Coping Ahead for Back-to-School: How DBT Skills Can Help Your Teen Thrive This School Year
You don’t have to wait for a crisis to support your teen’s mental health. DBT skills are powerful, preventative tools that help teens navigate life’s inevitable ups and downs—with resilience, emotional intelligence, and a stronger sense of self. We’d love to support your teen as they head into the school year!
The transition back to school can be overwhelming — for teens and parents.
New classes, shifting social dynamics, academic stress, and the pressure to “start fresh” can all bring up big emotions. For teens already struggling with anxiety, mood swings, or emotional regulation, it can feel like too much, too fast.
That’s where DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) comes in.
What Is DBT, and Why Does It Help Teens?
Originally developed for individuals with intense emotional responses, DBT is an evidence-based therapy that teaches practical, easy-to-use coping skills. It’s especially effective for teens because it helps them:
Understand and regulate their emotions
Cope with distress in healthy ways
Communicate more effectively with peers, parents, and teachers
Increase self-awareness and mindfulness
Build resilience and confidence
And unlike traditional talk therapy, DBT is skills-based, meaning teens leave each session with new tools they can actually use that same day.
Why DBT During Back-to-School Season?
Back-to-school time is a natural stressor—even for teens who "seem fine." Teens often face:
The pressure of academic performance
Changing friend groups and social conflict
Fear of failure or disappointing others
Performance anxiety in extracurriculars or college prep
Our Back-to-School DBT Skills Intensive is designed to meet teens exactly where they are. It gives them a safe space to learn, reflect, and practice DBT tools they’ll use throughout the school year.
What to Expect from the DBT Skills Intensive for Teens
Our program is led by licensed, experienced therapists who specialize in working with adolescents. In just three sessions, teens will gain tools in the four core DBT skill areas:
Mindfulness – Building awareness without judgment
Distress Tolerance – Surviving crises without making things worse
Emotion Regulation – Naming, understanding, and shifting emotions
Interpersonal Effectiveness – Setting boundaries and navigating relationships
The group also includes executive functioning support like time management, planning ahead, and balancing school demands with self-care.
Is This Program Right for My Teen?
If your teen struggles with:
Stress, overwhelm, anxiety or depression
Emotional reactivity or “shutting down”
Perfectionism or fear of failure
Peer conflict or isolation
Difficulty bouncing back from setbacks
…then this program can offer them the skills and confidence to face the school year with more calm, clarity, and connection.
Details & Registration
Location: Healgood Holistic Counseling Center, Austin, TX
Dates: August 1 — 3
Ages: Teens (13–18)*
Learn More + Register