One-on-one support that empowers lasting recovery from addiction—built around your unique journey
Discover a Healthier Path Through DBT for Substance Abuse
- DBT helps people in recovery balance acceptance and change — learning to face emotions skillfully while moving toward lasting change.
- When adapted for substance use (often called DBT-SUD), DBT often includes relapse prevention, craving management, and environmental strategies.
- Research and clinical reviews suggest that DBT can reduce substance use episodes, strengthen emotional regulation, and improve retention in therapy.
- DBT’s structure of combining individual sessions, skills training groups, coaching, and a clear skills framework gives clients real tools to handle cravings, distress, and interpersonal conflict.
- DBT works best when it’s tailored to the individual, integrated with other supports (e.g. medical, psychiatric), and delivered by trained therapists in a supportive environment.
A New Path to Healing
What Is DBT for Substance Abuse?
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a form of psychotherapy (talk therapy) designed to help people better understand and manage their emotions, behaviors, and relationships.[1] Originally developed for treating borderline personality disorder (BPD), it’s now proven to be an incredibly effective treatment for those recovering from addiction and co-occurring issues like anxiety, depression, and trauma.[2]
At Marietta Springs, DBT isn’t just a therapy — it’s a supportive process designed to help you feel grounded, capable, and genuinely in control of your recovery. DBT blends practical, cognitive-behavioral tools with mindfulness — helping you accept yourself as you are while still working toward meaningful change. For those facing substance use challenges, that balance is powerful. It helps reduce cravings, improve emotional balance, and build resilience when life gets hard.
At Marietta Springs, individual therapy is grounded in compassion and collaboration. Our therapists blend mental health treatment with addiction recovery, helping you uncover the underlying issues driving substance use and build the tools needed for long-term healing and personal growth.
How DBT Works—and Why It’s So Effective
Healing from addiction or mental health challenges requires learning new ways to understand yourself and respond to life’s challenges. That’s where Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) comes in. DBT is a practical, empowering approach that helps quiet the chaos and build a more grounded, fulfilling life.
The Core Process
- Mindfulness: Staying present and aware of your thoughts and actions instead of reacting on autopilot.
- Emotion Regulation: Understanding and managing intense feelings so they don’t take control.
- Distress Tolerance: Learning how to handle tough moments without resorting to harmful behaviors.
- Interpersonal Effectiveness: Communicating clearly, setting boundaries, and nurturing healthy relationships.
Why It Works
Many people use substances to escape pain or negative emotions. DBT bridges the gap between trigger and response, giving you space to make different choices in the moment.
DBT is especially effective for:
- Dual diagnosis recovery: Treating both addiction and co-occurring mental health conditions simultaneously.
- Emotional dysregulation: Helping you handle stress, anger, or sadness without turning to substances.
- Relapse prevention: Teaching practical, real-world coping strategies for high-risk situations.
At Marietta Springs, we tailor DBT to each client’s unique needs to help you replace self-destruction with self-awareness and shame with self-respect.
The Research Behind DBT’s Success
Over the years, research has shown that Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) can be a powerful tool for people in addiction recovery, especially when there are co-occurring mental health challenges involved. When adapted for substance use treatment (sometimes called DBT-SUD), studies have found that DBT can help people:
- Reduce the frequency and intensity of substance use episodes
- Improve emotional balance and self-control
- Stay engaged in treatment longer, which often leads to better recovery outcomes[3]
What makes DBT an effective treatment is its structure. It gives you the skills to manage emotions, build resilience, and stay connected to your recovery long after treatment ends. It’s not a quick fix, but for many, it’s a life-changing process that helps create lasting stability and confidence.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
Starting therapy is a big step, especially when you’re not sure what to expect. From the moment you begin DBT at Marietta Springs, you’ll be met with care, understanding, and steady support. Our approach moves at your pace and focuses on helping you build confidence, one step at a time.
Here’s what your DBT therapy sessions includes:
A safe, supportive space
Every therapy session is a place where you can be open and honest without fear of judgment.
Individual therapy
One-on-one sessions help you understand your emotions, work through triggers, and set goals that feel meaningful to you.
Skills groups
You’ll learn practical ways to manage stress, handle strong emotions, and stay mindful in everyday life.
Between-session support
When things get tough, your therapist can help you apply what you’ve learned in real time.
Recovery isn’t linear. Some days will feel easier than others, and that’s normal. Through DBT, you’ll build the tools to handle the hard days, recognize your progress, and keep moving toward the life you want.
Other Therapy Options at Marietta Springs
Healing isn’t one-size-fits-all. What helps one person might look different for someone else. At Marietta Springs, our treatment plans offer a range of proven, evidence-based therapies that work alongside DBT to support your recovery and overall wellbeing. Here are some of the approaches you might explore:
At Marietta Springs, we tailor every treatment plan to you. Whether you’re working through trauma, rebuilding relationships, or learning new coping skills, we’ll meet you where you are and help you find what works best for your healing journey.
Hope Starts Here
We believe everyone deserves access to quality care. At Marietta Springs, we work with most major insurance providers and offer flexible payment options, so cost doesn’t stand in the way of getting help. If you’re ready to take the next step, we’re here to make it as easy as possible. Call us or fill out our confidential online form to connect with our admissions team. Our admissions team is ready to verify your insurance, answer your questions, and guide you through every step of getting started with DBT and other supportive therapies.
A balanced, fulfilling life is within reach. Let’s take that first step together. Call us today or fill out our confidential online form to connect with our admissions team. Let’s take the first step toward healing, together.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is DBT for substance abuse? / What does DBT for addiction mean?
DBT for substance abuse (sometimes called DBT-SUD) is an adaptation of standard DBT that specifically addresses triggers, cravings, relapse behaviors, and co-occurring emotional and behavioral challenges. It helps people develop skills to manage stress, regulate emotions, and respond differently rather than turning to substances.
How is DBT different from CBT in addiction treatment (DBT vs CBT)?
CBT tends to focus on identifying and restructuring unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. DBT includes those cognitive-behavioral strategies, but adds acceptance, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and more focus on dialectics (holding two truths at once). DBT aims to help people accept what they can’t change while still working toward change.
Does DBT work for addiction? How effective is DBT for substance use disorder?
Yes — while no therapy works perfectly for everyone, research suggests DBT can lower relapse rates, reduce substance use episodes, and help people stay in treatment longer. Its structured skills and real-world applications are one reason many clinicians consider it among the stronger evidence-based options for dual diagnosis and high emotional dysregulation.
What are the core DBT skills for dealing with addiction (e.g. emotion regulation, distress tolerance)?
Some of the core DBT skills taught in addiction contexts include:
- Mindfulness (staying present without reacting immediately)
- Emotion regulation (understanding and managing intense feelings)
- Distress tolerance (getting through crisis moments without using)
Interpersonal effectiveness (setting boundaries, asking for help, healthy communication)
Can DBT help with mental health challenges alongside addiction (DBT for mental health)?
Absolutely. One of DBT’s strengths is treating co-occurring disorders (like depression, anxiety, PTSD) alongside substance use. Because it targets emotion dysregulation and relationship skills, it often helps both sides of the struggle together.
Sources & References
Linehan, M. M., Dimeff, L. A., & Koerner, K. (2016). Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Substance Use Disorders (DBT-SUD). In Behavioral Tech Institute. https://behavioraltech.org/dbt-substance-use-disorders/
Linehan, M. M. (2015). Dialectical behavior therapy in the treatment of borderline personality disorder. In M. M. Linehan, DBT Skills Training Manual (2nd ed.). Elsevier. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128163849000014
Linehan, M. M., Dimeff, L. A., Reynolds, S. K., Comtois, K. A., Welch, S. S., Heagerty, P., & Kivlahan, D. R. (2002). Dialectical behavior therapy for individuals with substance use disorders. In M. M. Linehan (Ed.), Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders (pp. 137–168). Elsevier. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128163849000075
