Life can feel like an emotional rollercoaster at times, with ups and downs that challenge your ability to
stay balanced. For some people, intense emotions can feel overwhelming, leading to difficulties in
managing relationships, regulating feelings, or making decisions. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
was developed to help people navigate intense emotions and build more balanced, healthy lives. If you’ve
been struggling with emotional regulation, self-destructive behaviors, or interpersonal difficulties, DBT
might be just what you need to bring about lasting change. In this blog post, we’ll explore what DBT is,
how it works, and the many ways it can benefit you in overcoming emotional struggles and building
resilience.
What Is Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)?
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is a type of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) that focuses on
teaching individuals how to manage intense emotions, tolerate distress, and improve interpersonal
relationships. It was originally developed in the 1980s by Dr. Marsha Linehan to treat individuals with
borderline personality disorder (BPD), but over time, it has proven effective for a variety of mental health
conditions, including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The term “dialectical” refers to the process of accepting things as they are, while also striving to make
positive changes. In DBT, clients learn to balance two seemingly opposing concepts: acceptance of their
current emotional state and commitment to making changes that improve their lives. This balance of
acceptance and change is the core principle of DBT.
DBT focuses on four main areas:
Mindfulness – Paying attention to the present moment with full awareness, without judgment.
Distress Tolerance – Learning how to cope with crises or intense emotional pain without resorting to
harmful behaviours.
Emotion Regulation – Developing skills to manage and reduce the intensity of negative emotions.
Interpersonal Effectiveness – Building healthier relationships through effective communication,
boundaries, and assertiveness.
How Does DBT Work?
DBT combines individual therapy, skills training, and support to help individuals develop healthier ways of
thinking, feeling, and acting. Here’s how it can work in practice:
Individual Therapy
In individual therapy, clients work one-on-one with a trained DBT therapist. The therapist helps the client
explore and process personal issues, focusing on areas that are most relevant to their current struggles.
The therapist and client work collaboratively to set goals, understand emotional patterns, and implement
DBT skills.
Skills Training Group
DBT may also include a skills training group where clients learn practical skills to improve their emotional
and social functioning. This group setting provides clients with an opportunity to learn from one another
and practice new techniques in a supportive environment.
Phone Coaching
In some cases, DBT therapists offer phone coaching to provide additional support between sessions. This
allows clients to reach out when they’re facing difficult emotional moments or crises, supporting them in
applying their DBT skills in real-time situations.
Consultation Team
DBT therapists may also work together in a team to provide each other with guidance and support. This
team approach helps ensure that therapists are providing the most effective care and remain focused on
the best interests of their clients.
The Four Core DBT Skills
The central goal of DBT is to help individuals better manage emotions and create meaningful, balanced
lives. To achieve this, DBT teaches a set of four core skills that address specific areas of emotional
difficulty. Here’s a closer look at each one:
Mindfulness – Being Present in the Moment
Mindfulness is the foundation of DBT and involves focusing on the present moment with full awareness. It
teaches individuals how to observe their thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations without judgment. By
practicing mindfulness, individuals become more in tune with their emotions and are less likely to be
overwhelmed by them.
Some mindfulness techniques used in DBT include:
– Breathing exercises to bring attention to the body.
– Noticing and naming emotions without getting caught up in them.
– Grounding exercises to stay present and focused in the here and now.
Mindfulness helps individuals develop greater self-awareness and emotional clarity, reducing impulsivity
and reactive behaviours.
Distress Tolerance – Coping with Crisis
Distress tolerance skills are designed to help individuals survive painful emotions or crises without
resorting to self-destructive behaviours. These skills focus on accepting distressing emotions as a part of
life, rather than avoiding or numbing them.
Key distress tolerance techniques include:
Radical acceptance – Accepting things as they are, without judgment or resistance.
Self-soothing – Engaging in activities that bring comfort, such as listening to music, taking a warm bath, or engaging in calming activities.
Distracting – Using activities like reading, exercising, or drawing to shift focus away from distressing
emotions.
Distress tolerance skills help individuals build resilience and find healthier ways of coping with difficult
emotions and situations.
Emotion Regulation – Managing and Changing Intense Emotions
Emotion regulation skills help individuals understand, manage, and reduce the intensity of negative
emotions, such as anger, sadness, or anxiety. By learning to recognize and label emotions early on, clients
can prevent their feelings from escalating into outbursts or emotional shutdowns.
Some emotion regulation strategies include:
– Identifying and naming emotions to gain clarity about what’s going on inside.
– Building positive experiences by engaging in enjoyable activities and self-care.
– Changing emotional responses by challenging negative thoughts or reframing situations.
Emotion regulation helps individuals create more emotional stability and avoid extreme emotional
reactions that can be harmful to themselves or others.
Interpersonal Effectiveness – Building Healthy Relationships
Many individuals who seek DBT therapy struggle with interpersonal relationships. Whether it’s difficulty
with boundaries, assertiveness, or communication, DBT teaches individuals how to express themselves in a
way that is respectful, assertive, and effective.
Key interpersonal effectiveness skills include:
DEAR MAN – An tool for effectively asking for what you want while maintaining respect for yourself and
others. The acronym stands for Describe, Express, Assert, Reinforce, Mindful, Appear confident, Negotiate.
GIVE – A strategy for building healthy relationships by being gentle, interested, validating, and using an
easy manner. GIVE stands for gentle, interested, validate and easy manner.
FAST – A method for maintaining self-respect in relationships by being Fair, Assertive, Sticking to values,
and being Truthful.
These skills empower individuals to communicate more effectively, resolve conflicts, and set healthy
boundaries in their relationships.
Key Benefits of DBT
DBT offers a variety of benefits, particularly for individuals who struggle with emotional dysregulation,
impulsivity, or self-destructive behaviours. Here are some of the key benefits:
Improved Emotional Regulation
DBT provides individuals with practical tools to better manage overwhelming emotions. By learning to
regulate their emotional responses, individuals can avoid emotional outbursts, excessive rumination, and
impulsive behaviours.
Reduced Self-Destructive Behaviours
DBT has been shown to significantly reduce self-harming behaviours, suicidal thoughts, and other risky
behaviours often associated with intense emotional distress. By teaching individuals healthier coping
mechanisms, DBT helps individuals break free from destructive patterns.
Enhanced Interpersonal Relationships
One of the most notable benefits of DBT is its ability to improve interpersonal relationships. Clients who
learn DBT’s communication and relationship skills often find that their relationships become more stable,
supportive, and fulfilling.
Increased Acceptance and Self-Worth
Through mindfulness and distress tolerance skills, DBT encourages radical acceptance—accepting
yourself and your situation without judgment. This process helps clients develop a more compassionate
relationship with themselves, ultimately leading to increased self-esteem and emotional resilience.
Long-Term, Sustainable Change
DBT focuses on both acceptance and change, making it an effective long-term approach for individuals
who want to build lasting emotional resilience. Clients develop a wide range of skills that they can apply
to various life situations, making them more equipped to handle future challenges.
Is DBT Right for You?
If you’ve struggled with overwhelming emotions, relationship difficulties, or self-destructive behaviours,
DBT might be the right therapeutic approach for you. DBT offers a structured, supportive framework for
learning how to manage your emotions, build healthier relationships, and create a life that aligns with
your values and goals.
At Help Clinic Canada, our trained DBT therapists are here to guide you through the process of learning
these life-changing skills. If you’re ready to build emotional resilience and improve your quality of life,
contact us today to schedule a consultation and take the first step toward lasting change.
References & Recommended Reading:
American Psychological Association. (2021). Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). Retrieved from [https://www.apa.org](https://www.apa.org)
Linehan, M. M. (1993). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of borderline personality disorder. Guilford Press.
Linehan, M. M. (2015). DBT skills training manual (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
Neacsiu, A. D., Eberle, J. W., Kramer, R., Wiesmann, T., & Linehan, M. M. (2014). Dialectical behavior therapy skills for transdiagnostic emotion dysregulation: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Behavior Research and Therapy, 59, 40–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2014.05.005
Ritschel, L. A., Lim, N. E., & Stewart, L. M. (2015). Transdiagnostic applications of DBT for adolescents and adults. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 69 (2), 111–128. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.2015.69.2.111
Swales, M. A., & Heard, H. L. (2017). Dialectical behaviour therapy: Distinctive features. Routledge.
