How DBT IOP Can Help You Manage Anxiety: Unique Strategies You Might Not Know

Image of an anxious woman sitting in a window sill covering her face with her hands. If you struggle with anxiety, discover how learning DBT at an adult intensive outpatient program in Houston, TX can help you.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is well-known for its effectiveness in managing intense emotions, but did you know it can also be a game-changer for anxiety? While DBT is often associated with treating borderline personality disorder, its principles and techniques are highly effective for reducing anxiety and reshaping the way we respond to it. It’s helpful for coping with most of the stress that we experience. Learning DBT in an IOP can help bring faster relief as you learn skills quicker and get more practice. 

Image of a stressed man sitting in an office covering his face. With the support of an adult IOP in Houston, TX you can begin coping with your anxiety symptoms in positive ways.

How DBT IOP Can Help Manage Anxiety

If you’re looking for some fresh ideas to manage anxiety, here are ten unique ways from a DBT therapist that DBT can help:

Willingness Over Willfulness

Anxiety often creates a battle between resisting discomfort and desperately trying to control outcomes. DBT encourages willingness, which means accepting the present moment and leaning into it instead of resisting. When we can’t control the situation or change it at the moment, then fighting against the discomfort makes it worse. Acceptance doesn’t erase the discomfort, but it lowers the amount of suffering you experience. Pain can’t be helped but suffering (our response to pain) can.

  • Try this: Visualize yourself “opening your hands” to the situation, both physically and mentally, and say to yourself, “This is hard, but I’m willing to try.”

Pros and Cons for Avoidance Behaviors

Avoidance is a common response to anxiety (of course we want to avoid something that doesn’t feel good), but it often reinforces the fear and makes the anxiety worse. DBT’s Pros and Cons tool helps evaluate the short-term comfort of avoiding anxiety triggers versus the long-term benefits of facing them.

  • Try this: Write down the pros and cons of facing versus avoiding a specific anxiety-inducing situation. Reflect on how avoidance impacts your goals and relationships over time.

Reality Testing with ‘Check the Facts’

Anxiety thrives on distorted thoughts and worst-case scenarios. DBT’s Check the Facts skill teaches you to challenge these distortions with evidence-based thinking.

  • Try this: Write down your anxious thought and ask, “What evidence supports this?” and “What evidence doesn’t?” Then, reframe the thought to reflect the full picture.

Find Your Wise Mind

Anxiety can tip the balance into either emotional overdrive or overly logical detachment. DBT helps you find Wise Mind, a state that balances emotion and reason for clear, grounded decision-making.

  • Try this: Practice finding your wise mind by asking, “In my deepest part of myself, what do I believe is the best choice for me to make?”

Opposite Action with Physical Posture Shifts

Anxiety doesn’t just affect your mind; it impacts your body. Adopting a confident physical posture can send calming signals to your brain and reduce anxiety’s grip.

  • Try this: When feeling anxious, stand tall, roll your shoulders back, and take deep breaths. Even smiling can counteract anxious tension.
    Image of a smiling man sitting on a couch opposite a therapist. If you find yourself stuck unable to move forward due to anxiety, find support with adult IOP in Houston, TX.

    Behavioral Activation for Anxiety Paralysis

    Anxiety can leave you stuck, unable to move forward. DBT’s Behavioral Activation involves taking small, intentional actions to combat this paralysis.

    • Try this: Break a daunting task into tiny steps. Commit to working on it for just five minutes, knowing you can stop if needed—but you might find momentum to keep going.

    Use Metaphors to Shift Perspective

    Anxiety often feels overwhelming because we identify so closely with it. Metaphors can help create distance and reframe your experience.

    • Try this: Picture your anxiety as a wave—it rises, crests, and falls, but it won’t last forever. Alternatively, think of anxiety as a radio playing in the background. You don’t have to engage with it; just let it be.

    Practice Radical Acceptance of Uncertainty

    One of anxiety’s biggest triggers is the fear of the unknown. DBT’s Radical Acceptance skill encourages embracing life’s uncertainties rather than fighting them.

    • Try this: Repeat the mantra, “I don’t have to know everything right now.” Pair this with mindfulness practices that focus on letting go of the need to control.

    Create a ‘Cope Ahead’ Toolkit

    Preparation reduces anxiety about future challenges. DBT’s Cope Ahead strategy helps you proactively plan for anxiety-inducing situations.

    • Try this: Identify potential triggers and difficult situations and brainstorm specific coping strategies for each one. Include sensory tools, grounding exercises, or affirmations in a physical or mental “toolkit” for quick access.

    Leverage Creative Outlets

    Expressing emotions through creativity can provide relief from anxiety while also channeling your energy into something meaningful.

    • Try this: Use journaling to externalize anxious thoughts or engage in a creative activity like painting, dancing, or playing music to express emotions physically.

    Why DBT IOP Works for Anxiety

    DBT combines acceptance and change, helping you tolerate distressing emotions while building a toolkit of skills to reshape unhelpful patterns. Whether you’re battling generalized anxiety, social fears, or situational stress, DBT can provide a structured, empowering approach.

    By incorporating these less common DBT strategies into your anxiety management routine, you can build resilience and gain a sense of control over your mind and body.

    Would you like to explore any of these skills in greater depth or learn how to apply them to your unique challenges?  Call us for DBT therapy at Houston DBT Center.

    Image of a smiling relaxed woman sitting on a couch. If you are overwhelmed with your anxiety, find support by learning DBT with adult IOP in Houston, TX.

    Begin Managing Your Anxiety With DBT at an Adult IOP in Houston, TX

    Struggling with anxiety that feels overwhelming? Our DBT Adult IOP offers structured support to help you build coping skills, regulate emotions, and regain control of your life. At Houston DBT Center, our expert team provides compassionate guidance to help you navigate anxiety with confidence. Follow these three simple steps to get started:

    1. Call 713-973-2800 or email administration@houstondbtcenter.com today for a free consultation.
    2. Meet with a skilled DBT therapist to evaluate your needs and goals.
    3. Begin managing your anxiety!

    Other Services Offered by Houston DBT Center

    At Houston DBT Center, we offer more than just DBT Adult IOP to help you manage your anxiety symptoms. Our comprehensive services include trauma-focused treatments like DBT and EMDR, along with Radically Open DBT, Teen IOP, parent coaching, and play therapy. With a team of over 15 dedicated therapists, we provide tailored support for a range of mental health concerns while working collaboratively with your family for the best outcomes. If you’re ready to explore your options, get in touch with us. Be sure to check out our blog for more valuable insights!