Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
Some emotions do not just pass through, they take over. A disagreement turns into hours of distress. A small setback feels unbearable. Relationships swing between closeness and rupture, and self-destructive urges show up faster than you can catch them. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, or DBT, was built for exactly this kind of intensity. It combines practical skills with a stance of acceptance, teaching you to tolerate and regulate emotion without requiring you to feel calm first. Healing In Therapy offers DBT across Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, in person and through secure virtual sessions.
What Is DBT?
DBT was originally developed for chronic suicidality and borderline personality disorder, and the evidence base for those uses remains strong. Its methods have since proven useful for a wider range of concerns involving emotional intensity, impulsivity, and relationship instability, including anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and substance use.
The word "dialectical" refers to holding two seemingly opposite truths at once: you are doing the best you can, and you need to do better, change, or try harder. DBT is organized around four skill areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.
How DBT Works
DBT in its full original form includes weekly individual sessions, a skills group, and phone coaching between sessions. Not every client needs or wants the complete model, and our therapists will talk with you about what level of structure fits your situation.
In individual sessions, you and your therapist review the past week using a diary card, a simple daily log of emotions, urges, and behaviours. Sessions typically run 50 to 60 minutes, with flexible daytime, evening, and weekend appointments, plus secure video options across Canada.
Who DBT Can Help
- Intense, fast-shifting emotions that feel hard to control
- Chronic urges toward self-harm or suicidal thinking
- A pattern of unstable or turbulent relationships
- Impulsive behaviours, including with spending, substances, or eating
- Difficulty tolerating distress without escalating or shutting down
- A diagnosis of borderline personality disorder, or traits consistent with it
- Frequent conflict rooted in fear of abandonment or rejection
What Changes with DBT
- Fewer crisis moments: Distress tolerance skills reduce how often a hard moment turns into a crisis.
- More stable relationships: Interpersonal skills reduce the cycle of conflict, rupture, and repair.
- Less impulsive behaviour: You build a pause between urge and action.
- Reduced emotional intensity: Emotion regulation skills lower how high reactions climb and how long they last.
- A steadier sense of self: Self-acceptance and change stop feeling like opposites.
Why Choose DBT at Healing In Therapy
Our therapists working with DBT clients across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Canada are trained in the model and adapt it to fit your needs rather than applying it as a rigid program. Sessions are structured to be practical and collaborative, with an emphasis on skills you leave with rather than insight alone.
Ready to Start? Book Now
You can begin with a free 15-minute consultation. Call or text (417) 971-9596, email info@healingintherapy.com, or complete the contact form on our website.