top of page

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy

Overview


Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is a comprehensive and evidence-based treatment developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan in the 1980s, initially to treat individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD). DBT combines cognitive-behavioural techniques with elements of mindfulness and dialectics, aiming to help individuals develop skills for managing difficult emotions, building healthier relationships, and living a more fulfilling life.

Click to watch!

ree

Process

DBT emphasizes four key skill sets:

  1. Mindfulness: Clients learn to increase awareness of their thoughts, emotions, and sensations in the present moment without judgment. Mindfulness practices help individuals develop greater self-awareness and emotional regulation.

  2. Distress Tolerance: Clients learn coping strategies to tolerate distressing emotions without resorting to harmful behaviours. These skills help individuals navigate crises and prevent impulsive reactions.

  3. Emotion Regulation: Clients learn strategies for identifying, understanding, and effectively managing their emotions. Emotion regulation skills help individuals decrease emotional vulnerability and increase emotional resilience.

  4. Interpersonal Effectiveness: Clients learn assertiveness, communication, and problem-solving skills to navigate interpersonal relationships more effectively. These skills help individuals build healthier relationships and achieve their goals while maintaining self-respect and boundaries.

Benefits

  1. Enhanced Emotion Regulation: DBT equips individuals with practical skills to recognize, understand, and regulate their emotions effectively. By learning strategies to manage intense emotions and reduce emotional vulnerability, individuals can experience greater stability and resilience in their daily lives.

  2. Improved Interpersonal Relationships: DBT teaches assertiveness, communication, and conflict resolution skills, enabling individuals to navigate interpersonal interactions more effectively. By fostering healthier relationships and boundaries, DBT helps individuals build stronger connections and reduce interpersonal conflicts.

  3. Effective Coping with Crises: DBT provides individuals with distress tolerance skills to cope with crises and overwhelming emotions without resorting to harmful behaviors. By learning adaptive coping strategies, individuals can navigate difficult situations with greater resilience and prevent impulsive reactions that may lead to negative outcomes.

What can I expect?

Here's what clients can typically expect:


Assessment and Goal Setting

Psychoeducation

Skills Training:

Individual Therapy

Behavioural Analysis

Role-playing and Practice

Ongoing Support and Feedback

Integration and Maintenance

If you’d like more information, get in touch today.

bottom of page