Many of us were never taught how to effectively navigate overwhelming emotions, cope with distress, communicate our needs, or maintain healthy relationships. Instead, we often develop survival strategies that may have once been adaptive but no longer serve us. For those who have experienced trauma, chronic stress, anxiety, or invalidating environments, these patterns can make it difficult to feel present, connected, and aligned with the life we want to live.

As psychiatrist Viktor E. Frankl famously wrote, "Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom." This group is designed to help participants cultivate that space—developing the awareness and skills needed to respond intentionally rather than react automatically.

This DBT Skills Group provides a supportive environment to learn and practice evidence-based skills that promote emotional well-being, advocacy, and psychological flexibility. While the group includes opportunities for reflection and discussion, its primary focus is on psychoeducation and skill development, allowing participants to build practical tools they can apply in their everyday lives.

Led from a trauma-informed perspective, this group teaches the four core domains of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. In addition to traditional DBT skills, the group incorporates principles from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), helping participants strengthen their ability to accept difficult internal experiences while choosing behaviors that align with their values. Rather than striving to eliminate painful emotions, participants learn how to respond to them with greater awareness, compassion, and intention.

Objectives of this group include:

• Develop practical skills for navigating intense emotions without becoming overwhelmed by them.
• Increase present-moment awareness through mindfulness and strengthen the ability to respond rather than react.
• Build healthy coping strategies for tolerating distress while reducing impulsive or avoidant behaviors.
• Improve communication, establish healthy boundaries, and cultivate more effective interpersonal relationships.
• Increase psychological flexibility by learning to accept difficult thoughts and emotions while taking values-driven action.
• Gain support, encouragement, and connection while practicing new skills in a safe, trauma-informed environment.

This group is facilitated by trauma therapist, Susan Marsh (LAC) and is appropriate for individuals seeking to strengthen emotion regulation, improve relationships, and build a more meaningful, values-aligned life through practical, evidence-based skills.