DBT Phone Coaching: Real-Time Support in NYC, NJ & CT

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DBT Skills Phone Coaching

In Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), learning skills in the therapy room is just the first step. The real challenge—and where real change happens—is using those skills in your everyday life. Metro NY DBT Center offers DBT Phone Coaching as an essential component of our comprehensive DBT program. This service is designed to provide you with brief, in-the-moment support from your individual therapist to help you use your skills effectively when you need them most.

Phone coaching is not a therapy session; it is a powerful intervention designed to bridge the gap between learning skills and generalizing them. It’s about getting expert, real-time DBT support in NJ, NY, and CT to navigate a crisis, manage an urge, or handle a difficult interaction effectively.

What Is DBT Phone Coaching?

DBT phone coaching is a brief, focused call with your therapist to get guidance on using your skills in a real-life situation. The primary goals are:

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To provide you with in-the-moment guidance on which DBT skill to use.

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To help you troubleshoot when a skill isn't working as expected.

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To provide an alternative to engaging in impulsive or self-destructive behaviors by offering crisis coaching with DBT skills.

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To help you repair relationships after a conflict by figuring out how to use Interpersonal Effectiveness skills.

Who Should Use DBT Phone Coaching?

Phone coaching is an integral part of our comprehensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy program and is available to clients actively engaged in both individual therapy and skills group.


This service is particularly crucial if you:

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  • Struggle with intense, overwhelming emotions that can lead to crises between sessions.


  • Have urges to engage in impulsive or self-harming behaviors.


  • Find it difficult to remember or apply your DBT skills when you are emotionally dysregulated.


  • Are working to change long-standing patterns of behavior in your relationships.


  • Want to build confidence in your ability to handle difficult situations independently with DBT skills help by phone.

The Metro NY DBT Difference

At Metro NY DBT Center, we provide adherent DBT, which means we include all the components that make the treatment effective, including essential in-the-moment DBT coaching.

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An Essential Part of Treatment: We include phone coaching because it is proven to help clients get better, faster.

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Expert, In-the-Moment Support: Get guidance from your dedicated therapist who knows you and your goals.

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Focus on Empowerment: We don't just solve the problem for you; we teach you how to solve it yourself.

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A Commitment to Your Success: Our goal is to help you build a life you experience as worth living.

Frequently Asked Questions About DBT Phone Coaching

  • How does DBT phone coaching differ from therapy sessions?

    Therapy focus on processing events, learning new material, and analyzing behavioral patterns. Phone coaching calls are very brief (5-15 minutes) and are exclusively focused on providing immediate, in-the-moment skills coaching for DBT in CT, NJ, and NYC to help you navigate a current situation.

  • When should I call for DBT phone coaching?

    The rule of thumb is to call before you act on an unhelpful urge. You should call your therapist when you feel an urge to engage in a behavior you are trying to stop (like self-harm, yelling in a conflict, or avoiding a responsibility) and want help using a skill instead.

  • Is DBT phone coaching private?

    Yes. Just like your therapy sessions, phone coaching calls are completely confidential and are considered a part of your clinical treatment, protected by HIPAA.

  • How do I access phone coaching if I’m a new client?

    Phone coaching is a core component of our comprehensive DBT program. Once you begin individual therapy and skills group at our center, your therapist will review the specific guidelines for phone coaching with you, including when to call and how to reach them.