DBT in Schools, LLC

DBT in Schools, LLC DBT in Schools was founded by Dr Jim Mazza and Dr Elizabeth Dexter-Mazza. Their mission is to promo

One of the biggest misconceptions about distress tolerance is that the goal is to “make feelings go away.” In DBT, that ...
05/27/2026

One of the biggest misconceptions about distress tolerance is that the goal is to “make feelings go away.” In DBT, that is not the goal.

Distress tolerance is about moving through difficult emotions without making the situation worse through impulsive reactions, avoidance, shutdown, aggression, or harmful coping strategies.

It is the pause before reacting.
The skill of staying grounded during hard moments.
The ability to tolerate discomfort long enough to make a wise decision instead of an impulsive one.

And these are not just adult skills.

Students use distress tolerance every day:
• navigating peer conflict
• handling frustration
• coping with disappointment
• managing anxiety before tests or presentations
• regulating emotions after social struggles or overwhelming moments

This is one of the reasons DBT skills matter so much in schools. Emotional resilience is not something students magically develop later in life. It is something that can be taught, practiced, modeled, and strengthened over time.

Skills for today. Resilience for life.

Interested in learning more about bringing DBT-informed skills into schools?

Summer open enrollment is now available for upcoming all DBT in Schools Curricula.

Visit https://www.dbtinschools.com/all-training-opportunities to learn more.

The best is YETI to come. One of our favorite parts of DBT STEPS-E is helping schools create environments where emotiona...
05/26/2026

The best is YETI to come.

One of our favorite parts of DBT STEPS-E is helping schools create environments where emotional skill-building feels approachable, engaging, and developmentally meaningful for younger students.

Big concepts do not have to feel intimidating to teach.

Through stories, visuals, interactive activities, and developmentally appropriate language, students begin building the foundation for emotional awareness, coping skills, communication, and problem solving early.

And summer is one of the best times for educators, counselors, and school mental health professionals to complete live virtual training and earn CE hours without trying to balance the pace of the regular school year at the same time.

Join us this summer for live virtual trainings.
Visit https://www.dbtinschools.com/all-training-opportunities to view upcoming training dates and register.

DEAR MAN is one of the DBT interpersonal effectiveness skills that helps students learn how to communicate clearly, advo...
05/21/2026

DEAR MAN is one of the DBT interpersonal effectiveness skills that helps students learn how to communicate clearly, advocate for themselves, and navigate difficult conversations more effectively.

For many students, communication challenges can look like:
• shutting down
• avoiding conflict completely
• becoming reactive during disagreements
• struggling to ask for help
• difficulty setting boundaries with peers
• saying “yes” when they really want to say “no”

DEAR MAN gives students a structure for expressing needs while staying respectful, mindful, and goal-focused.

These are not just “school skills.” They are life skills students carry into friendships, family relationships, higher education, and future workplaces.

Teaching students how to communicate effectively is part of supporting emotional wellbeing.

DBT STEPS-A helps schools bring these conversations and skills into real classroom settings in practical, developmentally appropriate ways.

Summer open enrollment is now available for upcoming DBT in Schools trainings.

Visit https://www.dbtinschools.com/all-training-opportunities to learn more.

In DBT STEPS-A (Grades 6–12), students learn the TIP skill:• Temperature• Intense Exercise• Paced BreathingIn DBT STEPS-...
05/17/2026

In DBT STEPS-A (Grades 6–12), students learn the TIP skill:
• Temperature
• Intense Exercise
• Paced Breathing

In DBT STEPS-E (K–5), those same evidence-based concepts are adapted developmentally into the CAP skill:
• Cold Water or Cold Object
• Activity
• Paced Breathing

CAP helps elementary students learn emotional regulation skills in language and strategies that make sense for their developmental level while creating a natural bridge into the DBT STEPS-A curriculum later on.

This developmental continuum is one of the things that makes DBT in Schools unique. The skills taught in DBT STEPS-E are adapted directly from the evidence-based lessons in DBT STEPS-A, allowing students to build familiarity with emotional regulation concepts early and continue strengthening those same skills as they grow.

Early support matters and so does teaching skills in ways students can actually understand and use.

Summer open enrollment is now available for upcoming DBT STEPS-E and DBT STEPS-A trainings.

Visit the link in bio to learn more.

“A life worth living is built one small wise choice at a time.” — Dr. Marsha LinehanIn schools, those small choices ofte...
05/16/2026

“A life worth living is built one small wise choice at a time.” — Dr. Marsha Linehan

In schools, those small choices often begin with emotional awareness.

For some students, identifying and verbalizing emotions can feel overwhelming. Tools like the DBT in Schools emotion stick help create simple, visual ways for students to communicate how they are feeling without needing to find the “right” words in the moment.

Sometimes early support looks like:
• noticing a change
• creating space for communication
• helping students pause and identify emotions
• giving students language for what they are experiencing

Small skills. Small moments. Big impact over time.

This week’s Mental Health Awareness Month focus on early childhood mental health support is a reminder that emotional skill-building belongs in schools, classrooms, and everyday interactions with students.

Interested in bringing DBT-informed tools and skills into your school community?

Summer open enrollment is now available for upcoming DBT STEPS-E, DBT STEPS-A, and School Counseling Strategies trainings.

Visit https://www.dbtinschools.com/all-training-opportunities to learn more.

For this week’s Mental Health Awareness Month focus on early support in childhood, we’re highlighting something that oft...
05/14/2026

For this week’s Mental Health Awareness Month focus on early support in childhood, we’re highlighting something that often gets overlooked: students need skills before they need crisis support.

The STOP skill helps students slow down when emotions start getting big instead of reacting on impulse.

S — Stop: Pause before reacting
T — Take a step back: Breathe and create space
O — Observe: Notice thoughts, emotions, and what is happening around you
P — Proceed mindfully: Choose the action that will help, not hurt

Skills like STOP can help students learn to pause, regulate emotions, and make choices aligned with their goals and values. These are not just classroom tools; they are life skills students carry into friendships, family relationships, and future challenges.

The earlier we teach these skills, the more opportunities students have to practice them before emotional patterns become harder to change.

Interested in bringing DBT-informed skills to your students?

Summer open enrollment is now available for upcoming trainings including:
• DBT STEPS-E (K–5)
• DBT STEPS-A (Grades 6–12)
• DBT-Informed School Counseling Strategies

Learn more and reserve your spot.
https://www.dbtinschools.com/all-training-opportunities

This week’s Mental Health Awareness Month focus is on early support in childhood and recognizing signs that a young pers...
05/11/2026

This week’s Mental Health Awareness Month focus is on early support in childhood and recognizing signs that a young person may need help.

One of the biggest misconceptions in youth mental health is that emotional struggles always look dramatic or obvious. In schools, they often don’t.

Sometimes it looks like:
• increased irritability
• shutting down during group work
• perfectionism
• refusal behaviors
• frequent stomachaches or nurse visits
• emotional outbursts that seem “too big” for the situation
• difficulty recovering from disappointment
• withdrawing from peers
• suddenly not wanting to come to school

Children communicate distress behaviorally long before they have the language to explain it.

This is why early emotional skill development matters.

When students learn how to identify emotions, tolerate discomfort, ask for support, and regulate physiological stress responses early, we reduce the likelihood that those struggles escalate later without support.

DBT STEPS-E was designed specifically to bring these conversations and skills into elementary settings in developmentally appropriate ways for K–2 and grades 3–5.

Mental health support should not begin only after crisis.
It should begin with skills, language, connection, and early intervention.

Training and classroom tools → https://www.dbtinschools.com/resources

05/03/2026

We’re wrapping up our first ever DBT STEPS-E trainings and are heading into the next set in just two weeks

We’ve been working with educators and school counselors across grade levels, focused on what it actually looks like to introduce these skills in a way that meets students where they are developmentally.

We’re looking forward to continuing our work with both current and new educators joining us from all over the nation, and ongoing support, conversations, and implementation beyond the training inside the DBT in Schools Community Hub.

This is ongoing work, and it doesn’t stop when the training ends.

Open enrollment is now available for:
DBT STEPS-E (K–5)
DBT STEPS-A (6–12)

Link in bio for details and registration.

As more schools begin to explore DBT-informed approaches, one distinction becomes increasingly important:Where the train...
05/02/2026

As more schools begin to explore DBT-informed approaches, one distinction becomes increasingly important:

Where the training comes from and how it’s taught.

DBT STEPS-A and DBT STEPS-E were developed by the DBT in Schools team, and our trainings are led by:

Original developers and authors of the curriculum
Certified DBT trainers
Trainers directly trained within this model

This matters because DBT is not just a collection of strategies.

It is a structured, evidence-based approach where how skills are taught shapes how they are used.

Across classrooms, counseling settings, and school systems, we continue to see the same need:

Students are expected to manage emotions, navigate relationships, and tolerate stress, often without having been explicitly taught how.

That’s where this work shifts.

From reacting to behavior
→ to teaching the skills behind it

From isolated support
→ to consistent, school-wide implementation

And importantly, this support doesn’t end when the training does.

Participants have access to ongoing implementation support through the DBT in Schools Community Hub, including private spaces to continue learning, asking questions, and applying the work in real time.

If your school is working toward a more structured, skills-based approach to student support, training is the next step.

→ Open enrollment for spring and summer trainings is available through at https://www.dbtinschools.com/all-training-opportunities

Stress in students doesn’t always present as stress.It often shows up as irritability, avoidance, shutdown, or difficult...
04/28/2026

Stress in students doesn’t always present as stress.

It often shows up as irritability, avoidance, shutdown, or difficulty focusing, especially this time of year as demands increase and routines begin to shift.

When we look at this through a DBT lens, stress is not something to eliminate.
It’s something to recognize early, understand, and respond to effectively.

What makes the difference is whether students have been explicitly taught:

how to notice what’s happening internally
how to reduce vulnerability before stress builds
how to regulate in the moment
what to do once they’re able to re-engage

Without these skills, stress accumulates and eventually shows up in behavior.

With them, students are better able to stay engaged, flexible, and regulated even in more demanding environments.

This is the foundation of DBT-informed work in schools.

→ Explore classroom tools, trainings, and more through at dbtinschools.com

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