Borderline Personality Disorder, Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder (or traits of), emotional dysregulation related mental health issues of varying kinds and associated symptoms such as, self harm behaviours and suicidal ideation. DBT can also be beneficial for those with chronic anxiety & depression. You don’t have to have a clinical diagnose to benefit from DBT. It can be really helpful for highly sensitive people who to regulate their emotional responses more effectively.
CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and DBT (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy) are both evidence-based therapies that help people change unhelpful thoughts and behaviours, but they differ in focus, structure and techniques:-
CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)
Focus: Identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviours.
Goal: Help people become aware of distorted thinking and respond to challenging situations in more effective ways.
Approach: Cognitive restructuring (challenging unhelpful thoughts).
Behavioural experiments (trying new behaviours to test beliefs).
Commonly used for: Depression, anxiety, OCD, phobias and more.
DBT has been designed with emotion regulation as the focus. In addition, it incorporates mindfulness skills and explores how you interact with yourself and others.
DBT (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy)
Focus: Managing intense emotions, improving relationships and increasing emotional regulation.
Goal: Help people accept themselves and change harmful behaviours (this is the “dialectic”.
Approach: Combines CBT techniques with mindfulness and acceptance strategies.
Includes four core skill modules:-
1. Mindfulness
2. Distress Tolerance
3. Emotion Regulation
4. Interpersonal Effectiveness
Includes skills group sessions where DBT skills are taught, individual 1:1 sessions and out of session skills coaching.
Originally developed for: Borderline Personality Disorder but now used for many issues involving emotion dysregulation (e.g. PTSD, eating disorders, self harm).
DBT is a skills group programme with a number of elements designed to be effective when used together. DBT is not a 1:1 therapy. It is possible to have DBT informed individual therapy but is not Dialectical Behaviour Therapy.
Highly sensitive people’s emotional responses are often misunderstood. Being part of a group with like minded individuals offers validation and support that some clients have never experienced. In addition, many emotion regulation issues show up in relationships and interactions with others. The group provides an opportunity to develop interpersonal skills with others in group in a non-judgemental, contained environment.
The DBT skills group programmes will give you a foundation of knowledge and skills which will make you more effective building a life worth living. You will have skills to cope more effectively with distress, identify and regulate emotions, problem solve and balance relationships. It takes time and practice to implement new behaviours in daily living. The Step Down Skills Group Programme has been developed to those who want to advance the skills they have learned. Step Down offers clients the time and space to practice the skills learned and embed them into daily living.
