Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

Our dialectical behaviour programming is available for teens and adults, combining elements of individual therapy, group skills training and parent/caregiver support.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based treatment for individuals struggling with emotional and behavioural dysregulation, including suicidality, self-harm, disordered eating, addictions, Borderline Personality Disorder, anger challenges, and treatment-resistant depression and anxiety.

DBT is a long-term treatment approach that spans a minimum of 6 months and often involves multiple elements to increase coping, understand and regulate emotions, and improve relational functioning. At TPWG, our DBT programming is comprised of the following components:

 

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) Skills Training Group

We offer separate DBT skills groups for adolescents, young adults, and adults.

Designed for individuals struggling with impulsive behaviours and difficulty controlling and appropriately expressing their emotions, participants will learn to develop and implement mindfulness skills, regulate their feelings, better tolerate distress, communicate with others more effectively, and improve balance in their thought, behaviour, and daily lives.

Our DBT groups run for 6 months and cover the 5 core modules of DBT:

  • Mindfulness
  • Distress Tolerance
  • Emotion Regulation
  • Interpersonal Effectiveness
  • Building Balance

 

Individual DBT Therapy

Individualized therapeutic treatment guides clients through the process of meeting goals and building a life in line with their values. In DBT, the individual treatment process helps clients develop a better understanding of their emotional and behavioural challenges and strengths while guiding the application of DBT skills to their unique lifestyles and circumstances.

DBT therapists are specifically trained to provide the appropriate balance of guidance and validation to help clients openly address their concerns and find more adaptive ways of coping. They root the therapeutic relationship in deep respect and admiration for clients while believing in their resilience and ability to build a life free of suffering.

Individual DBT treatment is comprised of two primary stages. The first stage focuses on the cessation of problematic behaviours such as substance use, self-harm, suicidality, and other impulsive behaviours that impact the quality of life and relationships.
The second stage of DBT emphasizes the treatment of trauma and the building of healthy relationships in the absence of problematic behaviours. The staged nature of DBT, along with the multiple elements of treatment, provides a well-rounded approach that creates space to establish new patterns and healthy daily habits.

 

Caregiver Support DBT Skills Group

This group is designed to support individuals living with or loving those struggling with impulsivity and/or emotion regulation issues.

This group supports participants in better understanding the struggles of their loved ones and teaches specific skills and strategies so they can respond more effectively, abstain from reinforcing problematic behaviours, improve communication and connection, and ultimately support recovery.

For those with loved ones in DBT treatment, this group helps parents and partners facilitate an environment outside of the therapy room where DBT skills can be reinforced and strengthened.

 

Individual Caregiver DBT Therapy

TPWG offers individualized therapy for those looking to address specific concerns related to a loved one struggling with emotion dysregulation. Individual caregiver treatment will teach DBT skills that apply most to your own concerns and offer guidance in reaching your family’s personal goals.

 

DBT Adolescent Caregiver Workshop

A key component to the success of DBT for adolescents is parental involvement.

Our Adolescent DBT Program incorporates a 1-hour caregiver workshop as part of the introduction to DBT. This workshop is required for admittance into the program, and incorporates instruction on the following:

  1. Principles & practices of DBT
  2. Causes & consequences of emotion dysregulation in youth
  3. How parents can implement skills to successfully support their youth throughout the program

 

Register for the DBT Adolescent Caregiver Workshop here [Link Coming Soon]