Dialectical Behavior Therapy in Long Island & New York

DBT for addiction combines weekly individual therapy (50 minutes), weekly skills group (2 hours), and phone coaching between sessions. The four core skill modules — mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness — are taught over 6 months. DBT was originally developed for borderline personality disorder but is highly effective for addiction, especially when emotional dysregulation drives substance use. Long Island DBT programs teach you to tolerate painful emotions without turning to drugs or alcohol, manage intense cravings, and build healthier relationships.

DBT is particularly effective for individuals with dual-diagnosis conditions, trauma histories, self-harm behaviors, or chronic suicidal ideation alongside addiction. The distress tolerance module teaches crisis survival skills like TIPP (Temperature, Intense exercise, Paced breathing, Paired muscle relaxation) that provide immediate alternatives to substance use during emotional crises.