Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Group
Commencing July 2024
Hunter Psychological Services has seen and heard the increased need for support with mental health in the community and become aware of the painful shortage of Psychologists Australia-wide. In order to provide more services for a cheaper price to those that need help, Hunter Psychological Services has decided to begin running groups. There are a range of therapy types that work well in a group setting, one being Dialectical Behaviour Therapy.
This page provides a bit of information about DBT and the specific Hunter Psychological Services DBT-based group. At the bottom, you can submit a form to express interest if you are wanting to sign up.
What is DBT?
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy was developed by a lady called Marsha Linehan. Marsha originally said that she developed DBT because she recognised that other behavioural therapies helped people with borderline personality disorder to regulate their emotions and alter unhelpful behaviours, however, they were still struggling in relationships and with managing day to day emotions. Marsha, therefore, made a behavioural therapy that addressed a range of struggles including how to regulate big emotions, how to engage in emotional responses that are healthy, and how to relate better to those around you
Whilst DBT was originally made for borderline personality disorder, it has been shown to be effective in improving symptoms of a range of mental health issues. DBT has been supported as efficacious in treating other personality disorders, post-traumatic stress, and struggles that occur alongside attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, social and generalised anxiety, amongst others.
DBT @ Hunter Psychological Services
The group at Hunter Psychological Services is DBT based, meaning that each week we go through a range of skills to help regulate and tolerate big emotions, as well as learning skills on how best to navigate relationships of all kinds and how to communicate your needs effectively.
The reason the group is DBT based, not simply DBT, is because traditional DBT can be intensive and include not just group sessions, but individual DBT therapist sessions, and telephone consultation options as well. At HPS, we have recognised that many people wish to learn the skills of DBT without needing to complete the full DBT program.
Furthermore, research has shown that skills training on its own can be an effective way to reduce mental illness symptoms. We have therefore put together a shorter group that is a more cost and time-effective way for clients to learn the skills they require without engaging in an intensive program.