Emotional sensitivity
Strong, fast emotional reactions that feel hard to slow down or recover from.
DBT SKILLS & EMOTION REGULATION · CALIFORNIA TELEHEALTH
Online DBT Skills Therapy in California
Practical, structured skills to regulate intense emotions, handle distress, navigate relationship conflict, and build lasting resilience, from the privacy of home.
- LMFT · CA License #120452
- 10+ Years of Clinical Experience
- DBT Skills Training
- $185 / Session
- Out-of-Network (Mentaya Reimbursement)
DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?
Your feelings hit hard and fast. Then comes the fallout.
When intense feelings spike, advice like “just take a deep breath” rarely works. If you feel things deeply, you might…
- Go from calm to overwhelmed before you can catch it.
- Shut down, numb out, or pull away when emotions get too big.
- Feel like you're “too much” in your relationships.
- Say or do things in the moment that you regret later.
- Struggle to ask for what you need without it turning into conflict.
- Replay and criticize yourself long after a hard moment has passed.
Feeling deeply isn't the problem. You just haven't been given the tools to hold it yet.
HOW DBT WORKS
Actionable strategies for overwhelming moments
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) was designed for people who experience deep emotional sensitivity and reactive stress. It's built on a simple but powerful idea: you can accept yourself as you are and work toward change at the same time.
In our sessions, we focus on practical strategies to calm your nervous system, communicate your needs effectively, and get through difficult moments without making them more painful.
Accepting where you are and working toward change aren't opposites. Most of our work happens right where they meet.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
The four core skill sets you'll build
Distress tolerance
Grounding techniques to get through acute crises and panic without impulsive reactions.
Emotion regulation
Understand your triggers, reduce your vulnerability to them, and bring emotional intensity down.
Mindfulness
Stay anchored in the present instead of spiraling into worry or self-criticism.
Interpersonal effectiveness
Communicate clearly, set firm boundaries, and nurture the relationships that matter.
Each session balances support and structure: we look at what came up that week, learn or practice a skill, and plan how you'll use it in real life.
AREAS OF FOCUS
Who DBT skills can help
Relationship stress
Recurring conflict, codependency, people-pleasing, or trouble setting boundaries.
Impulsive reactions
Urges to act in the moment that leave you dealing with regret afterward.
Self-criticism & shame
A harsh inner voice that makes hard moments even harder.
Burnout & chronic stress
Running on empty, with less and less capacity to handle what comes up.
Big reactions with deep roots?
When intense emotions trace back to past experiences, EMDR can help heal what's underneath.
YOUR THERAPIST
Hi, I'm Janessa.
I'm a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist with over ten years of clinical experience and specialized training in DBT skills. DBT skills are some of the most practical tools I teach, because you can start using them the same day. My sessions are warm, direct, and collaborative, and you'll always know why we're doing what we're doing.
RATES
Clear costs. No surprises.
PRIVATE PAY
$185per 50-minute individual session
Cards, HSA, and FSA accepted.
PPO PLANS (OUT-OF-NETWORK)
Most PPOs reimburse a portion once your deductible is met. Mentaya files your claims automatically, so there's no paperwork on your end.
QUESTIONS ABOUT DBT SKILLS
Answers to common questions about DBT skills therapy
Is this a full DBT program?
I teach DBT skills within individual therapy sessions. This is different from a comprehensive DBT program, which also includes a weekly skills group and between-session phone coaching. If you need that level of support, I'll help you find it.
Do I need a diagnosis to benefit from DBT skills?
No. DBT skills help anyone who experiences intense emotions, reactive stress, or recurring relationship conflict.
What happens in a session?
We review what came up since last time, learn or practice a specific skill, and make a plan for using it in your real life. Sessions are structured but never rigid.
Can DBT skills help my relationships?
Yes. Interpersonal effectiveness skills focus on asking for what you need, saying no, and keeping your self-respect, all while protecting the relationships you care about.
Does learning DBT skills online work?
DBT skills are highly teachable over secure video, and practicing them at home makes it easier to use them where you need them most.
Do you take insurance?
I'm an out-of-network provider. Many PPO plans, including Anthem, Aetna, Blue Shield, Cigna, and UnitedHealthcare, reimburse a portion of session fees once your deductible is met. I partner with Mentaya so you never have to file superbills or paperwork yourself. We can check your benefits before we start.
Big feelings don't have to run your life. You can learn to steady them.
Start with a free, no-obligation 15-minute consultation. Ask your questions, share what's been hard, and see if this work feels like the right fit.