality disorder, bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety. In my practice I will use DBT skills and worksheets with clients when useful and appropriate.

View Profile
Arielle Ross (they/them)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MA, MPH, LPC

I use DBT skills to teach coping and emotion regulation, mindfulness, & interpersonal effectiveness skills. I've run several DBT skills groups and I love helping people understand what mindfulness is, and how they can use it to slow down when they're in a lot of distress.

View Profile
Heather Asaadi (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is a combination of mindfulness, CBT, and acknowledging that multiple truths exist at the same time (dialectics). DBT teaches skills focused on being mindful, understanding and regulating your emotions, tolerating distress more skillfully, and increasing effectiveness in interpersonal interactions/relationships. DBT informs my approach and I like to utilize concepts and skills from it with clients, but I am not practicing it to it's full fidelity in sessions.

View Profile
Benné Gulick (he/she/they/all)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MA

View Profile
Zara Roth (she/her)

Professional Counselor

M.A., QMHP, CADC, Registered Associate

View Profile
Emily Radcliffe (She/Her)

Marriage and Family Therapist

MA, MCFT Associate

I'm currently working on becoming fully certified as a DBT therapist, but in the meantime I tend to use a lot of DBT skills and tools in my practice. I've had success in implementing DBT to help folx with emotion regulation, developing self compassion, improving relationships and navigating conflict. DBT can be a valuable framework whether it's used in a structured curriculum format or intermixed with other modalities in a more fluid way.

View Profile
Brandon Huffman (he/him)

Professional Counselor Associate

NCC, CADC-I

I have training in DBT which brings an essential component to trauma therapy with emotion regulation and distress tolerance skills.

View Profile
Haleigh Yurecko (she/her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

LCSW, MSW

I utilize DBT coping skills for interpersonal relationships, distress tolerance, and emotional regulation. Client's have an option of using worksheets for these skills if they would like.

View Profile
Isabel McCune (she/her)

Professional Counselor Associate

MA, MPH, NCC

View Profile
Zach Edmund, LPC (He/Him)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MS, LPC

DBT can be great skills for both kids and adults to learn for emotional regulation.

View Profile
Jessica Besner (she/they)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC, M.S.

Was a focus throughout my early training, co-facilitated several DBT skills groups for adolescents, adults and college students. Continue to integrate DBT skills into sessions. Completed training while living in Vermont.

View Profile
Jacob Curtis (he/him)

Licensed Professional Counselor

MA CADCI NCC LPC

I have had training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and have engaged in this therapy practice for a number of years. This therapy approach helps people more effectively manage their emotions while enhancing their interpersonal skills. A core principle of this approach is building mindfulness skills.

View Profile
Chris Gorski (He/him)

Professional Counselor Associate

B.S.,M.A., PCA, Y.T., M.T.

I was trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy at the DBT Clinic in Portland by Larry Smith the owner. I have used DBT for years as one of my primary modalities in my work with my clients.

View Profile
Melissa Owens LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC, LMHC

I am trained and experienced in traditional DBT therapy, which I have taught to large groups of residents in treatment and also used extensively in individual therapy to work on addictions, emotional reactivity, relationship problems and compulsive behaviors.

View Profile
jessamyn wesley (she/her)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC

View Profile
Karen Maloney, MA, LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor

I have received an intensive 2 year training in DBT and have led a DBT group. This orientation is incorporated into each session.

View Profile
Wes Harris (he, his, him)

Licensed Professional Counselor

LPC, CADC I

View Profile
James Whalen (He/Him)

Licensed Professional Counselor

C8765

I do not provide the full course of DBT. It's a therapy with a high degree of commitment required from both parties, and therefore would not be appropriate for once-weekly telehealth services. However, there are many skills and concepts in DBT that are broadly applicable, and I bring in these elements when it feels like they would be helpful on an individual basis. These include mindfulness skills, distress tolerance skills, and dialectical concepts.

View Profile
Sarah King (she/her)

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

CCSOT

I have been trained in DBT skill building through the Portland DBT Institute. I utilize this modality throughout my practice with all types of clients, as I find it a very practical tool for living a healthy life.

View Profile
Brian Pollock (he/him)

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

DNP, PMHNP-BC

I received specialized training through Behavioral Tech. I have led DBT groups for many years, and previously I helped develop and launch a DBT program for college students. I have worked as a part of a larger DBT program and have experience with DBT skills training and Consultation Teams.

View Profile