DBT Text Coaching

DBT text coaching provides clients with additional support between sessions to help them apply skills and navigate difficult situations in real time. One of the core ideas behind DBT is that it can be hard to effectively use coping skills when emotions are high, especially without support or practice. Text coaching helps bridge the gap between talking about skills in therapy and actually using them in everyday life.

Clients may use text coaching to ask for help applying DBT skills, navigating emotionally overwhelming situations, managing urges or impulsive behaviors, improving communication, processing interpersonal stressors, or receiving support with emotion regulation and distress tolerance outside of session. Coaching can also be used to share reflections, thoughts, or situations that may be helpful to discuss more in depth during therapy sessions.

The goal of text coaching is not to replace therapy, but to help clients build consistency, confidence, and effectiveness in using skills within their daily lives. Over time, many clients find that they become more able to independently identify what skills may be helpful and implement them more effectively on their own.

Important Information About Text Coaching

DBT text coaching is intended to provide additional therapeutic support between sessions, but it is not designed to function as an on-demand or emergency response service. Clinicians are not required to respond immediately to messages, though responses are generally provided in a timely manner and clinicians are often able to respond sooner when available.

There may be times when a clinician is unavailable due to personal obligations, time off, scheduling limitations, sessions with other clients, or non-working hours. Because of this, text coaching should not be relied upon for urgent or emergency situations involving immediate safety concerns.

If a client is experiencing a mental health crisis, immediate safety concern, medical emergency, or requires urgent support, they are expected to contact 911, present to the nearest emergency room, or utilize appropriate crisis services rather than relying on text coaching for immediate intervention.