DBT is a treatment for severe and persistent emotional and behavioural difficulties. DBT is a specific type of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) developed in the late 1980s by psychologist Marsha M. Linehan to treat borderline personality disorder. Since its development, it has also been used for the treatment of other kinds of mental health disorders.
DBT uses a combination of individual therapy and skills training to manage strong emotions and behavioural dyscontrol. Group Therapy Practice provides the skills training component of DBT.
DBT SKILLS TRAINING
Skills training is delivered to a group of up to ten people.
The group is run like a class where the group leader teaches the skills and assigns homework for clients to practice using the skills in their everyday lives.
The training involves attending a two-hour session of training each week, for 20 weeks. The training is delivered in a private practice room by a Psychologist.
CONTENT
The core DBT Skills are:
- Mindfulness: the practice of being fully aware and present in this one moment
- Distress Tolerance: how to tolerate pain in difficult situations, not change it
- Interpersonal Effectiveness: how to ask for what you want and say no while maintaining self-respect and relationships with others
- Emotion Regulation: how to change emotions that you want to change
PEOPLE WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM DBT SKILLS TRAINING
Although the strongest evidence exists for DBT as a treatment for people with borderline personality disorder, DBT has been found to be effective for a wide variety of mental health conditions.
- borderline personality disorder,
- clinical depression and anxiety,
- self harm and suicidal behaviours,
- eating disorders,
- post-traumatic stress disorder and
- substance use problems.
PARTICIPANTS AGE
The program is suitable for participants 18 years and over.
BEHAVIOURS PEOPLE WANT TO CHANGE
Research has also shown DBT to be an effective treatment for:
- clinical depression and anxiety,
- self harm and suicidal behaviours,
- eating disorders,
- post-traumatic stress disorder and
- substance use problems.
Some participants will experience several of these conditions at the same time. DBT is successfully applied to this board range of behavioural and emotional difficulties as they are viewed to be a consequence of emotional dysregulation or attempts to cope with emotional dysregulation.
PARTICIPANTS AGE
The program is suitable for participants 18 years and over.
HOW DO WE KNOW DBT SKILLS WILL HELP?
A huge body of research has been completed to ensure DBT is effective when compared to control conditions and alternative treatment. Would you like to learn more? Click here to read the research.