Life is chaotic. That’s not a constant, but it is a fact. Growing up is messy. You’re overwhelmed by emotions, triggers, ruminating thoughts, and anxiety about the future. For young adults, this is especially true. You're navigating independence, identity, relationships, expectations, and maybe even the pressure to seem like you’ve got it all together when, inside, things feel like they’re spiraling out of control.
That’s where DBT comes in. At Monument Recovery, we don’t just teach DBT because it’s trendy. We teach it because it works. In the words of our Clinical Director, Bradley Wagner: "DBT skills aren’t just for treatment—they’re for life." And if you’re in recovery or even thinking about it, you need tools that go beyond 30 days.
“Clients learn self-regulation instead of turning to substances.”
Bradley sees people come into treatment at Monument and their only coping skill for life is drugs and alcohol. Addiction progresses to a point where you’re not even chasing a high anymore, you’re trying to manage the underlying emotions whether that be anxiety, trauma, anger, or just boredom. Recovery is about learning to develop new tools for handling life on life’s terms.
That’s a big difference in thinking. When you’ve spent time impulsively reacting to everything with numbness, you have to consciously learn how to pause, breathe, and ride out negative emotions. Because those emotions will still crop up from time-to-time, but they don’t last forever. You can ride them out and survive without resorting to drugs or alcohol.
It’s all about forming new habits.
Relapse happens from time to time. It’s not a guarantee but it is something to pay attention to and be aware of. One of the most powerful ways DBT supports long-term recovery is by lowering that risk.
In early sobriety, your brain is undergoing profound changes. It is healing from the damage of substance abuse and rewiring itself. Your emotions feel more intense. Your thoughts and mood may swing from end-to-end. With DBT, you’re given a set of skills to handle these moments.
"Mindfulness and emotional regulation prevent relapse," says Wagner—and it’s true. Mindfulness teaches you to observe what’s happening in your body and brain without immediately reacting. Emotional regulation helps you name and manage emotions like anger, jealousy, grief, or loneliness, so you don’t feel like you’re drowning in them.
Recovery means facing all that life has to offer, one real-world situation at a time.
"Clients develop confidence in handling real-world challenges," Bradley shares. And that’s where the power of DBT lies. It’s more than just doing work in group therapy. It really shines when you’re late for work and panicking. You start realizing that you have choices. You can tolerate distress. You do have boundaries. And that builds something way more powerful than just sobriety—it builds confidence.
At Monument Recovery, we integrate DBT into our young adult addiction treatment program in a way that’s active, relatable, and real. You’re not just sitting therapy sessions—you’re practicing skills, role-playing real-life situations, and figuring out how to apply them your way.
"Recovery is about learning new ways to cope," Wagner emphasizes. That’s the heart of what we do. Whether you’re struggling with substances, co-occurring mental health conditions, or just feeling lost—DBT is one of the strongest foundations we can offer.
"DBT skills aren’t just for treatment—they’re for life."
If you’re curious about how DBT could fit into your treatment journey, reach out. We’re here to help you build a recovery plan that’s practical, personal, and rooted in real-life tools. Because healing isn’t about pretending you’re never going to struggle again. It’s about learning how to deal when you do.