What are the four DBT skill areas?

Mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Together they cover noticing what is happening, getting through hard moments, working with emotions, and communicating needs.

Is DBT-informed counseling the same as a DBT skills group?

Not necessarily. DBT-informed individual counseling draws on selected skills in one-to-one sessions. A DBT skills group is a separate format, and comprehensive DBT combines several modes of treatment. Ask the provider what is included.

Can DBT skills be used alongside substance use counseling?

A counselor may work on skills such as noticing triggers, tolerating distress, or communicating needs in the context of recovery goals. Whether the approach fits depends on the person and the services offered. No single skill set guarantees an outcome.

Does this page describe a comprehensive DBT program at Radiant?

No. It describes DBT-informed skills used within counseling. Contact Radiant to ask which formats are currently offered and whether they match what you are looking for.

DBT Skills for Substance Use Recovery

How DBT skills fit into recovery counseling

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a behavioral approach built around practical skills for everyday life. In recovery counseling, a counselor may teach or practice selected DBT skills as part of individual sessions, depending on a person's goals. That is what DBT-informed means. It does not mean every session follows a full DBT program.

DBT skills are one possible part of care. They do not replace a medical assessment, or medication when that is relevant. NIDA explains that behavioral therapies help people handle stressful situations and triggers, and that for some conditions they are combined with medication.

The four DBT skill areas in everyday language

DBT skills are commonly organized into four areas, as described by the Linehan Institute.

Mindfulness means noticing the present moment, including thoughts, feelings, or urges, before reacting automatically.

Distress tolerance focuses on getting through a painful or high-stress moment without making it worse.

Emotion regulation is about understanding emotions and choosing how to respond to them.

Interpersonal effectiveness involves asking for what you need, setting limits, and communicating in a way that respects both you and the other person.

What this can look like around urges and stress

Someone might explore what tends to happen before an urge to use, pause to notice what they are feeling, and choose a next step that matches their goals. This is a general illustration, not a prescribed exercise or a promise of a particular result.

In sessions, the four areas often turn into practical questions. What situations or feelings make this moment harder? What could help me ride out the next few minutes? What do I want to say to the person supporting me? A counselor can help you decide which skills are relevant and adapt them to your circumstances. For more on using them in the moment, read how DBT skills can support recovery during difficult moments.

DBT-informed counseling versus comprehensive DBT

Comprehensive DBT is a structured treatment model. According to Behavioral Tech, standard outpatient DBT includes individual psychotherapy, skills training, between-session phone coaching, and a consultation team for therapists. A counselor who uses DBT skills in individual sessions may not provide each of those parts.

Neither format is better for everyone. If you are comparing options, ask which skills are taught, whether sessions are individual or group, what happens between sessions, and whether a more structured program would be a better match.

DBT-informed counseling with Laura Carlisle, LADC

Laura Carlisle is a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor at Radiant Recovery and Counseling Services who works with clients across Minnesota by telehealth. Her profile says she uses DBT frequently to build emotional regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal skills. Read Laura's profile and ask what DBT-informed work looks like in her sessions.

Radiant also has a general page on DBT skills counseling. If substance use overlaps with anxiety, depression, or trauma for you, see counseling for co-occurring concerns.

If you need help right now

If you or someone else is in immediate danger or having a medical emergency, call 911. If you are in emotional distress or thinking about suicide, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Radiant Recovery and Counseling Services provides outpatient care and is not a crisis service.

Related pages at Radiant Recovery

DBT skills counseling at Radiant

DBT and emotional regulation

Distress tolerance

Mindfulness

Counseling for co-occurring substance use and mental health concerns

Substance use counseling in Minnesota

Laura Carlisle, LADC

Talk with Radiant

Contact Radiant Recovery and Counseling Services to ask whether DBT-informed counseling with Laura Carlisle, LADC, may fit your recovery goals.

Call (612) 429-1662 or request an appointment online. Please keep first messages brief and save health details for a call or session.

This page offers general information. It is not medical advice and does not replace care from a licensed professional. Reading it does not create a counselor-client relationship.

DBT-Informed Counseling Skills for Recovery in Minnesota