Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

A structured, skills-based therapy with strong evidence for intense emotions and self-harm, not just personality disorders.

What it is

DBT is a structured form of therapy that teaches specific, practical skills in four areas: managing intense emotions, tolerating distress, staying present, and handling relationships. It was originally developed for borderline personality disorder but is now used for self-harm, eating disorders, and anyone whose emotions feel disproportionately intense or hard to regulate.

Good to know

DBT is typically more structured than general talk therapy — it often includes skills groups, homework between sessions, and sometimes phone coaching for in-the-moment support, which is part of why it works well for people who've found general counselling too unstructured to stick with.

What helps

Full DBT programs run over months, but even individual DBT skills (distress tolerance techniques in particular) are useful on their own and worth asking a counsellor about directly.

When to seek help

If emotional intensity feels disproportionate to situations, or self-harm has been part of how you cope, ask specifically whether DBT is available through your counsellor or psychiatric team — it's not offered everywhere, but it's worth requesting.

Before you call

What to expect at your first counselling sessionNervous about a first session? It's mostly just talking, at your pace. Here's what usually happens — and what won't.

Services that can help

See all related services in NL