What is dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT)?

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Traditional DBT focuses on developing four different sets of skills: interpersonal effectiveness, mindfulness, emotional regulation, and distress tolerance skills.

 

Interpersonal effectiveness skills are communication skills that help individuals ask for what they want and say no to unwanted requests. Interpersonal effectiveness also covers skills such as empathetically listening to others, balancing our needs with those of others, and how to increase the chances of getting what we want using behavioural principles.

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Emotional regulation skills help us to identify what emotions we are feeling, which ones would be helpful to change, and skills to change our emotional experiences.

 

Distress tolerance skills help us to get through a difficult situation without doing anything that may make it worse. Sometimes when we are feeling intense emotions we might do things that we later regret. Distress tolerance skills are aimed at simply helping us get through a difficult emotional experience without engaging in problem behaviours, while emotional regulation skills are aimed at helping us feel better over the long-term.

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Mindfulness skills are also a core component of DBT. Mindfulness, very simply means, paying attention on purpose to the present moment. Mindfulness skills are "core skills" in DBT because mindfulness is needed to recognize what we are feeling and then decide what to do next. 

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What is comprehensive DBT and who was it intended for?

Comprehensive DBT includes four components: a six-month DBT skills group where clients learn the skills outlined above, seeing an individual therapist for weekly individual sessions, crisis coaching available by telephone, and a DBT consultation team. Comprehensive DBT was originally designed by Marsha Linehan for individuals who have borderline personality disorder and struggle with chronic suicidality.

 

Do you offer comprehensive DBT, including telephone skills coaching?

Metta Psychological Services does not offer comprehensive DBT with telephone skills coaching or DBT skills classes. We do offer DBT-informed individual therapy services for individuals for whom this is a suitable option.

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What is a "DBT-informed" approach?

DBT-informed approaches can be helpful for many people who could benefit from a subset of the skills covered in traditional DBT (interpersonal effectiveness, mindfulness, emotional regulation, or distress tolerance). For example, DBT-informed approaches may be helpful for individuals that struggle with regulating emotions, assertiveness or communication skills, or who wish to decrease impulsive behaviours. 

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