Practical Skills for Empowering Change

by people of color for people of color

DBT in Color is a San Francisco based therapy practice that provides skills for alleviating emotional pain with a focus on identity and culture. Our approach is inspired by life as women of color and rooted in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) principles.

  • Comprehensive DBT is a full therapeutic treatment model that includes multiple components:

    • Individual therapy

    • Weekly skills group

    • Phone coaching

    • Consultation teams the therapists.

    It is designed to treat individuals with severe emotional and behavioral dysregulation, such as those with borderline personality disorder or chronic suicidality.

    Comprehensive DBT provides a structured, multifaceted approach that targets problem behaviors, teaches coping skills, and helps integrate those skills into daily life with ongoing support.

    DBT-informed care focuses mainly on teaching core skills like mindfulness, distress tolerance, and emotion regulation but may not include all the elements of comprehensive DBT, like individual therapy or phone coaching. It can be a flexible option offering the developing of skills/coping strategies without the full structure of a complete program.

  • DBT individual therapy is a personalized treatment where clients work 1:1 with DBT-trained providers on improving emotional and behavioral challenges to develop effective coping skills.

    Individual therapy is provided either in-person or via telehealth.

  • A DBT skills group is a structured interactive weekly class designed to teach practical skills. These skills include:

    • Mindfulness: Focuses on increasing awareness of the present moment and reducing impulsive reactions by practicing observation and non-judgment.

    • Distress Tolerance: Teaches coping strategies to manage and tolerate emotional pain during difficult situations without making things worse.

    • Emotion Regulation: Helps individuals understand and manage their emotions, reducing emotional vulnerability and enhancing positive feelings.

    • Interpersonal Effectiveness: Provides tools to improve communication, set boundaries, and maintain healthy relationships while respecting both your own and others' needs.

    Comprehensive DBT Treatment includes a typical 22-24 week group covering all 4 modules.

    Weekly Skills Group for individuals not seeking full comprehensive DBT may range 14-16 weeks.

  • DBT Phone Coaching involves providing real-time virtual support to individuals practicing DBT skills, offering guidance and assistance in applying learned strategies to navigate challenging situations. Individuals enrolled in our comprehensive DBT Intensive program will have access to our 24/7 phone coaching services.

Our Services

Flexible options for in-person and virtual care via a HIPPAA compliant platform.

BIPOC

DBT Group

This 14-week DBT Skills Group is designed to address the unique impact of systemic oppression on emotion regulation for BIPOC communities.

Tuesdays, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM

Starting November 12th, 2024

Focus: 14-week DBT Skills Group covering all four modules and focusing on Emotion Regulation:

  • Mindfulness

  • Distress Tolerance

  • Emotion Regulation

  • Interpersonal Effectiveness

Eligibility: Adults (18+) residing in CA or DC

Investment & Accessibility:

The cost is $100 per session. To ensure accessibility, we offer scholarships, and we proudly accept Lyra for those with employer-provided coverage.

Empowering Healing and Change

DBT in Color centers the experiences of people of color, recognizing the intersections of identity and cultural histories that shape our reality.

We focus on strengthening skills to navigate emotional pain while understanding the impacts of systemic oppression and racial trauma in the healing journey.

We’re here to affirm and validate your lived experience as you move towards change guided by your inner wisdom.

A community that has your back.

FAQs

  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a proven way to help people who struggle with strong emotions and challenging relationships. At its core is dialectical thinking, which means balancing opposing ideas or perspectives such as acceptance and change.

    Originally designed to support individuals coping with Borderline Personality Disorder, chronic suicidality, and/or self-harming behavior, this therapy has proven effective for those encountering

    • Difficulty managing intense emotions

    • Impulsivity and risky behaviors

    • Difficulty communicating and connecting with others

  • Comprehensive DBT treatment involves weekly 1:1 sessions, weekly skills group, homework, and phone coaching for assistance applying your skills in difficult situations as needed.

    Depending on your individual goals for therapy, we may recommend Comprehensive DBT or DBT Informed care, which means we’d start with 1:1 therapy and weave skills training into our work together.

  • We invite you to reach out and connect with us for a complimentary 20-minute phone call. This conversation is an opportunity for us to discuss your goals and determine together if Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) aligns with your needs.

  • Learning and Practicing:

    UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center

    DBT Self Help

    Recommended Reading: Linehan, M., M., (2014). DBT Skills Training Handout and Worksheets. New York, NY: The Guilford Press

Nice to meet you!

We’re glad you’re here.

Licensed to serve residents of California and DC.

Kashonda Davis, LCSW (she/her)

Intensively Trained DBT Clinician

DBT-PE Trained

Celina Gonzalez, LMFT (she/her/ella)

Intensively Trained DBT Clinician

DBT-PE Trained

Alison Hu, Ph.D, ABPP (she/her)

Intensively Trained DBT Clinician

Join our community.