12 Week DBT Core Skills Group
Are you facing challenges in managing intense emotions, navigating distressing situations, or sustaining healthy relationships?
Learn practical tools to manage emotions, reduce distress, and build a life worth living.
Our 13-week Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Skills Group is a structured, evidence-based program designed for people who want to develop effective coping strategies, improve relationships, and strengthen emotional resilience. The group is led by experienced DBT therapists in a supportive, non-judgemental environment.
Who the group is for
This program is designed for adults who experience intense or rapidly shifting emotions, feel overwhelmed by self-criticism, or want practical strategies for managing distress without resorting to harmful behaviours. It is suitable for anyone seeking to create a more balanced and fulfilling life. No previous DBT experience is required, and participants are welcome whether they are engaged in individual therapy or attending the group as a standalone intervention.
What you will learn
Across thirteen weeks, the program offers a structured and practical introduction to the four core skill areas of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, with an emphasis on applying these skills to the challenges of everyday life.
The first three weeks focus on Mindfulness, supporting participants to build a non-judgemental awareness of the present moment, strengthen the WHAT and HOW skills, and develop the capacity to pause, observe internal experiences, and respond from wise mind.
Emotion Regulation skills are introduced in weeks four to seven. Participants learn to identify and label emotions accurately, understand vulnerabilities to emotional intensity, and apply strategies such as ABC PLEASE and Opposite Action to build resilience and reduce reactivity.
Distress Tolerance is the focus of weeks eight to ten. This component teaches short-term crisis survival techniques, including self-soothing and ACCEPTS, alongside longer-term approaches such as Radical Acceptance and Turning the Mind to help participants navigate overwhelming situations safely.
The final weeks, eleven to thirteen, explore Interpersonal Effectiveness. Participants develop skills in assertive communication, boundary-setting, and relationship maintenance using frameworks such as DEAR MAN, GIVE, and FAST, promoting healthier and more sustainable relationships.
Benefits you can expect
By the end of the program, participants commonly report greater
emotional steadiness, increased
confidence
in managing difficult moments, improved relationship patterns, and a more
compassionate
stance towards themselves. They leave with a comprehensive set of practical DBT skills they can continue to use long after the group has concluded.
Mindfulness
This module focuses on cultivating present-moment awareness without judgment. Mindfulness skills are essential for individuals to observe and describe their experiences, fostering a non-reactive and centred approach to life.
Distress Tolerance
Individuals learn skills to navigate and tolerate distressing situations without resorting to impulsive or destructive behaviours. This module equips individuals with effective coping mechanisms during crises.
Emotional Regulation
Targeting the core of emotional dysregulation, this module teaches individuals to identify, understand, and manage their emotions in a healthy manner. Emotion regulation skills empower individuals to break free from the cycle of emotional chaos.
Interpersonal Effectiveness
This module enhances individuals' ability to navigate and improve interpersonal relationships. It provides skills for effective communication, assertiveness, and conflict resolution, promoting healthier connections with others.
