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1,148 people sought dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) help at Austin in the last year

Discover how starting dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) therapy can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.

Start DBT with a licensed therapist as soon as this week

6  therapists available in Austin

Sue Wendelin is a Licensed Family and Marriage Therapist (LMFT) who has over 36 years of professional experience working with chil...

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Welcome, I'm glad you're here! I offer a supportive, nonjudgmental space where we can work together to understand what you're goin...

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I am a firm believer in everybody’s potential to achieve well-being. My approach to therapy is based on principles of positive psy...

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As a therapist, I view the journey like this: "It is to look pain in the eye and imply 'this is not too much for me. I can sit in ...

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Erin Schovanec is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), dance/movement therapist, and certified Yoga Therapist who has 16 years...

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I have worked in the mental health field for over 25 years and I love providing quality, evidence-based care in a variety of outpa...

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Look for a confirmation email in your inbox shortly. We'll help find you a provider and guide you through everything you should know about starting care at Thriveworks.

Hear from our clinicians

What is your go-to approach for dialectical behavior therapy?

Sue: One of the main approaches for DBT is individual therapy, with and emphasis on working on skills.

Abraham Abe: My main approach to DBT often doesn't name DBT, so much as use its principles in conversation with clients' concerns. I start by addressing the values they hold strongly, then advocate for others they're trying to rely on more, emphasizing that they are not mutually exclusive and they do not need to only choose one.

What tools do you teach in dialectical behavior therapy?

Sue: Group therapy is a powerful tool if it's available. Also, working on mindfulness.

Abraham Abe: I find I incorporate the concept of balance and opposing values the most in DBT: “wants” vs. “shoulds,” with both having value, is the most common. I start with the values they hold more strongly, then advocate for the other ones they're trying to rely on more, emphasizing that they are not mutually exclusive and they do not need to only choose one.

How do you know when a client is making meaningful progress in dialectical behavior therapy?

Sue: Meaningful progress in DBT occurs when you can see that clients are not just venting week after week and doing homework.

Abraham Abe: I can see someone making progress in DBT when they're able to say in practice that they have been incorporating their other value(s) and tools into their daily life (i.e. making room for rest or relationships and interests in a work-oriented person, or committing to “to-do's” & identifying strongly with them in a more work-avoidant person).

What can clients do in their personal time to supplement dialectical behavior therapy?

Sue: Clients can practice mindfulness skills and read related material.

Abraham Abe: I recommend that clients revisit the “shoulds” vs. “wants” concepts on a regular basis, seeing where they could apply to their priorities at the time.

What should someone do to prepare for starting dialectical behavior therapy?

Sue: Like any therapy, clients should review if this is an approach they are willing to do and know it will be challenging.

Abraham Abe: To prepare for DBT, a client can think consciously about their current values and whether there are benefits to the other values that they may be missing out on. Focus on what a “best-of-both-worlds” life might look like for them, as opposed to one extreme or the other.

Starting Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) in Austin

What is dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)?

At Thriveworks, Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) primarily concentrates on assisting individuals in emotion regulation, enhancing interpersonal relationships, and acquiring effective coping strategies for managing stress and emotional difficulties.

How does DBT work?

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) targets your personal challenges. You may work with your DBT therapist to maintain diary cards to monitor progress, emphasizing validation and support in the therapeutic relationship. DBT follows a stage-based approach, prioritizing crisis reduction initially and life satisfaction.

What is DBT best used for?

DBT was initially developed to address the needs of individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, its versatile approach has enabled its application to a wide range of mental health conditions, including but not limited to, anxiety, depression, stress, and anger issues.

What are the 4 pillars of DBT?

The 4 pillars of DBT are mindfulness, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance.

Is DBT better than EMDR?

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) have distinct purposes and aren’t inherently superior or inferior to one another. DBT is most effective for managing emotional regulation, personality disorders, and interpersonal challenges, while EMDR is specifically tailored for individuals with trauma-related conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Is DBT conducted in person or online?

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) with therapists at Thriveworks in Austin, TX is conducted both in person and online by video. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you.

How many months is DBT?

The duration of a standard DBT program is typically around 24 weeks, which is roughly six months. The actual number of sessions will vary depending on the issues you wish to address.

Pricing & insurance

Our therapists accept most major insurances. We accept 360+ insurance plans, and offer self-pay options, too.
Learn more about pricing for therapy and counseling services at Thriveworks.

Our therapists and counselors in Austin accept 52 insurance plans

  • Adventist Health Associates | Employee Health Plan

  • Adventist Health Associates | Non-Employee Health Plan

  • Aetna

  • Aetna Medicare Advantage

  • Ambetter by Superior Health Plan

  • Auto Club Enterprises (Employers Health Network)

  • Baylor Scott and White Health Plan

  • Baylor Scott and White Health Plan Medicare Advantage

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas HMO

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas PPO

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield | Anthem (Blue Card)

  • Buist Byars and Taylor (Employers Health Network)

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Self-pay costs at Austin
Talk therapy

Talk therapy

Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Talk therapy

Psychiatry

Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Hear from our clients

4.9 Learn about verified reviews
★★★★★
I've loved how extremely useful everything is.
Samantha Jul 2025
Thriveworks.com verified review
★★★★★
She's very easy to talk to and very attentive I was always skeptical about unloading my though but she has made that easy for me and when I'm done I feel a large weight off my chest and a lot more clear headed
Corey Jun 2025
Thriveworks.com verified review
★★★★
I appreciate the effort my provider displays to best understand her client/ me the most. It's very validating and reassuring that what I say and how I feel matters.
Brooke Jun 2025
Thriveworks.com verified review
★★★★★
ERIN Is very insightful and amazingly alert listener she responds very clearly and precisely to my concerns. She helps me to clarify within myself in my own thoughts and emotions. I appreciate Erin and Thriveworks very much.
Dolores Jun 2025
Thriveworks.com verified review
★★★★★
Therapy has never helped me until I found Simone! I've truly never felt more listened to, understood and I'm actually getting better now!
Tristen Jun 2025
Thriveworks.com verified review
★★★★★
My therapist is sincere and helpful she validates my feelings and makes me feel heard , she understands my struggles and helps me with the tools she has in the best way possible she is literally such a hero and has made myself feel more at peace and comfort in helping my anger and anxiety
Read more My therapist is sincere and helpful she validates my feelings and makes me feel heard , she understands my struggles and helps me with the tools she has in the best way possible she is literally such a hero and has made myself feel more at peace and comfort in helping my anger and anxiety
Savannah Jun 2025
Thriveworks.com verified review
★★★★★
Loving the tools, they are very helpful.
Genevieve Jun 2025
Thriveworks.com verified review
★★★★
Cassandra- my provider, is amazing. She doesn't give me any answers, she just helps me process through them and helps me come up with the answers I need. She truly is an amazing provider and she makes a point to reflect on what she heard, give a little bit of feedback, then ask how the client feels about it.
Read more Cassandra- my provider, is amazing. She doesn't give me any answers, she just helps me process through them and helps me come up with the answers I need. She truly is an amazing provider and she makes a point to reflect on what she heard, give a little bit of feedback, then ask how the client feels about it.
Ava Jun 2025
Thriveworks.com verified review

Where to find us

Getting here

Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Austin is located on Crown Colony Dr, off of Monarch Hwy. We share a building with Onion Creek Homeowners Association and other businesses. Sullivan Park is nearby.

Phone number

(512) 601-5856

Languages spoken by TX providers

  • Italian
  • Portuguese
  • English
  • Spanish
Wednesday 8:00am - 9:30pm
Thursday 8:00am - 9:30pm
Friday 8:00am - 9:30pm
Saturday 8:00am - 9:30pm
Sunday 8:00am - 9:30pm
Monday 8:00am - 9:30pm
Tuesday 8:00am - 9:30pm

Shown in CT

Wednesday 8:00am - 9:30pm
Thursday 8:00am - 9:30pm
Friday 8:00am - 9:30pm
Saturday 8:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 6:00pm
Monday 8:00am - 9:30pm
Tuesday 8:00am - 9:30pm

Shown in CT

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