DBT is a type of therapy that combines acceptance and change.

That can sound like a contradiction. But both can be important.

You can acknowledge that something is difficult while also looking at what you'd like to do differently. You don't have to choose between accepting where you are and wanting things to change.

DBT is also very practical. Alongside talking about what's happening, you'll learn and practice skills that you can use in everyday life.

The four main areas of DBT are mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.

DBT can be helpful when emotions, reactions, or relationships are becoming difficult to manage.

Depending on what you're working through, we might look at:

• Understanding emotions — noticing what you're feeling and what may be contributing to it.

• Managing intense emotions — finding ways to respond when feelings become difficult to handle.

• Getting through difficult moments — learning what you can do when you can't immediately change what's happening.

• Creating space before reacting — finding a little more room between a feeling and an action.

• Navigating relationships — working on communication, boundaries, conflict, and asking for what you need.

• Changing behaviours — looking at behaviours you want to change and finding other ways of responding.

The goal isn't to stop you from having strong emotions.

It's to give you more choices in what you do when those emotions show up.

DBT was originally developed to support people experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviours, self-harm, and intense emotional difficulties, particularly people with borderline personality disorder (BPD). It has since been adapted and studied for other concerns, including for adolescents.

DBT-informed counselling may be helpful if you're dealing with things like:

• Intense or overwhelming emotions that can be difficult to manage

• Self-harm or urges to hurt yourself

• Suicidal thoughts or behaviours

• Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

• Impulsive or reactive behaviours that you want to understand or change

• Difficulties with emotional regulation

• Relationship difficulties, conflict, or communication challenges

• Situations where you want more practical tools for getting through difficult moments

You don't need to have BPD to learn or use DBT skills. You also don't need to identify with every item on this list.

Sometimes DBT is used on its own, and sometimes DBT skills are one part of a broader approach to counselling. What matters is finding an approach that fits what you're experiencing and what you'd like support with.

DBT is practical and structured, but your sessions are still shaped around you and what is happening in your life.

We might talk about something that happened during the week, slow it down, and look at what was happening before, during, and after.

We might practice a particular skill together and then think about how you could use it in a situation you're likely to face outside counselling.

Sessions may include:

• Learning and practicing DBT skills

• Understanding situations that tend to bring up strong emotions

• Looking at patterns around self-harm or other behaviours you want to change

• Finding ways to get through difficult moments

• Practicing communication and boundary-setting

• Working through relationship difficulties

• Developing strategies for situations that feel especially challenging

• Creating a safety plan when appropriate

You may also practice skills between sessions. This isn't about doing everything perfectly. It's an opportunity to see what happens when you try something in real life and then bring that experience back into counselling.

A note about DBT-informed counselling

Comprehensive DBT is a specific treatment program that includes more than individual counselling. It generally involves individual therapy alongside structured skills training, between-session support, and a therapist consultation team.

The Collective offers DBT-informed counselling, which means your counsellor may draw on DBT principles and skills as part of individual counselling.

For some people, that may be a good fit. If you're experiencing significant or ongoing safety concerns, we can also talk about whether a more comprehensive DBT program or another level of support would be appropriate.

Mindfulness

Learning to notice what's happening in the present moment without immediately reacting.

Mindfulness can create a little more space to notice what's going on before deciding what to do next.

Distress Tolerance

Finding ways to get through difficult moments without making the situation harder.

These skills can be especially useful when you can't immediately change what's happening but need to get through it.

Emotion Regulation

Understanding emotions and learning ways to respond when they become intense.

The focus isn't on getting rid of emotions. It's on having more ways to work with them.

Interpersonal Effectiveness

Learning ways to communicate, set boundaries, handle conflict, and navigate relationships.

These skills can help you think about what you need, what matters to you, and how you want to communicate with other people.

DBT was developed in part to support people experiencing suicidal thoughts and self-harm, and these remain important areas of DBT research.

If self-harm or suicidal thoughts are part of what you're dealing with, you don't need to figure out on your own whether DBT is appropriate. We can talk about what's been happening and what kind of support would be safest and most useful.

If you're in immediate danger or need urgent support, counselling isn't the right place to seek emergency help. Our Immediate Support page has information about crisis and emergency resources.

Yes. DBT has been adapted for adolescents, and research has found it can be helpful for young people experiencing significant emotional difficulties and self-harm.

For adolescents, DBT-informed counselling can focus on things like intense emotions, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, conflict at home, friendships and relationships, or situations that feel difficult to manage.

DBT-informed counselling may be worth exploring if:

• Your emotions sometimes feel difficult to manage

• You react quickly and wish you had more time to think

• You find yourself doing things you want to stop or change

• It can be hard to get through periods of distress

• Relationships or conflict are difficult to navigate

• You want practical skills you can use outside of counselling

You don't need to know exactly what you need before you reach out.

We can start with what's been happening and figure out together whether DBT-informed counselling, another approach, or a combination of approaches makes sense.