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Just because you feel something doesn’t automatically mean it’s true.

Our emotions are real. But sometimes the thoughts driving them are based on assumptions, interpretations, or predictions—not facts.

✨ In DBT, we use the Check the Facts skill to slow down and ask:

✔️ What actually happened?
✔️ What evidence do I have?
✔️ Am I making assumptions?
✔️ Is there another explanation?
✔️ Does the intensity of my emotion fit the facts?

💡 Next time you notice your emotions rising, pause and ask:

“What are the facts, and what story is my mind adding?“

#DBT #DialecticalBehaviorTherapy #CheckTheFacts #EmotionRegulation #gardencitypsychologist

Things in motion stay in motion.

When anxiety, depression, stress, or burnout show up, even the smallest changes can feel surprisingly hard—especially when you’ve been stuck in survival mode or out of routine for a while.

A lot of people wait for motivation to return before they start acting again. But motivation often follows behavior—not the other way around. And waiting for the “right moment” can quietly keep us stuck.

If you’re feeling stuck, remember this: small actions create momentum. Momentum makes the next step easier.

#psychologist #CBT #DBT #nassaucountypsychologist #gardencity

Crisis survival skills are designed for moments of high intensity—not as a default way of moving through life. They help you get through the surge without making things worse, but when they become the only tools you reach for, it can feel like you’re always in crisis. I promise it doesn’t have to be this way.

If you’re ready to learn skills, reach out for a consultation!

#dbtskillstraining

Excited to share we’re adding another DBT skills group on Mondays at 3PM.

One thing my clients really value? Flexibility.

While you’ll have a “home” group, you can join other groups when your schedule changes—because real life isn’t rigid.

Now enrolling 💻
Reach out via call/text at 631-319-0942 or email admin@drcecilyportillo.com to schedule an intake!

Interpersonal myths can quietly shape how we show up in relationships—leading to avoidance, over-explaining, or taking on too much responsibility.

DBT helps us notice these patterns and practice more effective, balanced communication in real time.

Is there a myth that stood out to you most?

#interpersonalmyths #interpersonaleffectiveness #DBTskills

Practice one of the WHAT skills of mindfulness: Observe

Can you simply observe what comes up for you ?

#dbtskillstraining #mindfulnesspractice🧘🏻‍♀️ #dbtskills #mindfulness

In DBT, the three states of mind are a core mindfulness skill.

Reasonable Mind brings logic.
Emotion Mind brings meaning and values.
Wise Mind is the integration — the part of us that can pause, notice what’s true, and choose what’s effective.

To build a life worth living, we need the ability to balance both sides.

Sometimes my patients believe they don’t have a Wise Mind. And while it may feel that way at times, it simply means they haven’t practiced recognizing what Wise Mind feels like yet.

We all have a Wise Mind — and with practice, it becomes easier to access when we truly need it.

#DBTSKILLS #3statesofmind #psychologist #DBT #mindfulness

If positive emotions feel rare in your life, it may not be because you’re failing at coping.

It may be because your life isn’t currently set up to allow them to happen.

This is where the DBT skill accumulating positives in the long term begins — with clarifying your values.

Pause and ask yourself:
What do I value?
What am I grateful for?
What actually matters to me?

Values aren’t something you complete or check off a to-do list. They guide what you prioritize — including what you say yes and no to.

When your days start to reflect your values, you create the conditions for positive emotions to show up, both now and over time.

If you’re interested in learning DBT skills, reach out for the upcoming entry period!

#dbttherapy #DBT #nassaucountyny #gardencitypsychologist #emotionregulation

In group, we’ll be reviewing emotion regulation this week.
If there’s one thing I want patients to take away from the next few weeks, it’s this:

Emotion regulation skills are lifestyle skills.

They’re the everyday things we do that reduce the impact of the stressors that inevitably come our way.
In DBT, we call this building emotional resilience—or more simply, building a cushion.

Emotion regulation isn’t what you’re doing during a crisis.
It’s what you’re doing before one shows up.

Are you underfed?
Sleep deprived?
Sedentary?
Overextended?
Running on empty?

Because when your baseline is already stretched thin, even small stressors can feel overwhelming.

Building the cushion doesn’t make life stress-free.
It makes it less destabilizing.

And that’s the goal.

#DBT #dbtskillstraining #emotionregulation #dbttherapy #gardencitypsychologist

Happy New Year! 🎆

Here’s to a year of gentleness, grounding, and choosing what supports your well‑being.

Acceptance is acknowledging reality without the extra struggle.

“The house is messy.” Thats the skill.

#dbtskills #radicalacceptance #DBT #Nassaupsychologist #nypsychologist #dbttherapist #dbtskillstraining

Many people tell me they’ve been recommended DBT treatment but aren’t really sure what that means.

DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) is a comprehensive treatment, and Skills Training is one important component of it. I want you to understand what that actually entails.

Skills group can sometimes sound intimidating—people often worry they’ll have to “bare” their soul in front of others. While there’s space for vulnerability, the focus is on learning practical skills that many of us wish we’d been taught earlier in life.

In group, we cover four modules designed to help you navigate emotions, relationships, and everyday stressors with more balance:
🌿 Mindfulness
💛 Emotion Regulation
🔥 Distress Tolerance
💬 Interpersonal Effectiveness

These are the tools that help you build a life that feels more manageable—and more meaningful.

📍Curious about joining or want to learn more? Send me a message or visit the link in my bio.

—Dr. Cecily Portillo, PhD, DBT-LBC

#DBTskills #dbtskillstraining #DBTtraining #dialecticalbehavioraltherapy #marshalinehan #dbtlbc #DBTtherapy #dbttherapist

A parent reached out to me for a private evaluation, and my first question was: “Have you tried requesting testing through the school?”

They were surprised — they didn’t know that was an option. And they’re not alone. Many families don’t realize they have this right.

✅ You don’t need proof.
If your child is consistently struggling — with reading, focusing, regulating emotions, or keeping up academically — that’s reason enough to request an evaluation.

✅ Schools must respond.
Once you submit a written request, the school is legally required to follow a timeline for consent and evaluation.

✅ Evaluations unlock support.
Results can open the door to accommodations, interventions, or services through an IEP or 504 Plan.

✅ Private evaluations offer deeper insight.
While school testing focuses primarily on eligibility for services, a comprehensive private evaluation can go further — helping clarify whether challenges are related to a learning disability, ADHD, or emotional and behavioral conditions such as anxiety or mood disorders.

This is where I can help. My assessments are designed to provide a full picture of a child’s cognitive, academic, emotional, and behavioral functioning. This information not only supports accurate diagnosis but also guides meaningful next steps — from therapy and classroom accommodations to treatment planning and skill-building.

💡 An evaluation is more than a report — it’s a roadmap. When we understand how a child learns, thinks, and feels, we can design the right support so they can thrive — both in and out of the classroom.

#psychologists #PSA #academicsupports #learningdisabilities #privatetesting #psychoeducationalevaluation #assessments #nassaucounty #childpsychologist

In our DBT skills group this week, we’re diving into interpersonal effectiveness — and today, we started with a conversation about dialectics.

I kicked things off with a simple exercise using optical illusions. The instructions? 👉🏽 Find both images.

Dialectics is about holding more than one truth at the same time. It’s the practice of searching for another way of looking at a situation — even (and especially) when one perspective feels more obvious or “right.”

In a way, optical illusions give us a chance to practice this skill. They ask us to slow down, stay curious, and look beyond the first thing we see.

And this isn’t just a neat brain trick — it’s an essential skill in real life. In a world that often pushes us toward division and black-and-white thinking, dialectics helps us:
✨ Get unstuck by acknowledging the opposites.
✨ Stay flexible instead of rigid.
✨ Reduce conflict and find new ways forward.

So here’s your invitation: Can you find both images? And maybe more importantly — where in your life could you practice “finding the other perspective” too?

#DBT #dbtskillsgroup #dialectics #dialecticalbehaviortherapy #GardenCity #dbtskillstraining #mentalhealthtools #dialecticalthinking #DBTLBC #NYpsychologist #ClinicalPsychologist

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Emotion Dysregulation— What is that anyway?

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Cecily Portillo, Ph.D.

Resources

Follow us on Instagram

Overcoming Perfectionism

Emotion Dysregulation— What is that anyway?

Conflict in Your Relationships

Resources

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Follow us on Instagram

Overcoming Perfectionism

Emotion Dysregulation— What is that anyway?

Conflict in Your Relationships