Beyond the Urge: DBT Tools for Adolescents Who Self-Harm

 Adolescents who engage in self-harm often struggle with intense emotions, impulsivity, and distress intolerance. This training provides mental health professionals with practical, evidence-based strategies from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to help adolescents manage self-harming behaviors and build healthier coping skills.

Participants will learn how to apply core DBT skills—including distress tolerance, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness—to support teens in reducing self-injury and developing long-term emotional resilience. This training will equip clinicians with the tools needed to foster meaningful change in adolescents struggling with self-harm. 

Objectives

•   Understanding the Fundamentals of DBT.
• Recognizing the Developmental Context of Adolescents.
• Building a Strong Therapeutic Relationship with Adolescents.
• Identifying the Underlying Causes of Self-Harm.
• Teaching DBT Skills for Self-Harm Prevention.
• Managing Crisis Situations and Self-Harm Incidents.
• Incorporating Family Involvement and Support.

About Amber Satwalekar

Amber Satwalekar is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a private practice specializing in the treatment of anxiety, depression, low self-worth, and trauma. She has been licensed and in private practice since 2020.

Amber earned her Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Southern Nazarene University in 2018. She has extensive experience working with both adolescents and adults, helping them navigate emotional challenges and break free from unhelpful patterns. She utilizes Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) with adolescents struggling with self-harm and emotional dysregulation, as well as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT), and Person-Centered Therapy.