DBT Skills Group in Bentonville, AR
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Skills Group is a structured, 24-week program teaching four core skill modules: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Learn to manage intense emotions, improve relationships, and build a life worth living.
DBT was originally developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan for borderline personality disorder and has demonstrated effectiveness in randomized controlled trials (Linehan et al., 2006, Archives of General Psychiatry) for anyone struggling with intense emotions, impulsive behaviors, or relationship difficulties. Our skills group follows the standard DBT model — a structured curriculum that builds practical, immediately usable skills for everyday life.
The Four DBT Skill Modules
Each module builds essential life skills. The full 24-week cycle covers all four modules, creating a comprehensive toolkit for emotional wellness.
Mindfulness
The foundation of all DBT skills. Learn to observe, describe, and participate in the present moment without judgment. Practice wise mind — balancing emotion mind and reasonable mind.
Distress Tolerance
Crisis survival skills for when emotions feel overwhelming. Learn TIPP, STOP, radical acceptance, and distraction techniques to get through painful moments without making things worse.
Emotion Regulation
Understand your emotions, reduce vulnerability to negative emotions, and increase positive emotional experiences. Learn to check the facts, opposite action, and build mastery.
Interpersonal Effectiveness
Get what you need from relationships while maintaining self-respect and the relationship itself. Master DEAR MAN, GIVE, and FAST skills for assertive communication.
Ready to Schedule Your First Session?
Free 15-minute consultation · Same-week appointments · Most insurance accepted
Why DBT Skills Group?
DBT is one of the most researched and effective treatments for emotional dysregulation, with decades of evidence supporting its effectiveness (Cochrane Review: Storebø et al., 2020).
How DBT Skills Group Works
A structured, progressive program designed to build skills systematically across four essential life domains.
Orientation & Assessment
Meet with the group facilitator to discuss your goals, complete a brief assessment, and learn the DBT framework. We'll ensure the group is the right fit and review expectations.
24-Week Skills Training
Weekly 2-hour group sessions following the DBT skills manual. Each module (6 weeks) includes didactic teaching, group practice, and homework review. Diary cards track daily skill use.
Graduation & Continued Practice
Complete the full cycle with a comprehensive skills toolkit. Many members repeat the cycle to deepen skills. Individual therapy can complement group work.
What You'll Learn — The 24-Week Curriculum
The group cycles through all four standard DBT modules over 24 weeks (about six weeks each), with mindfulness revisited at the start of every module. Every session pairs teaching with practice, and weekly diary cards and homework help you carry the skills into daily life.
Mindfulness — the foundation, taught between every module
Finding "Wise Mind" — the balance between emotion and reason. The "what" skills (observe, describe, participate) and the "how" skills (non-judgmentally, one-mindfully, effectively) build the awareness every other skill depends on.
Distress Tolerance — weeks ~1–6
Getting through a crisis without making it worse: STOP, TIPP, pros and cons, the ACCEPTS distraction skills, self-soothing with the five senses, and IMPROVE the moment. Then the reality-acceptance skills — radical acceptance, turning the mind, and willingness — for the pain that can't be changed right now.
Emotion Regulation — weeks ~7–12
Naming and understanding emotions, checking the facts, and using opposite action when an emotion doesn't fit the situation. Building resilience with the PLEASE skills (caring for your body, sleep, and routines) and accumulating positive experiences so emotions are easier to manage before a crisis hits.
Interpersonal Effectiveness — weeks ~13–18
Asking for what you need and saying no while keeping your self-respect and the relationship intact: DEAR MAN for getting your point across, GIVE for protecting the relationship, and FAST for protecting your own values and self-respect.
Is the DBT Skills Group Right for You?
Often a good fit if you
- Feel emotions intensely or have a hard time calming down once upset
- Act on urges you later regret, or shut down and avoid
- Struggle with conflict, boundaries, or feeling heard in relationships
- Want concrete, practical skills — not just talk
- Are working with an individual therapist and want to add skills training
We'll help you find the right starting point
A brief orientation and assessment makes sure the group is the right fit before you commit. The DBT Skills Group is skills training — for some people, individual therapy or a higher level of care is the better first step, and we'll help you find it.
If you're ever in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, please reach out right away: call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or call 911.
Group Format, Confidentiality & What to Expect
Format. A closed cohort of 6–8 members meets weekly for a two-hour session across the 24-week cycle. Sessions are available in person at our downtown Bentonville office (240 S Main St, Suite 270) and via secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth for clients across Arkansas. Handouts and worksheets are provided each week.
Confidentiality. What's shared in group stays in group. Every member agrees to group norms that protect each other's privacy, and your clinician maintains confidentiality consistent with HIPAA and the NASW Code of Ethics. The limited exceptions — situations involving imminent safety — are explained clearly during orientation so you always know what to expect.
Cost & insurance. The group format is more affordable than individual DBT, and we verify your benefits before you start. We're a BCBS of Arkansas preferred provider and work with Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Medicare, and TRICARE; a Good Faith Estimate is provided per the No Surprises Act. See pricing & what to expect for details.
Ready to take the next step? Free 15-minute consultation — no commitment required.
Book Free Consultation → Call (479) 259-1390
Skills That Transform Daily Life
DBT skills aren't just for therapy sessions — they become part of how you navigate every day. From managing intense emotions in the moment to building relationships that truly fulfill you, these evidence-informed tools create lasting change.
Practice DBT skills anytime...
DBT Skills Card Deck
50 printable cards covering distress tolerance, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness. A handy reference to reinforce what you learn in group.
Get the Card Deck — $44.99Instant PDF download · Designed by our licensed clinicians
For educational and personal development purposes. Not a substitute for professional therapy.
Join the DBT Skills waitlist
This group starts when the cohort is full, which is why there is no date on the calendar to book. Add your name and we will call you as places open.
What this is
Adding your name puts you on the waitlist for this specific group and asks us to call you. It does not enroll you, does not charge you, and does not start therapy. Nothing is committed until you have spoken with our team.
What you would be joining
Sessions run weekly in a closed cohort of about eight members. Groups are led by a licensed clinician. Because members start and finish together, we hold places until the cohort is complete.
Cost and insurance
Groups are billed per session as they happen, never as a lump sum up front. We work with several major insurance plans and will verify your specific benefits on our call, before anything is scheduled. If you are paying privately, we will quote the per session rate on that same call.
What happens after you submit
First, your name goes on this group’s waitlist and nothing further is needed from you. Next, a member of our team calls you, usually within two business days, to answer questions, check benefits, and talk through fit. Then, if the group is right for you and a place is open, we schedule your start together on that call.
How long the wait is
We will not invent a start date we cannot keep. Some cohorts fill in a few weeks, others take longer. When you call, we will tell you honestly where this group stands and what the realistic timing looks like.
Where you can attend from
Groups meet by secure telehealth, so you can join from anywhere you are physically located in Arkansas, Arizona, Virginia, Florida, or the U.S. Virgin Islands at session time. In person is available at our Bentonville office. Not sure whether you qualify? Ask us on the call.
If you are in crisis or need help today, a waitlist is not the right first step. Call or text 988, text HOME to 741741, or call 911. If you would rather start one to one, we can usually see you the same week.
Not sure this group is the right fit? Start with a free 15-minute call.
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We could not add you just now. Please call or text (479) 259-1390 and we will put you on the DBT Skills waitlist by hand, or book a free 15-minute call. Nothing you typed was lost.
You are on the waitlist for the DBT Skills group.
Nothing else is required from you right now. A member of our team will call you, usually within two business days, to answer your questions, check your insurance benefits, and talk through whether this cohort is the right fit. If you would rather not wait, you can book a free 15-minute call instead.
Explore Related Groups
Other evidence-informed group programs that may complement your journey.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Free 15-minute consultation · Same-week appointments · Most insurance accepted
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Schedule your free 15-minute consultation — no commitment, no pressure.