Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

Practical tools to navigate emotional storms, reduce impulsive reactions, and build a life you feel good about.

Nanaimo • Squamish • Online Counselling

Individual & Couples Counselling | Workshops & Intensives

Now Accepting New Clients

DBT at a Glance

Best For:

Panic, Anxiety, Rage, Addiction, Trauma Reactivity, & Relationship Conflict

Key Benefit:

Teaches real-time skills to navigate emotional storms without losing control

Session Length:

50 Minutes (Individual)

Evidence Base:

The gold standard treatment for emotional dysregulation and BPD

Location:

Nanaimo (In-Person) & Online (BC-wide)

What is DBT?

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is a skills-based therapy developed by Dr Marsha Linehan that helps individuals manage intense emotions, reduce self-destructive behaviours, and build distress tolerance.

If emotions tend to flood and hijack you quickly, DBT provides the tools to regain control. It is built for people who struggle with emotional dysregulation, offering a way to move through intense emotions with skill, and confidence.

Is DBT Right for You?

DBT is scientifically backed and especially effective for people struggling with:

Intense Emotions: Mood swings or feeling zero to a hundred instantly.
Overwhelm: Anxiety, panic, and emotional flooding.
Trauma Reactivity: Distress that feels uncontrollable or rooted in past events.
Addiction & Impulsivity: Intense cravings or urges to act out or use.
Relationship Conflict: Difficulty setting boundaries or maintaining connections due to reactivity.
Inner Sensitivity: Deep shame, harsh self-criticism, and emotional vulnerability.

How DBT Works: The 4 Core Skills

Rather than asking you to just think differently when you’re already overwhelmed, DBT teaches you exactly what to do in real-time to manage your emotions and regulate your nervous system. There are 4 key concepts covered in DBT treatment:

Mindfulness

Learning to notice exactly what is happening without judgment.

Emotion Regulation

Understanding your emotions and reducing their intensity over time.

Distress Tolerance

Specific techniques to get through intense emotions without making them worse.

Interpersonal Effectiveness

Setting healthy boundaries and connecting with others in a healthy way.

By the end of DBT treatment, most individuals we work with begin responding with intention instead of emotionally reacting on autopilot.

The DBT Roadmap

Therapy moves through clear stages to ensure you aren’t overwhelmed:

Step 1: Stabilization

First, we focus on “stopping the bleeding”—reducing chaotic behaviours and learning crisis survival skills.

Step 2: Skill Acquisition

We introduce new tools for mindfulness and emotion regulation.

Step 3: Application

We practice applying these tools to your real-life triggers and relationships.

Step 4: Life-Building

The ultimate goal is building a “life worth living”—focusing on your values, joy, and long-term goals.

Meet Our DBT Clinicians

Ryan Slobodian

FOUNDER / THERAPIST

Nick Abraham

ADDICTION & TRAUMA THERAPIST

Meesha Parmar

INDIVIDUAL THERAPIST

FAQs: Dialectical Behaviour Therapy

Is DBT only for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)?

No. While DBT was originally developed for BPD, it is now the gold standard for anyone struggling with emotional dysregulation, addiction, PTSD, or anxiety. It is helpful for anyone who feels their emotions are too intense or difficult to manage.

Is this group or individual therapy?

At Stone Reef, we integrate DBT skills primarily into individual therapy sessions. This approach allows us to tailor the pace and the focus entirely to your personal triggers and history, rather than following a rigid curriculum.

How is DBT different from CBT?

CBT focuses largely on changing thoughts. DBT includes those elements but places a much heavier emphasis on accepting painful feelings and learning skills to either problem solve or tolerate the distress in life.

Feature	CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)	DBT (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy)
Core Focus	Change: Challenging and reframing thoughts.	Acceptance + Change: Balancing validation with behavior change.
Best For	Anxiety, Depression, negative thinking.	Intense emotions, impulsivity.
Key Tools	Logic, evidence testing, reframing.	Mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation.
Philosophy	Your thoughts drive your feelings and behaviours.	Noticing and accepting emotions. Acquiring skills to manage them.

Will I have to do homework?

To get the most out of DBT, practicing skills between sessions is important. This allows us to review effectiveness and make adjustments throughout the course of therapy as needed.

Next Steps

If emotions tend to take over too quickly, DBT can help you regain control.

Stone Reef Psychotherapy offers in-person sessions in Nanaimo and online options across Canada.

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