why does it take a crisis to be taken seriously?

October 23, 2026 · 44 min

Show notes

do you want to start therapy but are worried about what your parents might think? are your parents making you try therapy but you don’t know what to expect? whether therapy is your idea or theirs, this episode breaks down why dialectical behavioral therapy (dbt) can help families navigate even the most challenging mental health issues (content warning for brief mentions of SH).

today’s guest is dr. jill rathus— a world-renowned authority on dbt. she co-developed dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents and families alongside dr. alec miller and dr. marsha linehan and is the co-author of several of the leading texts on this subject, including the widely used dbt skills manual for adolescents.

in this episode, dr. rathus shares her expertise on a number of teen mental health topics, including how to tell if a teen is dealing with mental health issues and what steps a family can take to help.

we talk about:

01:38 what an initial dbt appointment can look like

09:02 common concerns that teens + parents have about mental health

13:07 qualifying “normal” teen behavior vs. a mental health issue

18:39 why it often takes a crisis for teen mental health to be taken seriously

22:42 signs that a teenager is reaching out for help with their mental health

23:55 how to validate someone who’s struggling (+ common invalidating responses)

26:04 strict vs. lenient parenting styles + how that impacts teen mental health

28:53 starting family therapy + what that involves

35:55 applying therapy to daily life in ways that actually work

39:43 why dr. rathus is hopeful about teen mental health

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