The Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Skills for Addiction Programme is an 8-week course for people in recovery from addictions or who have recently left treatment, rehab or a dayhab or are embarking on a journey of abstinence from a problematic behaviour or addiction.

Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) is a therapeutic approach used to treat various mental health and addiction issues. It is successfully used in treatment centres and services around the world and is scientifically proven to work in enhancing motivation to make positive behavioural changes (e.g. maintaining abstinence from addiction).

This course enables you to learn new skills to enhance recovery and prevent relapse back into old patterns of behaviour. It can be done individually or as part of a group.

This programme gives participants a thorough understanding of what addiction is, the difference between dependence and addiction and how to stay on track and not return to old behaviours and addictions. It’s an engaging programme which uses psychoeducation, discussion and exploration, skills sheets, meditations, breathwork and homework assignments between sessions to enhance learning, gain resilience and build confidence.

The DBT skills training course will focus on six key modules:

● Addiction psycho-education (enhance addiction knowledge and understanding)

● Mindfulness skills (to calm, be present and in the moment)

● Distress tolerance skills (coping with cravings and difficult emotions)

● Interpersonal effectiveness skills (healthy communication and expression)

● Emotional regulation skills (identify, name and manage emotions effectively)

● Self-care (strategies to look after yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally)

There is homework each week to be completed in the course. Each session starts with a breathwork exercise and ends with a meditation. You will be a part of a small, intimate group of a maximum of 8 people.

All attendees will be in recovery from addiction or recently left treatment/rehab or dayhab so there is common ground which helps to form a supportive and inclusive group.

The 8 sessions are 1.5 hours long each and take place weekly, on the same day and time for 8 consecutive weeks.