Dialectical Behavior Therapy
What is Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy is an ‘evidence-based’ approach to help you cope with all sorts of problems in life including substance and alcohol abuse. This means that the skills we are going to be talking about, practising and incorporating into your life have been proven to have worked for thousands of people with all sorts of ineffective behaviours - including substance misuse, and other unhelpful impulsive patterns of behaviour that are not serving them well.
DBT is used in treatment centres and outpatient groups globally as it is a very effective way of treating addictions, and impulsive behaviours and preventing relapse back into old patterns of behaviours. If we do not identify and manage the underlying behaviours we are more susceptible to cross addiction or the original addiction reoccurring.
4 Key DBT Modules
In the DBT skills training groups and therapy, we work on four key skills modules:
1. mindfulness skills. Mindfulness is about learning to be fully present in the here and now and notice and observe our embodied lived experience.
2. distress tolerance skills. Distress tolerance is about learning to get through tough times without worsening the situation or acting on impulsive thoughts and behaviours.
3. interpersonal effectiveness skills. Interpersonal effectiveness is all about improving how we communicate with others and learning to ask for what we need, to be able to say No and maintain important relationships.
4. emotional regulation skills. Here we will learn how to identify our emotions as well as how to manage emotions that are unhelpful or unjustified. We learn new ways of coping with difficult emotions, problem-solving and identifying how we act on or avoid our feelings and emotions.
DBT Skills Training Group for Addictions
I facilitate an ‘8-week DBT Training Skills Group for Addictions’ online via Zoom, for individuals who are living with or recovering from an addiction. Most attendees will be new to recovery, would have recently left treatment or rehab, or are in a programme of recovery already. This course is specifically designed to help attendees stay focused on their recovery, prevent relapse, and learn more about their addiction and how it manifests in all areas of their lives.
There are 6 course modules we work through and the course is accompanied by a comprehensive workbook that includes homework skills and assignments to keep clients engaged and focused during the week in-between sessions. The 6 key modules include Addiction, Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotional Regulation, Interpersonal Effectiveness and Self Care in Recovery.
The DBT training group for Addictions can be attended via self-referral or psychiatrist/therapist/ rehab referral. I work with people all over the UK, Europe and the rest of the world!
The next ‘8 Week DBT Skills Course for Addictions’ is scheduled for Friday 21st February 2025 from 6pm-8.00pm. This will be an in-person group held weekly in Harley Street, Central London.
What Others Are Saying About the DBT Skills Training Group
“ I really looked forward to each session. I felt it was a safe place to talk about things which I don't get to speak about elsewhere. It reminded me of the groups as Cassiobury where we were all just people with problems talking, with no judgement.”
“I really enjoyed interacting with the other group members, and loved the way you ended each session with the breathing exercises.”
“ loved the course, especially the fact it was a group thing and the other members were all very similar to me in terms of going to treatment, the mental and emotional regulation similarities and that we were all there for addiction”
”My whole life I have struggled and felt awkward. I’ve attended the last two, eight-week courses provided by Laura and it has had such a huge impact on my life. Mindfulness. Self-care. The way I react in certain situations. The course is so enjoyable and I learn more about my condition each week. Laura has an amazing teaching method and really makes you feel comfortable. If you don’t understand something, she will explain in a different way”
“I recently attended Laura’s online 8-week DBT Skills Training course and found it incredibly valuable. The program has been instrumental in helping me regulate my emotions by recognizing them and developing effective coping skills and strategies.
Each week, we received a new workbook to guide us through the lessons, along with optional homework to reinforce the learning. I also appreciated that the course was kept to a small group, which created a comfortable and supportive environment for learning and sharing.
I’ve been able to apply the skills I learned during the course, and they have significantly improved my ability to move forward in life with confidence and resilience.
I highly recommend Laura. She is exceptionally experienced in her field and creates a warm, supportive atmosphere that fosters trust. Her approach made it easy for me to feel comfortable and make meaningful progress quickly”.
If you would like to attend The DBT training skills group contact me to register your interest.