DBT skills training programme

Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) is one of the most researched treatments for people with difficulties in regulating their emotions. It was originally developed by Dr Marsha Linehan for self-harming individuals who met criteria for borderline personality disorder (BPD). DBT was proven effective in reducing suicidal behaviour, self-injury, impulsivity, disruptions to personal relationships, and improving social functioning. DBT is also applied as a treatment for eating and mood disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, childhood sexual abuse and substance dependency, and is now the go-to treatment for improving emotional regulation skills in those diagnosed with anxiety and ADHD or ADD. DBT is a team-based programme which entails weekly individual therapy and skills classes, phone skills coaching available seven days a week and DBT team consultation.

There are four core DBT modules which are attended as part of the full DBT programme. It takes 34 weeks to complete them all once, however, as the research studies conducted on DBT for BPD have all included one year of this intensive treatment, we recommend that clients commit to DBT for one year. This is subject to individual circumstances. The skills classes can be attended without involvement in individual therapy sessions. 

• Core mindfulness and the middle path consists of six weekly sessions and is designed to teach you how to increase your awareness levels, decrease reactivity, and judgmental-ness, focus better, train your attention, accept current moment experiences, and be more compassionate towards yourself. This module will also teach you how to avoid taking extreme positions and instead acknowledge the validity of different positions and others' perspectives.
• The distress tolerance module lasts for eight weeks and is centred on accepting difficult situations and emotions and finding ways to survive and tolerate the moment without engaging in problematic behaviours such as self-harm, conflict, or impulsive substance misuse.
• Emotion regulation entails 12 weekly classes and involves learning to recognise and label current emotions, identify obstacles to changing emotions, reduce emotional vulnerability and reactivity, increase positive emotions, and change emotions that are unhelpful or unwarranted.
• Interpersonal effectiveness is spread over eight weeks and teaches strategies for asking for what you need, saying no, setting boundaries and coping with interpersonal conflict in a way that influences others whilst enhancing the relationship and your respect. This module is of particular relevance to individuals who experience their relationships as chaotic, intense and unstable, and it teaches strategies for maintaining balanced relationships.

For more information, please visit www.mind-reframed.com/dbtskills.