What Is Dialectical Behaviour Therapy?
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, also commonly spelled Dialectical Behavior Therapy, is a structured approach developed by psychologist Marsha Linehan. A defining idea in DBT is that two things can be true at the same time: we can work toward accepting what is happening now while also working toward change.
DBT uses behavioural strategies together with mindfulness, validation and skills practice. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) describes this balance of acceptance and change as central to the model.
In everyday therapy, that can mean slowing down a difficult moment, noticing what you are feeling and wanting to do, choosing a skill that fits the situation, and reviewing what happened afterward. The goal is not to eliminate difficult emotions. It is to build more options for responding when emotions, urges or relationship stress feel hard to manage.
AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION
DBT skills are not the same thing as a comprehensive DBT program
Standard comprehensive DBT is a specific treatment model that includes several coordinated components. Behavioral Tech Institute describes individual therapy, skills training, between-session coaching and a therapist consultation team as the four components of comprehensive DBT.
At Steyaert Counselling, Hannah offers DBT as one of the approaches she may use in individual psychotherapy. Hailey may use DBT-informed tools that complement her primary approaches. If you are specifically looking for a full comprehensive DBT program, ask about the service format before booking.
THE FOUR CORE SKILL AREAS
What Skills Does DBT Teach?
The four DBT skills areas give us different ways to respond to difficult moments. They are often taught separately, but they work together in real life.
01
Mindfulness
Practise noticing thoughts, emotions, sensations and urges in the present moment without immediately reacting to them.
02
Distress Tolerance
Build ways to get through high-stress moments without making the situation harder, especially when the problem cannot be solved immediately.
03
Emotion Regulation
Learn to identify emotions, understand what may be influencing them, and choose responses that support your longer-term goals.
04
Interpersonal Effectiveness
Practise asking for what you need, setting limits, handling conflict and protecting both relationships and self-respect.
Mindfulness also appears in other approaches. If you are mainly interested in combining mindfulness with cognitive therapy, you can also explore Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT).
WHAT THE WORK MAY LOOK LIKE
How DBT Skills Can Be Used in Individual Therapy
There is no single session script that fits everyone. When DBT is part of individual therapy, we can choose skills based on the situation you are working through and then learn from what happens outside the session.
01
Slow Down the Pattern
We might start with one recent moment: what happened, what you noticed in your body and emotions, what you wanted to do, and what happened next.
02
Practise a Skill
You may rehearse a mindfulness, distress-tolerance, emotion-regulation or communication skill that fits that particular moment.
03
Try, Review and Adjust
If it is useful, you can practise the skill in daily life. In the next session, we review what helped, what got in the way and what to change.
A SIMPLE EXAMPLE
A conversation becomes more intense than you expected
You notice your heart racing and an urge to send a sharp message immediately. In therapy, you might practise pausing long enough to name the emotion, use a distress-tolerance skill, decide what you want the conversation to accomplish, and then choose whether to respond now or later.
The point is not to suppress the emotion. It is to create enough space to respond more deliberately.
WHEN PRACTICAL SKILLS MAY HELP
When Might DBT Be Worth Discussing?
You do not need to choose a therapy model before you start. DBT may be worth discussing when you want practical ways to respond to strong emotions, urges or relationship stress while still making room for the reality of what you are feeling.
DBT has been studied most extensively for borderline personality disorder and self-harming behaviours. Research also examines adapted DBT and DBT skills in other populations, but the evidence is not identical across every concern or every version of the treatment.
For a research overview, a focused systematic review and meta-analysis found evidence that DBT can help some people with borderline personality disorder, while also noting limits in the certainty of parts of the evidence.
DBT skills may feel relevant if you want to work on:
Intense emotional reactions
Finding ways to notice and respond when feelings escalate quickly.
Getting through difficult moments
Building options for coping with distress without acting on every urge.
Communication and boundaries
Practising clearer requests, limits and ways of handling conflict.
More deliberate choices
Creating a pause between what you feel and what you do next.
RELATED APPROACHES
How DBT Relates to CBT and Mindfulness
DBT overlaps with other skills-based therapies, but the terms are not interchangeable. Understanding the difference can make it easier to ask for the kind of support you actually want.
DBT
Balances acceptance and change while drawing on four core skill areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Focuses on relationships among thoughts, emotions and behaviour, with structured cognitive and behavioural strategies. Learn more about CBT.
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
Combines mindfulness practice with cognitive therapy. It has a different structure and purpose from DBT. Learn more about MBCT.
A Personalized Treatment Plan
You do not have to select one model and stay inside it. Your therapist can discuss which approaches and skills fit your goals, concerns and preferences.
START WITH THE CONCERN, IF THAT IS EASIER
If a Specific Concern Brought You Here
Sometimes it is easier to begin with what is happening in your life than with the name of a therapy. These pages go deeper into the concern itself.
Stress and Overwhelm
If distress feels constant or difficult to recover from, start with our stress counselling page.
Anxiety
If worry, fear or avoidance is the main concern, explore anxiety counselling and the approaches that may fit.
Eating and Body-Image Concerns
DBT skills may sometimes be considered within broader care for eating concerns. Learn more on our eating concerns page.
Individual Therapy
If you are unsure which approach fits, individual therapy lets you begin with your goals rather than a therapy label.
DBT AT STEYAERT COUNSELLING
Meet the Therapists
Hannah and Hailey use DBT differently in their work, so it helps to know what each offers before you choose a therapist.
LONDON & ONLINE ONTARIO
Hannah Steyaert, M.A., RP
DBT is one of Hannah’s approved therapy approaches.
Hannah’s primary approach is psychodynamic therapy. She may also draw from DBT, CBT, ACT, ERP and attachment-based therapy when those approaches fit the goals of individual therapy.
In person: 659 Central Ave, Suite 15, London
Free parking · 226-970-2861
BURLINGTON & ONLINE ONTARIO
Hailey Steyaert, M.A., RP
Hailey uses DBT-informed tools that complement her primary approaches.
Her work emphasizes ACT, trauma-focused and trauma-informed therapy, with EFT also listed among her approaches. DBT-informed skills may be included when they are useful within that broader work.
In person: 582 Guelph Line, Burlington
Free parking · 647-970-1790
Looking specifically for a comprehensive DBT program?
A comprehensive DBT program is more than individual sessions that use DBT skills. If you are looking for coordinated individual therapy, skills-group training, between-session coaching and a DBT consultation team, ask about that format during your consultation so you can confirm that the service you want matches what is available.
Both therapists offer phone appointments and online therapy across Ontario. You can also learn more about the London office or Burlington office.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked Questions About DBT
You do not need to understand every DBT term before reaching out. These answers cover the questions that matter most when deciding whether DBT or DBT-informed work may fit what you are looking for.
A SIMPLE NEXT STEP
Book a Free 15-Minute Consultation
You do not need to decide on DBT before reaching out. A consultation gives you a chance to briefly explain what you are looking for, ask how DBT or DBT-informed skills may fit the work, and decide whether the therapist and approach feel right for you.
Prefer to call? London and general inquiries: 226-970-2861 | Burlington: 647-970-1790
Have a question before you book?
Use the form below if you are unsure which therapist or location to choose, or if you want to ask a question before scheduling. Sending an inquiry does not reserve an appointment.
FURTHER READING
Reliable DBT Resources
For a clinical overview of DBT, see CAMH. For details on the structure of standard comprehensive DBT, Behavioral Tech Institute provides training and model information based on Marsha Linehan’s treatment.
CAMH: Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) · Behavioral Tech Institute: DBT Consultation Team