Questions? Suffolk DBT Roslyn (516) 714-4707 | Babylon Suffolk DBT (631) 403-4719 | Mt. Sinai (631) 828-2264 | NYC (646) 939-5210
Questions? Suffolk DBT Roslyn (516) 714-4707 | Babylon Suffolk DBT (631) 403-4719 | Mt. Sinai (631) 828-2264 | NYC (646) 939-5210
DBT phone coaching helps clients apply Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills in real-life situations between therapy sessions. It provides real-time support when emotions escalate or situations feel overwhelming, helping you use DBT skills effectively in the moments they are needed most.
Comprehensive DBT includes phone coaching, which gives clients access to support from their therapist between sessions when they are struggling to effectively use skills in real-life situations. Rather than facing these moments alone, clients can reach out for coaching to help apply DBT skills, reduce impulsive reactions, and work toward making more effective choices in the moment.
At Suffolk DBT, phone coaching is included as part of our comprehensive DBT program because we believe therapy should extend beyond the therapy room and into the moments when clients need support the most.
If you are in immediate danger or feel unable to stay safe, please call 911, go to the nearest emergency room, or contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988) for immediate support.
The information on this page is not intended to replace emergency services or crisis intervention.
DBT phone coaching is a core component of comprehensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). It is designed to help clients use DBT skills in real-life situations, at the moment they are most needed — outside of therapy sessions.
Phone coaching is not a therapy session and it is not a crisis hotline. Instead, it is a brief, skills-focused interaction that supports clients in applying what they are already learning in Long Island DBT Therapy.
The primary purpose of phone coaching is skills generalization helping clients take DBT skills out of the therapy room and into their daily lives.
Many of the most difficult moments occur when:
Conflict arises in relationships
Emotions escalate quickly
Urges to avoid, self-harm, or act impulsively increase
When anxiety, shame, or anger feels overwhelming
In our DBT-C program, phone coaching is primarily provided to parents and caregivers, not children independently.
Coaching is delivered by the child’s individual DBT therapist and focuses on helping parents respond effectively to emotional and behavioral escalations, use DBT skills at home, and reduce patterns that reinforce dysregulation.
Families play a critical role in supporting DBT skills use outside of sessions. Phone coaching helps families respond more effectively during moments of emotional escalation, reduce unhelpful interaction patterns, and reinforce skill use at home.
In our DBT programs,
DBT-A and Adult DBT , family phone coaching is provided by the DBT skills group leader or co-leader, typically within a multifamily group structure, ensuring consistency, shared language, and coordinated support across the family system.
When emotions escalate quickly, individuals may feel overwhelmed, impulsive, or unsure which skill to use in the moment. Phone coaching provides real-time support to slow things down, clarify options, and apply DBT skills effectively outside of session.
In our DBT- A for teens and our Adult programs, individual phone coaching is provided by the client’s individual DBT therapist and is focused on skills generalization, not additional therapy sessions.
DBT phone coaching extends therapy beyond the session by helping clients use skills in real-life situations and during moments of dysregulation. It supports staying connected to treatment, applying skills effectively, and managing distress before it escalates.
Examples of when clients may use DBT phone coaching include:
In DBT, phone coaching is used to support real-time skill application outside of session. Calls are structured and action-oriented, focusing on identifying emotions and urges, clarifying goals, and coaching the use of specific DBT skills in the moment.
A Typical Phone Coaching Interaction May Include:
Yes. Phone coaching is part of a comprehensive DBT program and is available to clients actively participating in treatment. Phone coaching is designed to support the work you are already doing in individual DBT therapy and DBT skills training group by helping you apply skills in real-life situations between sessions.
The goal of phone coaching is to help you use DBT skills effectively during difficult moments, reduce impulsive behaviors, and get support before situations escalate into larger crises.
Yes. One of the goals of DBT phone coaching is to help clients use DBT skills early, before situations escalate into larger crises. By getting support in the moment, many clients are able to reduce impulsive behaviors, manage overwhelming emotions more effectively, and avoid more serious outcomes.
Phone coaching helps clients apply skills in real-life situations while staying engaged in their daily lives, relationships, work, school, and responsibilities whenever possible.
hat’s exactly what DBT phone coaching is for. During moments of emotional overwhelm, crisis, or impulsive urges, it can be difficult to think clearly or know which DBT skill will be most effective. Your therapist will help you quickly assess what is happening and guide you toward the DBT skills that best fit the situation in that moment.
Phone coaching is not only used during crises. It is also available during everyday situations when you may feel unsure which DBT skill to use, how to apply a skill effectively, or how to handle a difficult interaction, emotion, or situation in real time. The goal is to help you practice using DBT skills in your actual life, not just during therapy sessions.
Phone coaching can also help repair misunderstandings, strengthen communication between you and your therapist, and support the therapeutic relationship when difficult emotions or conflict arise. Over time, many clients become more confident recognizing emotional patterns earlier and applying DBT skills more independently in their everyday lives.
Yes. In our DBT programs, phone coaching may also involve parents, spouses, caregivers, or family members who are actively participating in treatment.
In DBT-C programs, the individual therapist often provides coaching to both the child and parent to help support skill use and manage emotional situations at home. In DBT-A and adult DBT programs that include multifamily skills training, parents, spouses, caregivers, or family members may receive coaching support from the DBT skills group leader or co-leader.
The goal of phone coaching is to help families and support systems apply DBT skills effectively in real-life situations, improve communication, reduce escalation, and better support their loved one outside of therapy sessions.
No. Phone coaching is included as part of comprehensive DBT treatment and is not considered an extra service or separate add-on fee.
Phone coaching is an important part of DBT because it helps clients with skill generalization, meaning learning how to apply DBT skills in real-life situations outside of therapy sessions. This may include moments of emotional overwhelm, conflict, impulsive urges, relationship difficulties, or crisis situations.
The goal is to help clients use DBT skills effectively in their everyday lives, reduce escalation, and continue building stability and long-term change over time.
We provide Dialectical Behavior Therapy at our offices in Mount Sinai, Babylon, Roslyn Heights, and New York City.
Secure telehealth DBT available across New York, including Upstate.
DBT phone coaching provides in-the-moment support between sessions so you can apply your skills when emotions run high and real-life challenges arise. At Suffolk DBT, phone coaching helps clients bridge the gap between learning DBT skills in session and using them effectively in everyday life.
Completely confidential. Only takes 10-15 minutes.
