IRL DBT · VIRTUAL in CT + NY · AGES 14-17
Real coping skills, for real teenage life.
No prior experience needed — just a teen ready to build skills that actually stick.
Whether your teen has never heard of DBT, or has picked up the language somewhere along the way, the real challenge isn't learning the concepts. It's knowing what to actually do in the moment — when a friend group leaves them out, when a text feels like it needs an instant reaction, when the pressure to perform starts piling up.
You've watched them spiral over a canceled plan. Shut down after a bad grade. Say something in a group chat they wish they could take back.
- The urge to fire off a text they'll regret
- Freezing up before a test or a big moment
- Feeling left out of plans they see online
- Overwhelm after a disappointing grade
- Not knowing how to ask for what they need — from a teacher, a friend, or you
- Conflict that spirals instead of resolving
Skills only help if they show up in real life.
How IT Works
Every skill, taught from the ground up, and practiced in a situation that's actually happening to them.
IRL DBT is a 7-week virtual skills group teaching all four core areas of Dialectical Behavior Therapy — Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness — starting from the basics, no prior knowledge required. Every session goes beyond the concept with real-world practice: applying the skill to a canceled plan, a mean text, a group chat conflict, asking a teacher for an extension.
One session (Week 5) brings parents in too — because skills stick best when the people at home understand them, not just the teen in the room.
Each week, your teen adds a new skill to a keyring they build across the program — a real, physical set of tools they carry with them.
Cohort details:
Ages 14-17
Wednesdays, 6:30 PM ET, October 7 – November 18, 2026
7 weeks, virtual, ~75 minutes weekly
Small group, 6-8 teens
Led by Suzanne Esposito, LCSW
IRL DBT can help your teen...
Pause before reacting, instead of after
Handle stress without it taking over
Name what they're feeling — and what to do about it
Ask for what they need without over-apologizing
Navigate conflict without losing the relationship
Build a real toolkit they actually reach for
Frequently asked questions about IRL DBT
FAQs
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Not at all. This group starts from the basics and is designed for teens with zero prior DBT experience, as well as those who've heard the concepts before but haven't had a chance to really practice them.
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No — IRL DBT is skills education, not a replacement for individual therapy. It works well alongside individual sessions, or as a standalone option for a teen who wants to build coping skills in a group setting.
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In Week 5, parents join for part of the session. Teens teach parents 1-2 skills they've already learned, and there's space for both groups to reflect separately as well.
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The full 7-week program is $1,050 per teen (about $150/session) — roughly half the cost of individual sessions at this rate. Payment is due in full at enrollment.
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This cohort runs virtually. We plan to offer in-person cohorts in the future as space allows.
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Sessions are Wednesdays at 6:30 PM ET, chosen to work around most fall sports practice schedules. If your teen has a scheduling conflict, let us know during intake.