The holidays have ramped things up. As a DBT specialty center working with high-risk teens, we're getting more calls from panicked parents than any other time of year.

The combination of darkness, routine disruption, and family pressure creates a perfect storm for teens already struggling with emotional regulation. But here's what parents need to understand: crisis does not automatically mean hospitalization.

After 15 years of working with suicidal teens, I've learned that distress and danger are not the same thing. How we respond shapes what happens next—and there are specific skills that keep teens safer while helping them build a life worth living.