Starting a DBT Group: My Journey Begins

Ep1: Starting the Journey – Crafting a DBT Group Proposal

Welcome to the first post in my journey to bring Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) group sessions into our organization. DBT groups are designed to help individuals struggling with chronic emotional challenges, especially those with borderline personality disorder (BPD). It’s a big step for our organization—and for me personally, as I have never facilitated a DBT group before. I’ll be documenting this journey with all its ups and downs, hoping my experiences will help others who are also exploring this path.

Starting with the Basics: What is DBT?

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy developed to help individuals with intense emotional struggles, especially those with suicidal tendencies and borderline personality disorder. DBT was created by psychologist Dr. Marsha Linehan and is particularly effective for people with BPD—a condition characterized by emotional instability, impulsive actions, and a shaky self-image.

In a nutshell, DBT is about learning to regulate emotions, handle distress, and build healthier relationships. Here’s a breakdown of some key DBT terms and concepts that might come up in this blog series:

Emotional Dysregulation: Difficulty managing emotions, leading to intense, often overwhelming feelings.
Biosocial Theory: DBT’s idea that emotion dysregulation stems from both biological factors and an invalidating environment. For example, people with BPD may have a heightened emotional sensitivity that was dismissed or punished in childhood.
Mindfulness: The foundational skill in DBT, which teaches people to observe and accept their experiences without judgment.

Why DBT for Our Organization?

Our organization has never offered a DBT group, but there’s a growing need to support clients facing chronic emotional challenges. In my two-day training with DBT Training Australia, I saw firsthand how DBT offers practical skills for managing intense emotions and building resilience.

The training also highlighted that organizing a DBT group isn’t just about learning techniques; it’s about creating a structured, safe environment where people can practice these skills consistently. This made me realize the importance of preparation and clarity in my proposal.

Core DBT Skills and How They Help

DBT is built on four core skill modules. Here’s an overview of each, with some insights from my training experience:

Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the foundation of DBT. It involves observing and accepting one’s thoughts and feelings without judgment. This skill helps people see situations clearly, rather than through the lens of intense emotion.
During training, we practiced mindfulness exercises, which reminded me how challenging it can be to “just observe” without judgment! It’s a skill that takes time, and I realized this would need to be a core focus of our group sessions.
Interpersonal Effectiveness
This module focuses on building healthy communication skills and relationships. For people with BPD, relationships can be turbulent and intense, making it crucial to learn ways to interact effectively.
The exercises on assertive communication really stood out to me as tools that anyone can benefit from—especially in a workplace where emotions sometimes run high.
Emotion Regulation
DBT teaches strategies for identifying, labeling, and managing emotions. Instead of reacting impulsively, clients learn to respond more skillfully.
The training exercises helped us understand how to break down emotions into smaller parts, which I think will be especially helpful for participants who feel “flooded” by emotion.
Distress Tolerance
Distress tolerance is about handling emotional pain in a constructive way, without resorting to harmful behaviors.
I appreciated the practical nature of distress tolerance strategies, like self-soothing techniques. They made me feel more equipped to handle difficult situations in my own life—and I’m hopeful they’ll be valuable for group participants.

The Goals of a DBT Group

A DBT group serves several essential purposes, especially for people with chronic emotional dysregulation:

Building Skills: Participants learn concrete skills they can apply in real-life situations.
Staying Motivated: The group structure encourages participants to stay engaged and committed.
Creating a Supportive Environment: Group sessions offer a space where participants can practice new skills in a safe, supportive setting.
Encouraging Positive Change: DBT groups help individuals improve their environment so it aligns better with their treatment goals.

My Role as a Facilitator

As a facilitator, my responsibilities go beyond simply guiding sessions. Here’s a list of my main tasks, which were emphasized during training:

Assessment and Data Collection: I’ll need to keep track of each participant’s progress, which I admit feels a bit daunting as a first-timer.
Collaborating with Clients: DBT is very collaborative, so I’ll work closely with clients to set goals and check in regularly.
Applying DBT Techniques: The manual covers a range of DBT techniques, including specific protocols for managing suicide risk. I’ll need to familiarize myself with these and integrate them thoughtfully into our sessions.

The training reinforced that DBT isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. The facilitator needs to adapt and respond to the unique needs of the group—a skill I hope to build with practice.

Next Steps: Building the Proposal

Here’s where I’m currently focusing my energy. To build a strong proposal, I need to answer a few critical questions:

Who is our target group? I need to define the types of clients we’re targeting and ensure our goals match their needs.
What skills will we focus on? DBT is extensive, so narrowing down the skills to teach is crucial.
How long will the group run? Structuring the duration and frequency of sessions will be essential for setting realistic expectations.

I’m drafting these details into a proposal, balancing what I learned in training with the specific needs of our organization.

Reflections and Challenges So Far

I won’t lie—this process feels overwhelming at times. But I’m also excited by the potential impact. Reflecting on the DBT training experience, I was struck by how practical and grounded DBT techniques are. While the jargon can be intimidating, the essence of DBT is incredibly human: it’s about learning to live well, even with life’s hardest emotions.

As I navigate this journey, I’m trying to remember that growth takes time—both for the facilitator and for the clients.

Resources for Learning More about DBT

If you’re interested in learning more about DBT, here are a few resources that helped me:

“DBT Skills Training Manual” by Marsha Linehan: The definitive guide to DBT, covering all the core modules and techniques.
DBT Training Australia: Offers workshops and certification in DBT. Their sessions are practical and hands-on.
Behavioral Tech: This organization offers DBT training and resources for mental health professionals.

Call for Feedback and Suggestions

If you have experience organizing or facilitating a DBT group, I’d love to hear from you! Any tips, insights, or challenges you encountered would be invaluable as I embark on this journey. And if you’re new to DBT like me, I hope you’ll follow along—I’ll be sharing more updates and reflections as this journey unfolds.

Stay tuned for the next post, where I’ll dive deeper into drafting the proposal and setting realistic goals for the group.