Dialetical Behavioural Therapy
Do you find yourself reacting to people and situations in an intense and emotional way? Perhaps you struggle to maintain relationships with people? or find it difficult to tolerate and bring down your emotions? Maybe people close to you have told you that you have mood swings that you struggle to control.
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If you struggle with some of these behaviors then you would benefit from DBT.
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DBT can be run as a group as well as individual sessions.
What is Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT)?
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DBT is a modality of therapy which focuses on acceptance and change. Through acceptance you begin to understand yourself as a person, and make sense of why you do things that cause you harm- such a substance use, alcohol use, self-harm, or toxic relationships. Through change you will discover better ways of dealing with distress. You learn how to replace problematic behaviours with behaviours that will help you move forward in your life.
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DBT works through identifying thoughts, beliefs, and assumptions that make life harder and that increase emotional sensitivity. It helps a person identify their strengths and builds on them so that the person can feel better about him/herself and their life.
DBT is a skilled based group, thus empowers people with new tools to use to create change in their lives. DBT has 4 main modules
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Mindfulness- How to live in your present
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Distress Tolerance – How to manage painful and overwhelming feelings
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Emotional regulation- Skills to help you be aware and control your emotions.
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Interpersonal skills – Teaching you how to ask for things, to say no, to keep your boundaries whilst still maintain your sense of self and effective relationships.
Who is DBT most suited for?
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People who struggle with:
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Depression
Eating Disorders
Emotional control
Self Harm
Suicidal Thoughts
Mood Swings
Anxiety/OCD
Impulse Control
Anger Management
Social Difficulties
Self-Destructive Behaviour
Addiction Patterns
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The groups are suited for adults and teens.
Group Outline
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The DBT programme runs for 12 weeks. Each week there is one group session that runs for 90 minutes. Each week builds on to the previous module, thus people need to attend the full 12 week programme in order to benefit. The DBT programme can be attended more than once in order to refresh and modify skills learnt.
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In order to attend the DBT group a pre-treatment session with a psychologist must first be scheduled in order to confirm suitability.
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DBT is a holistic approach and requires one to be in individual therapy at the same time as in group therapy. Individual therapy is needed to reduce behaviours that may interfere with therapy, to help you reach your goals and thus assisting in living a more meaningful life.
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DBT also considers that at times people may need medication in order to assist in treatment. This is not necessary for everyone. However, if this need arises we do have a psychiatrist as part of our team.
If you have been referred to a group from your own psychologist or psychiatrist please bring a letter of referral.
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Group sessions are charged at R400. Individual sessions are charged at the standard session rate.
