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
Specialized DBT Therapy for Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
Is your child easily frustrated, often angry, or prone to severe outbursts that seem to come from nowhere? You may be dealing with more than typical moodiness. At Suffolk DBT, with locations on Long Island, NYC and servicing the entire state of NY with Telehealth. WE provide expert care for children and adolescents experiencing Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)—a condition that can impact family life, friendships, and school success if left untreated.
Effective, compassionate support is available—and change is possible.
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD) is a relatively recent diagnosis introduced in the DSM-5. It describes a pattern of intense emotional outbursts and chronic irritability in children and adolescents. While all kids get upset, those with DMDD have frequent, severe reactions—well beyond what’s developmentally expected.
DMDD is most often diagnosed in children ages 6–18, with symptoms typically emerging before age 10.
At Suffolk DBT, we treat children as young as 7 with DBT-C for DMDD, as well as adolescents aged 13 and older through our DBT-A program. Our approach is carefully tailored to meet the developmental needs of each age group, and both children and caregivers are actively involved throughout the process. We provide support for Children & Teens on Long Island.
We believe it’s crucial to collaborate with schools, especially if behavioral issues are occurring there. If a
child’s behaviors escalate at school and the school’s response is hindering progress, we make every effort to
involve school personnel. Our goal is to ensure consistent support across all environments.
In our DBT-C program, parents commit to a 16-week parent management class that runs in parallel with their child’s weekly therapy. We know that a ‘change-ready’ environment at home is essential—without active caregiver involvement, treatment is less likely to succeed.
Children attend weekly sessions, with part of each session including their parent or caregiver. We review diary cards that track both child and parent behaviors and emotions. When needed, we conduct behavioral chain analyses to better understand triggers and reactions.
We use a positive reinforcement system through a point chart, where children earn points for skill use (and do not lose points for unwanted behavior). Our clinicians also provide phone coaching to both children and parents to support skill use and crisis management outside of sessions.
For adolescents, therapy includes weekly individual sessions and a multi-family skills group where caregivers and teens participate together. During crises, group leaders support parents while individual therapists work directly with the teen.
We offer a structured 15-week virtual parent management training course designed for caregivers of children with DMDD. Younger children are strongly encouraged to attend in person for maximum engagement.
Weekly individual sessions are held in person with the child and their therapist. Parents participate in parts of the session to review diary cards, reinforce skills, and increase consistent skill use at home.
Adolescents attend weekly individual sessions focused on building core DBT skills, emotional regulation, and real-life application. Sessions are primarily held in person.
Our Multi-Family Skills Groups include the adolescent, their family, and other participating families, meeting together in a supportive, structured environment. We offer multiple in-person groups at each location.
For an initial screening, where you’ll share your child’s challenges and history. All clients—often the parents—complete intake paperwork in advance, which includes the child’s history and presenting concerns. This allows the clinician to focus the session on gathering key insights and performing a detailed assessment.
DBT is the foundation of our treatment, but we also integrate other evidence-based approaches when appropriate. Mindfulness is taught weekly in both individual and group sessions to help children and parents build emotional awareness and regulation.
If trauma is present, our team will evaluate and may recommend supplemental interventions, such as exposure therapy, ART therapy, EMDR, to address trauma-related symptoms safely effectively.
Many families feel unsure or overwhelmed when their child is diagnosed with DMDD—but taking the first step can open the door to healing and progress.
