Linda Spielman , LCSW

Linda Spielman is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with 23 years of experience who focuses on supporting adolescents, young adults, and parents. Intensively trained by the Linehan Institute in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), she co-founded the first DBT practice in Austin, Texas (2005-2024) and brings deep training in skills-based intervention to her work.

She also offers a trauma-informed psychodynamic approach that explores how past experiences and relational patterns shape current feelings and behavior. Linda blends practical skills training with attention to underlying emotional themes so clients can manage symptoms while addressing root causes.

Linda's warm, authentic manner helps people feel understood while working through sensitive material, building coping strategies, and creating lasting change. After a guest appearance on The Today Show, she produced an instructional DVD titled "Teens who Self-Injure" and has trained hundreds of school counselors, teachers, and nurses on that topic. Her three years of post-graduate study include Family Systems, Mindfulness, and Attachment therapy, which inform her work with individuals and families.

Evidence-Based Approaches and Online Therapy Options

Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, focuses on teaching practical skills for emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and present-moment awareness. It is especially helpful for people who struggle with intense emotions, impulsive behaviors, or difficulty managing crisis moments.

A trauma-informed psychodynamic approach explores how early relationships and life events influence current patterns of feeling and relating. This approach helps identify underlying themes and meanings so that symptom relief is paired with deeper understanding and healing.

Linda also incorporates mindfulness practices learned through post-graduate study to help clients develop attention and grounding skills useful across many concerns. Choosing the right approach is part of the therapy process - the therapist and client work together to determine which techniques and styles best match the client's needs, goals, and preferences.

Online therapy makes these approaches accessible via video calls, phone sessions, live chat, or text-based messaging, offering flexibility for scheduling, reduced travel, and continuity of care for those with busy or changing lives. Licensed professionals can adapt these evidence-based techniques to remote formats so therapy remains practical and effective.