Women's DBT Skills Group

The Women's DBT Skills Group is an eight-week healing workshop for women in Nashville, Tennessee, who want practical tools for managing emotions and relationships. It is held at Delilah Counseling and co-led by Dr. Andrea Santa Maria, the practice's owner and clinical director, and Maddie Maradik, a counseling intern. The group teaches Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills in a small circle of women, so the learning happens alongside others rather than alone.

DBT was developed by psychologist Marsha Linehan and is one of the most extensively researched psychological treatments for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness. Rather than focusing only on insight, it builds everyday habits. The group is for women who are tired of reacting the same way under stress, who want to set healthier boundaries, break patterns of people-pleasing, communicate their needs clearly, and feel less overwhelmed.

What to Expect

The group meets weekly for eight weeks, on Wednesdays from 5:00 to 6:00pm. Each session follows a familiar rhythm: a brief check-in, a mindfulness practice to ground the room, teaching on that week's skill, and time to practice it together through discussion, role-play, or real examples members bring in.

The weeks move through:

- the foundations of DBT and mindfulness
- understanding why emotions arise and what they communicate
- managing intense emotions without shutting down
- getting through difficult moments without making them worse
- communication and boundaries
- relationship patterns that no longer serve you
- applying the skills to work stress, friendships, dating, and family
- reflecting on progress and planning for growth after the group ends

Every member leaves with a personalized skills plan. Early sessions are lower-pressure, mostly learning and light discussion, and sharing deepens as trust builds. No one is put on the spot or pushed to share more than feels right. The group is kept intentionally small so each woman gets attention and space.

About Dr. Andrea Santa Maria

Dr. Andrea Santa Maria is the founder and clinical director of Delilah Counseling. She specializes in working with women experiencing anxiety, relationship concerns, OCD, and life transitions, and she is passionate about making therapy practical, collaborative, and genuinely helpful.

About Maddie Maradik

Maddie Maradik is a counseling intern at Delilah Counseling. She works with women navigating anxiety, self-esteem, emotional regulation, and relationship concerns. Her approachable, compassionate style helps clients feel comfortable while building skills for lasting growth.

The Place

All meetings take place at Delilah Counseling, 619 Woodland St, Nashville, TN 37206. Delilah Counseling describes itself as a safe space for women and girls to be seen, known, and heard in therapy, with a genuine, hands-on approach that leaves clients feeling confident and prepared for hard moments.

Before You Go

No diagnosis, prior therapy experience, vocabulary, or self-help background is needed. The group suits a first step into support as well as someone who has tried several approaches. Bring yourself and, if you like to take notes, a notebook. Most materials are provided, and some weeks include a printed worksheet or skill card to take home. You will be told ahead of time if anything specific is needed.

Enrollment begins with a screening call, and cycles tend to fill quickly, so it helps to reach out early.