Addiction therapy
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Denver
Develop practical skills for emotional stability with our effective DBT approach.
Through DBT, we help people move beyond survival and toward self-discovery, equipping them with tools to manage emotions, face challenges, and build a life aligned with their values.
Format
Individual and group
Available in
Residential, PHP, IOP
Led by
Licensed clinicians
Insurance
Medicaid and most plans
On this page
Mile High Recovery Center embraces a community-centered approach to addiction treatment, where human connection and evidence-based practices come together to support profound healing. Our dialectical behavior therapy program exemplifies this philosophy, offering practical strategies and compassionate guidance for those seeking freedom from substance dependence.
We believe recovery thrives when individuals feel empowered and understood. Through DBT, we help people move beyond survival and toward self-discovery, equipping them with tools to manage emotions, face challenges, and build a life aligned with their values.
What is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)?
Dialectical Behavior Therapy is a specialized form of cognitive-behavioral therapy that focuses on balancing acceptance and change. The word “dialectical” refers to the synthesis of these seemingly opposite approaches-learning to accept yourself and your circumstances while actively working toward positive transformation. This balance is particularly valuable in addiction recovery, where both self-compassion and commitment to change are essential.
Developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan, DBT treatment has evolved into a highly effective intervention for substance use disorders. The approach addresses the emotional dysregulation that often drives addictive behaviors, providing clear, actionable methods for managing distressing feelings without resorting to substances. By building these capabilities, participants build resilience against relapse.
In our DBT program, clients participate in both individual therapy and interactive group sessions. This combination allows for personalized support alongside practical skill development in a community setting.
The Four Modules of DBT Skills Training
Every aspect of DBT is designed to be usable in real-life situations. These techniques go beyond the therapy room, helping individuals respond more skillfully to emotional discomfort, interpersonal conflict, and daily stressors.
Our structured DBT program teaches essential skills through four core modules:
Mindfulness skills – Cultivating present-moment awareness and non-judgmental observation
Distress tolerance - Developing healthy ways to manage crisis situations and intense emotions
Emotion regulation - Learning to identify, understand, and influence emotional responses
Interpersonal effectiveness – Building communication skills that preserve self-respect and relationships
Through consistent practice, people build emotional strength and adaptive coping mechanisms. These become enduring resources for maintaining sobriety and facing life’s challenges with confidence.
The Benefits of Dialectical Behavior Therapy
The DBT treatment approach offers profound benefits for individuals seeking freedom from addiction. By addressing the emotional and cognitive patterns that drive substance use, dialectical behavior therapy provides a comprehensive framework for sustainable wellness. Individuals develop not just abstinence skills, but a whole new relationship with their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Our clients experience numerous positive outcomes from DBT, including:
Reduced cravings and fewer relapses
Improved ability to identify and manage emotional triggers
Enhanced interpersonal relationships and communication
Greater distress tolerance without turning to substances
Increased mindfulness and present-moment awareness
Stronger sense of identity beyond addiction
More effective boundary-setting with others
At Mile High Recovery Center, we’ve witnessed how these benefits translate into enduring positive change. The practical nature of DBT makes it especially effective for maintaining recovery after treatment completion. As clients integrate these skills into their daily lives, they build confidence in their ability to create the life they truly want—one that makes continued sobriety both possible and rewarding.
Why Choose Mile High Recovery Center For DBT?
Dialectical behavior therapy at Mile High Recovery Center represents the central pillar of our treatment philosophy. Within these comprehensive learning environments, participants recognize that while emotional avoidance perpetuates addiction, skillful regulation fosters wellness-creating sustainable change that traditional therapy alone rarely achieves.
What Makes Our DBT Treatment Unique:
Integrative & Evidence-Based: We combine proven dialectical techniques with complementary mindfulness practices.
Skill-Building & Supportive: Our practitioners balance structured skills training with compassionate validation.
Balanced & Accessible: We create opportunities to practice both acceptance and change in a judgment-free environment.
Community-Centered: Transformation emerges through applying DBT skills within meaningful relationships and real-world contexts.
Our center’s specialized therapeutic environment in Denver offers optimal conditions for mastering DBT principles. Individuals benefit from both systematic skills training groups and collaborative practice opportunities that transform theoretical concepts into practical tools for emotional management in daily life.
Begin Outpatient Rehab at Mile High Recovery Center Today
In Denver’s City Center neighborhood, Mile High is here to help you thrive throughout the Denver Metro area. If you or someone you love is ready to take the next steps towards recovery, call us today at (303) 268-2144 to learn more about our outpatient programs.
Is it right for you?
Who Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Is For
Your clinical team builds therapy into your plan after a confidential assessment. Dialectical Behavior Therapy often helps people with:
Intense emotions
Impulsive or self-destructive behavior
Conflict in relationships
Step by step
How It Works
Tolerate
Get through distress without using
Regulate
Notice and adjust emotional responses
Relate
Navigate conflict more effectively
Affirm
Build self-awareness and self-respect
Where it fits
Available Across Our Levels of Care
Ready to talk about Dialectical Behavior Therapy? Admissions picks up 24/7.
Other therapies
Is Dialectical Behavior Therapy covered by insurance?
Therapy is part of every Mile High program. We accept Colorado Medicaid and are in-network with Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, Kaiser Permanente, Tricare and MultiPlan, and we verify before you start.
Which programs include Dialectical Behavior Therapy?
Our clinical team uses it across residential, PHP and IOP, based on your assessment and treatment plan.
How do I get started?
Call (303) 268-2144. Admissions does a short assessment, verifies insurance and can often admit you within 24 hours.
Can my family be involved?
Yes. Family therapy and family groups are part of every program.
Recovery stories
Recovery Stories From Our Alumni
Jack
Meet Jack, a man who once could not go a day without drinking. Now two years sober, he shares how Mile High Recovery Center helped him regain control and rebuild his life.
Grace
Grace began drinking to escape the pain of childhood trauma. Today she is the Director of our Alumni Program and living proof that true transformation is possible.
Colin
From meth and fentanyl use to full recovery, Colin talks honestly about how the structured support at Mile High Recovery helped him find hope and start anew.
Mile High Recovery Center Reviews
Resources
Addiction and Recovery Resources
Plain answers to the questions people look up at 2 a.m., written by our clinical team.
Blog
Addiction Recovery Blog
Hundreds of articles on substances, mental health, treatment and life in recovery.
Guide
Alcohol Addiction Guide
Signs of a drinking problem, how withdrawal works, and what treatment looks like.
Guides
All Treatment Guides
Longer guides to residential treatment, outpatient care, insurance and more.
One call starts it
Healing begins here at Our Colorado Addiction Treatment Center
If you or someone you love needs a Colorado addiction treatment center you can trust, call us. The call is confidential and it is the only step you have to take today.
100% Confidential
Joint Commission Accredited
Colorado Medicaid Accepted
Admissions 24/7
