DBT Therapy

DBT therapy is a type of psychotherapy developed by Dr. Marsha Lineman in the late 1980s.

DBT was originally developed by Dr. Lineman to treat individuals with personality disorders, but has been found to be an effective psychotherapeutic tool to support individuals with other mental health conditions as well, such as mood disorders, self-destructive (or self-harming) behaviours and PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder.)

 

DBT is described as dialectic, in that it aims to balance opposing beliefs, ideas and viewpoints.

 

In DBT therapy, the dialectical approach is employed to help individuals find a balance between acceptance and change.


The main goals of DBT can be summarised as follows:

  • Aid individuals to build skills for managing distress
 
  • Improve interpersonal communication and relationship
 
  • Support individuals to develop better coping strategies in response to challenges/difficulties faced
 
  • Support individuals to increase their overall quality of life.

 

The four main components of DBT practice are as follows:


  1. Mindfulness – involves learning to be fully present in the moment, being aware of your emotions, feelings and thoughts without judgement. Mindfulness helps you to increase self-awareness, cultivating an accepting, nonreactive attitude.

  2. Distress Tolerance – focuses on developing healthy mechanisms for managing emotions effectively. Distress tolerance helps you to identify and label your feelings and emotions, regulate intense emotional states and increase your emotional resilience.

  3. Emotional Regulation – supports you to manage and understand your emotions effectively. Emotional regulation supports you to increase your emotional resilience, learning tools and skills to regulate intense emotions.

  4. Interpersonal Skills – supports you to enhance your communication and relationship skills. These include strategies for communicating your needs effectively, setting boundaries with others in your personal and professional life, and navigating interpersonal difficulties you may face.

As a DBT trained psychotherapist, I provide a structured, supportive therapeutic environment which supports you, the client, to build resilience, develop emotional regulation and work towards positive change.

I facilitate a compassionate, non-judgemental space for you to explore your challenges and develop strategies to enhance your life.

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