CMHA Toronto’s Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) program is a one-year intensive program for individuals with difficulty regulating emotions and/or borderline personality disorder (BPD).  

People with BPD or emotion dysregulation have difficulty controlling strong emotions, such as anxiety, shame and anger, which can lead to self-injurious behaviours, impulsive acts and angry outbursts. These behaviours are a way of trying to solve life’s problems and reduce intense and painful emotions. They may provide relief in the moment and may cause more suffering in the long-term. CMHA Toronto’s DBT program teaches healthy problem-solving skills that help reduce impulsive behaviours and meet long-term goals.  

The program consists of individual counselling and a skills group. For DBT to be a successful experience, it is essential to participate in both program components.

Individual Counselling

Weekly, one-to-one therapy sessions with a therapist help clients identify the changes they want to make in their life. During therapy sessions, the therapist will coach clients to apply the skills taught in the group and to problem-solve current difficulties they’re facing. The goal of DBT is to help clients replace skills they have used in the past with new, more effective skills.

Skills Group

In weekly groups, clients are introduced to a range of new coping skills. There are four main skills taught in the groups: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness. These skills address the patterns of intense emotions and impulsive behaviours often experienced by people with BPD. During group sessions, homework is assigned to help clients practice skills.