DBT for stronger steadiness in the moment
If emotions feel intense, fast-moving, or hard to manage once they start, I use DBT to help us pay attention to that process. We can look at what builds, what interrupts, and what makes the moment harder to hold.
How I use it
Kristy Rosendorf, LMHC
I use DBT to bring attention to emotional regulation, the build-up before a reaction, and what choices are available in the middle of it. We can look at how feelings affect relationships, safety, and daily functioning without rushing past the experience itself. The work is concrete and close to the moments that matter, rather than only theoretical. Depending on what you bring in, we may focus on one recurring situation or on a wider pattern of reactivity.
We slow the reaction down enough to notice what is happening.
Who it tends to suit
People often come in feeling flooded, reactive, or worn out by the cycle of holding things in and then losing control. They may struggle to pause before they act, or feel like emotions take over the whole room. Sometimes the strain shows up in relationships, in conflict, or in the way a bad moment can quickly become a bigger one. Many people are looking for more room to choose what happens next.
- I go from calm to overwhelmed very quickly.
- I say or do things before I can stop myself.
- I cannot seem to calm down once I am upset.
- I am tired of every feeling turning into a crisis.
What the first sessions look like
The first sessions focus on what strong feelings look like in your real life and what tends to happen right before and after. I will ask about the moments that feel hardest to handle, and you do not need to know the right words for them ahead of time.
Text Kristy to schedule a free 15-minute video or phone consultation. Kristy usually replies within 1–2 business days.
What I use it for
- Trauma & PTSDFor people carrying the effects of trauma.
- Anxiety & DepressionFor people worn down by worry or low mood.
- Self-Esteem & RelationshipsFor people stuck in self-doubt or repeating relationship patterns.
- Addiction & RecoveryFor people trying to stay steady in recovery.
- Autism & NeurodivergenceFor people who want support that fits how they process the world.
- Stress & Emotional RegulationFor people who feel stretched thin or easily overwhelmed.
Questions people ask
Is DBT only for people who get really angry?
No. DBT can also help with overwhelm, shutdown, or emotions that feel hard to hold at all.
What if I react before I can think?
That is exactly the kind of pattern we can work with. We look at what happens before the reaction and what support may fit there.
Do you teach skills in DBT?
The work includes looking at emotional regulation and practical responses in the moment. We use the sessions to notice patterns and practice a different kind of attention.
Can DBT help with relationship conflict?
It can be helpful when reactions spill into relationships. We can look at how the emotion builds and what happens between people.
Talk it through with Kristy
Text Kristy to schedule a free 15-minute video or phone consultation.