Francina U.
I came to sunview on my own and um glad I came I hot the help that I needed they were very loving and kind to me they lived me when I didn't love my self and I am grateful...
Dialectical Behavior Therapy in West Palm Beach
Skills to sit with discomfort, and the support to use them when life pushes back.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) teaches practical skills for intense emotions, painful moments and hard relationships. At Sunview those skills are part of outpatient treatment for substance use and co-occurring conditions.
What DBT Is
Acceptance and change, at the same time
DBT balances two things that can seem opposite: accepting yourself and your feelings as they are, and working to change what isn’t helping. It does that through skills in four areas. None of them ask you to pretend a feeling isn’t there. They help you respond to it on purpose.
At Sunview, DBT is used within our PHP, IOP and OP programs, not as standalone private therapy. If you’re looking for weekly private therapy only, we’ll point you to the right place.
Mindfulness
Noticing what you’re thinking and feeling right now, without judging it or being swept away by it.
Distress tolerance
Getting through a painful moment without making it worse, including without using.
Emotion regulation
Understanding your emotions, lowering how intense they get, and recovering faster when they spike.
Interpersonal effectiveness
Asking for what you need, setting boundaries and keeping relationships steady, even in conflict.
DBT at Sunview: Skills Plus Insight
DBT is one of the shared approaches our clinical team works from, together with IFS, CBT and trauma-informed care. Our Clinical Director, Dana Martin, is known for integrating DBT-based approaches into her clinical work, and several of our therapists have a strong foundation in DBT.
DBT skills are integrated into groups and individual sessions, not offered as a separate DBT program. We teach the skills, and we also look at why certain emotions hit so hard in the first place. Skills without that insight are harder to use when it counts.
In your weekly individual session, your therapist helps you apply the skills to your own week: the argument, the craving after work, the phone call you’ve been dreading.
“We do not believe a person can authentically engage in those interventions without going deeper first to see where these triggers and thoughts even began and came up for them.”
DBT for Personality Disorders and Emotional Dysregulation
Personality disorders are among the conditions we see most often alongside substance use. DBT skills help with the intense emotions, impulsive reactions and relationship strain that often come with them, while the rest of your treatment looks at what’s underneath. We don’t see anyone as too much or beyond help: people are shaped by their experiences, and they can learn to respond differently. It’s part of our dual diagnosis treatment.
DBT Skills in Group Programming
DBT skills show up throughout our group programming, led by the same facilitator for the whole session. Every other Thursday, groups are gender-specific, which can make it easier to practice skills around relationships and boundaries. Group topics include:
- Emotional regulation
- Boundaries
- Coping skills (CBT and DBT)
- Family dynamics
- Goal setting
- Life skills
Practicing a skill with other people, then trying it at home that evening, is what makes it usable. You bring back what happened, and the group helps you adjust.
Group therapy at SunviewTolerating Discomfort Without Using
Early in recovery, strong feelings can seem like they’ll never pass, and using can feel like the only way through. As treatment goes on, people often find they can sit with emotions that once felt overwhelming. Recovery isn’t about never feeling stress or triggers again. It’s about having the skills and support to move through them differently.
DBT gives you concrete things to do in that window: notice the urge, name the emotion, use a distress tolerance skill, reach out to someone. If a hard moment turns into a slip, we look at it together, without shame, and figure out what you need next time.
It startsIt peaksIt passes
What People Say About Sunview Wellness
Isaiah A.
Sun view wellness is amazing place supportive come here to get the best care they take care of all your fears and worries.
Angel V.
Very helpful and attentive people who care to see you get better through your rough time in life.
Stacey P.
If you are struggling with addiction, this is the place that will make you feel like home. The therapist are amazing in their own unique ways. Group sessions become your best friends in the circle. They are welcoming to any type of addiction, they are loving, and strong therapists.
Henry E.
It was the most rewarding experience I've had in such a long moment of time! The knowledge and expertise of the staff was immeasurable, of high quality and refreshing! A special shout out to Jillian my therapist, Carissa and Frank! This by no means is meant or intended to take from the excellent job done by each individual employee and Sunview. I'm not the type that would just throw around gratitude lightly! Last but not least, I want to give a shout out to all my peers and all participants of Sunview, for their unselfish willingness to surrender and assist the healing and recovery of others! God bless you! Love, Henry Edwards and Tiffany Cunningham!
Julie V.
Sunview Wellness was the icing on the cake in my mental health journey and recovery and it honestly changed my life for the better..This program was outstanding in the approach they implement to help all of their clients. The important thing is you have to really want the help and do the work to get where you want and need to be. I believe participation in the group therapy is essential even though it may not be easy at first. Every single person that works at Sunview Wellness is caring and really wants everyone to get well. Laura Contreras was my therapist and she is one of the most caring empathetic individuals I have ever come across. She was truly the right therapist for me. Mia stood out to me ( even though everyone was good) as an excellent group facilitator . Karissa Delaney the office manager was always a welcoming face in the morning. She was always willing to help out with any concerns or questions that I had. I was actually sad when my time came to leave Sunview even though I was ready. I made many friends and enjoyed the interaction with other people that GOT IT with NO JUDGEMENT! And Finally thank you Frank for overseeing and having such a wonderful place for people to come and heal. I’m forever greatful. 😊💕
No. DBT skills help anyone who struggles with intense emotions, impulsive reactions or relationships, including many people in addiction treatment. It’s also central to how we work with personality disorders.
No. DBT is integrated into our PHP, IOP and OP programs, in group skills work and in individual sessions. We don’t run a standalone DBT program.
Skills in four areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness, practiced in group and applied to your own life in individual sessions.
CBT works on changing thoughts and behaviors. DBT adds skills for accepting and surviving intense emotions without acting on them. We use both. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Yes, when it fits. Your primary therapist may use DBT-based approaches in your weekly session to help you apply the skills to what’s happening in your life.
Your Community. Your Recovery.
A true outpatient model for real life. Call or send a message: we listen first, check your insurance for free, and help you work out the right level of care. Free door-to-door transportation is included.