Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is a form of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy that was developed to help individuals with Borderline Personality Disorders and for those with chronic self-harming and suicidal behaviour so they can work towards their goals and make their life worth living. As this therapy method focuses on stopping the self-harming and suicidal behaviour it may feel worrying and frightening to begin working on these issues, hence your therapist will not begin this therapy method unless you are agreeable to working with them on this issue. 

DBT helps the individual learn practical skills and tools for emotional regulation which will in turn help improve one’s ability for self management and dealing with inerpersonal problems. There are four main skills taught in DBT: mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and emotional regulation. 

There is significant evidence pointing towards the effectiveness of DBT in reducing self-harming, suicidal, substance misuse, anger and depression. 

What to expect from therapy: 

• Your therapy sessions will be a combination of individual therapy and skills’ training.  
• Your therapist will be challenging in their approach to reduce your resilience for unhelpful, destructive behaviours hence the therapy process will require a considerable amount of motivation and resilience for change on your end. 
• This will be a long-term therapy process.