DBT Therapy for Children on Long Island
Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Children (DBT-C) at Suffolk DBT of Long Island is a compassionate, evidence-based program for children ages 7–12 who feel emotions very deeply and struggle to manage them. These children may experience intense emotional reactions, frequent outbursts, difficulty with transitions, or behaviors that feel overwhelming to both them and their families.
DBT-C gently teaches children how to understand their big emotions, calm their bodies, and respond more effectively, while also supporting caregivers in creating a more stable, validating, and connected home environment.
Conditions We Treat
Our DBT-C program is designed for children experiencing a range of emotional and behavioral challenges
Adhd
Attention & focus challenges
Depression
Persistent sadness & low mood
Childhood anxiety
Worry & fear responses
DMDD
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation
Autism
Social & sensory support
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
Pediatric Bipolar Disorder
Emotion Dysregulation
- ADHD
- Depression
- Childhood Anxiety
- Disruptive Mood Dysregulation
- Autism
- Oppositional Defiant Disorder
- Pediatric Bipolar Disorder
Does this sound like your child?
If your child is struggling to cope with their emotions, they might have difficulty focusing or following the rules in school. It might be extremely hard for them to get along with others, including their classmates and teachers. You might wonder if your child’s behavior will ever change.
Your child might also lash out at you, especially when you try to assert healthy rules and boundaries. Whether you’re asking them to do their homework or brush their teeth, they might respond with tantrums and meltdowns.
Every day might feel like a battle.
Maybe you’ve sought help in the past, and your child has been diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD), Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD), an anxiety disorder or something else. Perhaps you’ve tried every treatment and parenting technique you can think of, but nothing has truly helped. Your child might still seem lonely, vulnerable and lost.
In DBT Therapy we often call these children ” Super Sensors” .They often possess deep compassion but struggle with regulation, impulsive behavior, and overwhelming, rapid-fire emotional shifts.
Do you wish you could help your child discover the strength in their sensitivity, while also offering them the tools to navigate their world?
Do you want to learn new parenting strategies to help your child manage difficult emotions, connect with others and move forward with increased opportunities for happiness, confidence and peace?
DBT skills for kids can help your family work towards each of these goals.
Your Child Can Find Acceptance And Growth
Dialectical Behavior Therapy for children is a unique and effective approach for those aged 7–12, although we will see children younger when the treatment may be beneficial. DBT skills for kids are proven to help them improve their habits and communication and manage their emotions.
If you are ready to help your child move toward a better life, whether in-person or via Telehealth we are here to help.
What are the Goals For DBT for Children
Raising a child is rarely easy no matter how many children you’re parenting. Every child has a unique temperament, needs, and challenges, and there is no instruction manual. Like all parents, you are doing the best you can with the tools you have.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT-C) for children is designed to support you and your family by helping to:
Reduce severe emotional and behavioral challenges
Helping Emotionally Sensitive Children Break the Cycle
Overwhelmed by their enormous feelings, your child might react in ways that seem confusing and alarming.
And, that reactivity likely has negative consequences, whether that means punishment from parents at home, criticism from teachers, getting in trouble at school, or judgment from their peers. As a result, your child might feel invalidated and rejected.
However, they also learn that acting out gets their needs met. In an attempt to have their feelings and wants heard, they might continue acting out, feeding a destabilizing cycle that can continue into adulthood.
How We Provide Treatment for Your Child
- Parent Management Training is an integral part of Suffolk DBT’s 15-week DBT-C program.
- Using DBT-C principles and strategies, parents and children learn and practice skills together, creating a shared language for understanding emotions and behavior.
- Treatment focuses on identifying patterns of reinforcement through the diary card, adjusting the environment to better match the child’s emotional needs, and strengthening caregivers’ ability to support regulation rather than escalation.
- Grounded in the DBT assumption that everyone is doing the best they can, this collaborative approach helps families build more effective, compassionate, and sustainable ways of responding to big emotions. Phone coaching is available between sessions.
- After the initial parent intake, individual sessions begin with the child during the first few weeks of treatment.
- This phase focuses on building a strong therapeutic relationship, introducing core DBT-C skills, and establishing treatment commitment.
- A DBT diary card is introduced early and used throughout care.
- After about four weeks, parents begin joining sessions and are introduced to a parent diary card.
- Parent-only sessions may be added as needed based on progress and family support needs.
- Individual sessions are one hour per week.
- The therapist works collaboratively with the child and family to identify skill needs, review progress, and support skill use at home, school, and in daily life.
- Teaches core DBT skills—Mindfulness, Emotion Regulation, Distress Tolerance, and Interpersonal Effectiveness—adapted for children.
- Skills are taught using kid-friendly language, including the concept of “super sensors,” to help children understand heightened emotional and sensory sensitivity.
- Skill use is supported across the entire family, so children are not practicing alone.
- Emotions, behaviors, skills, are tracked through the DBT diary card, which helps identify patterns and skill gaps.
- A point chart is first introduced to parents as part of parent management training, and later developed collaboratively with the child, allowing them to choose meaningful rewards.
- Points are earned for skills used, reinforcing positive change and motivation.
How We Use
DBT Diary Cards With Kids and Parents
A DBT diary card is a simple, child-friendly tool that helps track emotions, behaviors, and skill use each day. It gives your child a way to understand their feelings and helps our therapists identify patterns so we can teach the right skills at the right time.
Parents are also an important part of the process. Caregivers complete their own diary cards to track their emotions, responses, and skill use—helping create a shared language and more effective, supportive interactions at home.
It’s not about perfection—it’s about building awareness, confidence, and progress over time.
Support Between Sessions
DBT isn’t just what happens in session. With phone coaching, your child and family can get real-time support when emotions feel overwhelming—helping them apply skills in the moments that matter most.
Therapy for Children Near You on Long Island and NYC
We provide specialized DBT therapy for children across Suffolk County and Nassau County on Long Island, as well as Manhattan.
Families come to us for child therapy from surrounding communities including Mount Sinai, Babylon, Roslyn Heights, and nearby areas. Our structured DBT program helps children build emotional regulation skills, improve relationships, and develop healthier coping strategies.
Our Locations
online Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Can’t make it to one of our four locations? Suffolk DBT also offers expert online Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to children & teens, adults, and families throughout the entire state of New York including upstate NY.
Whether you’re navigating a busy schedule, live in a remote area, or simply prefer the comfort of therapy at home, our virtual sessions provide the same high-quality, evidence-based care.
Wherever you are in New York, we’re here to support you on your mental health journey.
Ready to Get Started and speak with an Intake Specialist?
Suffolk DBT provides comprehensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) in our Long Island and Manhattan offices and through secure telehealth across New York State.
Our experienced clinicians support children and families struggling with intense emotions, anxiety, depression, self-harm behaviors, and other emotion-regulation challenges. We work closely with parents and caregivers so children feel understood, supported, and empowered at home and at school.
Through DBT skills training and full-model treatment, children learn how to manage big feelings, tolerate distress, and build healthier ways of coping. Our therapists participate in consultation team and offer between-session coaching so families have guidance when it matters most.
If your child is struggling, support is available. Contact Suffolk DBT to learn how DBT can help your child build skills for a more stable, confident future.
Completely confidential. Only takes 10-15 minutes.
