Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) was originally developed for individuals with borderline personality disorder, which is a neurodiverse diagnosis, but over time it has become clear that its tools are widely effective for anyone struggling with intense emotions, stress, or difficulty regulating responses. At its core, DBT emphasizes building practical skills for managing emotions, tolerating distress, and creating healthier relationships. For many people, especially those who feel emotions strongly or find themselves overwhelmed by them, DBT offers a structured way to return to balance.

One of DBT’s most valuable contributions is its focus on emotional regulation skills. Coping skills help individuals better understand what they’re feeling, why they’re feeling it, and how to respond in ways that are aligned with their goals rather than driven by impulse. This use of mindfulness, a cornerstone of DBT, further supports regulation by encouraging individuals to be present with their experience rather than swept away by it.

With DBT we can improve distress tolerance through long-term self-care strategies like sleep, nutrition, and movement, while also giving short-term strategies for distress tolerance, such as grounding techniques, self-soothing, and healthy use of distraction. Over time, this makes emotions feel less like something that “happens to you” and more like signals you can navigate with clarity.

Finally, DBT integrates interpersonal effectiveness, which helps individuals communicate needs, set boundaries, and maintain relationships while staying true to themselves. Since emotions often become most intense in relational contexts, these skills go hand-in-hand with emotional regulation. Integration of these elements of DBT have been vital in my efforts to supporting the neurodivergent community.