Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
DBT-Informed Therapy
in Mount Pearl
& St. John's
Practical, evidence-based skills to help you navigate difficult emotions, manage stress, improve relationships, and build a more balanced and fulfilling life through individual counselling.
What Is DBT?
A Balanced Approach to Real Change
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based approach developed by psychologist
Dr. Marsha Linehan to help people build a life worth living.
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DBT combines acceptance and change, recognizing that you can acknowledge what you're experiencing while also working toward meaningful change.
It focuses on developing practical skills to manage difficult emotions, navigate stress, improve relationships, and respond to challenges in a healthier, more effective way.
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While comprehensive DBT was originally developed to treat complex and intense emotional distress, its skills can be valuable for many different challenges and can be incorporated into individual counselling.
The Four Core DBT Skills
Practical Skills for Everyday Life
DBT is built around four core skills areas. In individual counselling, we may explore these skills based on your experiences, needs, and personal goals.
Mindfulness
Building awareness of your thoughts, emotions, body sensations, and surroundings to help you stay present and respond with intention.
Distress Tolerance
Developing strategies to cope with difficult emotions, navigate crises, and get through challenging moments without making things harder.
Emotional Regulation
Understanding your emotions, reducing emotional vulnerability, and building skills to manage intense emotions in a healthy and balanced way.
Interpersonal
Effectiveness
Learning to communicate your needs, set boundaries, maintain relationships and navigate disagreements in a respectful and confident way.
What Can DBT Help With?
Building Skills for Life's Challenges
DBT skills can be helpful for many different concerns, particularly when difficult emotions, stress, or relationship challenges begin affecting everyday life.
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These skills can help you better understand your emotional experiences, recognize patterns that may be contributing to distress, and develop practical strategies for responding to challenging situations.
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The skills we explore will depend on your individual experiences and treatment goals.
Anxiety & Overwhelm
Managing worry, stress, and feelings of emotional overwhelm.
Emotional Regulation
Understanding and managing intense or shifting emotions.
Relationship Challenges
Improving
communication, boundaries, and
confidence in relationships.
Life Transitions
Navigating changes such as career stress, parenting, or major life events.
Low Mood & Motivation
Building coping strategies and engaging in meaningful activities.
Self-Esteem & Self-Compassion
Developing a kinder and more balanced relationship with yourself.
DBT at True Life Therapy
A Personalized, Integrative Approach
In our work together, we'll explore how your thoughts, emotions, behaviours, and past experiences may be influencing your current challenges.
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We may use DBT-informed skills alongside other therapeutic approaches, such as EMDR, IFS, CBT, mindfulness, and compassion-focused therapy, to support your unique goals and needs.
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Depending on what you're experiencing, we may practise grounding techniques, explore ways to manage emotional overwhelm, develop communication and boundary-setting skills, or identify strategies for navigating difficult situations.
The focus is on building practical skills that you can use in everyday life to create greater emotional balance, healthier relationships, and a stronger sense of self.
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DBT-Informed Care at True Life Therapy
I incorporate DBT skills and strategies into individual counselling sessions when appropriate. This is not a comprehensive DBT program, which typically includes individual therapy, group skills training, between-session coaching, and a therapist consultation team.
Frequently Asked Questions
DBT FAQ
Trusted Resources
Want to Learn More About DBT?
For additional information about Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, its research, and practical skills, you can explore these trusted organizations.
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An organization associated with the work of Dr. Marsha Linehan, who developed DBT, offering information about the model, its skills, and related research.
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH
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A leading Canadian mental health organization offering evidence-informed information about DBT, mental health conditions, and treatment options.