DBT Therapy in Edmonton
Learn About Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
What is DBT?
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a specialized, evidence-based form of cognitive-behavioral therapy designed to help people who experience intense emotions, struggle with impulsive behaviors, or have difficulty navigating relationships. Originally developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan to treat borderline personality disorder (BPD), DBT has since been proven effective for a wide range of mental health concerns — including anxiety, depression, PTSD, eating disorders, and more.
The word dialectical refers to balancing opposites — particularly acceptance and change. DBT helps you accept yourself as you are while also working toward positive behavioral change. It is a practical, structured therapy that teaches essential life skills to improve emotional regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness.
How Does DBT Work?
DBT is typically delivered in a combination of individual therapy, group skills training, and phone coaching — all working together to support emotional growth and resilience.
DBT Consists of Four Core Modules:
Mindfulness: Learning to be present, observe your thoughts and feelings without judgment, and respond rather than react.
Distress Tolerance: Developing healthy ways to cope with pain, crisis, and intense emotions without resorting to harmful behaviors (like self-harm, substance use, or impulsive actions).
Emotion Regulation: Understanding your emotions, reducing emotional vulnerability, and increasing your capacity to feel emotions without being overwhelmed by them.
Interpersonal Effectiveness: Building communication and relationship skills — learning how to assert your needs, set boundaries, and maintain self-respect while strengthening connections with others.
Each DBT session reinforces both skill-building and deeper emotional insight. Between sessions, clients may complete worksheets, practice new techniques, and receive coaching support when needed.
What Are the Benefits of DBT?
DBT is particularly effective for people who feel emotions intensely or find themselves stuck in reactive, high-conflict, or self-destructive cycles.
Benefits of DBT include:
Better emotion regulation: Reduce mood swings, emotional outbursts, and overwhelming sadness or anxiety.
Healthier relationships: Learn to navigate conflict, set boundaries, and communicate more effectively.
Increased self-awareness and self-acceptance: Build a deeper understanding of your emotional patterns without self-blame.
Improved impulse control: Gain tools to pause before acting, reducing behaviors like binge eating, reckless spending, or substance misuse.
Greater resilience in crisis: Develop a toolkit of coping strategies that help you stay grounded during difficult moments.
Lasting behaviour change: Because DBT is structured and skills-based, it supports sustainable improvements over time.
DBT helps individuals move from surviving to thriving — not by ignoring their pain, but by equipping them to live with courage, clarity, and compassion.
What Can I Expect in DBT?
DBT therapy is highly structured and skills-focused. Treatment can vary depending on your needs, but often involves:
Weekly individual therapy: To personalize the work and help you apply DBT skills to your specific situations.
Group skills training: In a small, supportive setting where you learn DBT techniques and practice them with others.
Between-session support (optional): Some therapists offer phone coaching or secure messaging to help clients use DBT skills in real-life moments of distress.
Assignments and worksheets: DBT includes practical exercises to strengthen your ability to use the skills outside of therapy.
You don’t need to have a specific diagnosis to benefit from DBT. If you often feel emotionally overwhelmed, struggle with patterns of self-sabotage, or find relationships difficult, DBT can help you create lasting emotional balance.
Our Approach
At Crossroads Psychological & Wellness, we offer trauma-informed DBT in a warm, non-judgmental environment. Our therapists are DBT-trained and draw from both classic and modified approaches — depending on your goals and preferences.
We work with individuals of all backgrounds, including those navigating:
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) or traits
PTSD and complex trauma
Emotional dysregulation
Anxiety and depression
Disordered eating or chronic self-criticism
Relationship conflict and burnout
We understand that growth doesn’t come from force — it comes from compassionate guidance, clear tools, and the belief that people are doing the best they can while also capable of change.
Whether you’re just beginning to explore DBT or returning for deeper work, we’re here to support your journey toward emotional stability, healthier relationships, and a life worth living.
