What is DBT?

 

DBT Skills Group is designed to help us develop emotional wisdom, learn to effectively deal with self-defeating behaviours and emotional distress, and help build relationship skills.

 

As with all the work we do at Brook RED, people do not need a diagnosis to access our group. They only need to recognise that they struggle with their mental wellness and be willing to work on it.

 

A DBT-informed group requires a high level of commitment and eagerness by those who wish to attend. We encourage people to join who believe they are ready to learn and practice skills and are also willing to share their experiences of change within the group. Please note, this is not a full DBT course but we do still require a commitment of full attendance from participants.

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Referral Process

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Due to increasing demand for our no-cost DBT programs, the waitlist for our structured DBT groups is temporarily closed. We will update this page once we are taking referrals again.

We are still offering our popular DBT Lite groups at Upper Mount Gravatt and Beenleigh. These are a less structured way to learn DBT skills and dip your toe in the water. The times for these are updated monthly on our community calendars here: https://www.brookred.org.au/community-centres

As a lived experience workforce, we understand the barriers of accessing mental health programs. We encourage you to come and check out what Brook Red is about, by visiting our communities at Upper Mount Gravatt, Beenleigh, Birkdale and South Brisbane.

For any questions or more information, please contact our DBT coordinator via email at: saraha@brookred.org.au

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DBT FAQ

 

What is DBT?

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy is an evidence-based talking therapy that teaches skills which can be beneficial for people who may have developed coping strategies and behaviours which are no longer helpful or may be causing interpersonal conflict.  There are four core modules to DBT:

• Mindfulness: remaining in the present 

• Emotional Regulation: medium to long term skills for keeping, our trying to keep, ourselves on a relatively even keel 

• Distress Tolerance: short term skills for coping with crisis situations with the aim of not making them worse

• Interpersonal Effectiveness: skills on how to communicate to others what we need or to say no to unwanted requests

 

How is DBT from a Peer Perspective different from a clinical DBT program?

This means your facilitators are not clinicians but peers who use the skills themselves in their mental health recovery. This makes the sessions collaborative rather than prescriptive. Clinical DBT programs can run for a year and be very costly. Through many cycles of DBT we have been able to pare it down to what we consider essential skills into a free, 15-week program.

 

Is DBT only for people with Borderline Personality Disorder?

No it is not. Although it was originally designed for those living with BPD, it has been shown to beneficial for anyone who may struggle with coping with their reactions to strong emotions.  

 

What do I need to bring?

All materials will be provided.  As these are 3 hour sessions, we do take breaks so if you think you’d like a snack, please bring that along.

 

What is the cost?

DBT is fully funded by Brook RED.  This costs you nothing but your investment in time and yourself.  

 

Do I need a referral?

No referral is neccessary.  You can self-refer by filling out the online application.

 

What kind of commitment am I in for? 

The course runs for 15 weeks.  Each week will consist of 3 hours of group work and home practice to try the skills learnt out in the “real world” and refine our approach. 

 

What if I have other commitments which will mean I can’t attend all sessions in the 15 weeks?

We do understand life can sometimes throw some unexpected things our way.  We ask that you be prepared to commit to the whole 15 weeks.  If the unexpected does arise, communicate with us and we can work with you to catch up.  We’ve found that if you miss 3 sessions in a row, or a total of 4 sessions throughout the 15 weeks, it is in your best interests to stop there as catching up on 3 – 4 weeks of material can be quite overwhelming.  The last thing we want to do is add more stress to your life.

 

What if I miss a session / can’t make it?

Missing a session isn’t going to stop your progress.  If you communicate with us we can catch you up.  If you do need to miss a session, we do ask that you let us know in advance if possible.

 

How many people are in a group?

Group numbers are capped at 12 people.

 

What does a session look like?

Each session runs to basically the same structure.  The 1st hour is going over the previous weeks home practice.  This is your time to share your wins, raise questions about the skill in practice and hear how others went in its implementation.  We then take a short break and resume with 2 hours on the new skills for the week, ideally with a break in between. It helps to arrive within a half hour of group starting to not only ensure we get through the material but to touch base with others that are on a similar journey to yourself. A large part of DBT is the group dynamic we create together through participation and respect for everyone’s time and lived experience. 

 

Am I doing this because it’s something I’ve chosen to do myself or others have told me I need to do it?

It is common for us to receive enquiries from people who have been told they “need” this or “should” do DBT.  This is 15 weeks of your time and investment.  We ask that you take a minute to reflect, research, or even get in contact with us to see if DBT might be beneficial for you. Feel free to come in for a cuppa and a chat. 

 

Can I bring my support?

If you have a support (worker or otherwise), they can attend most of the pre-commitment interview with you. The groups though are for participants only.  

 

What’s a pre-commitment interview?

This is an informal sit down and chat with one or both of the facilitators just to get to know one another, set expectations and answer any questions not covered here.  Of course there is a little bit of paperwork too.

 

Can children be in the centre?

Brook RED is an 18+ plus space for adults navigating mental health recovery.  Children cannot be in this space.  

 

Is there a lot of reading involved?

There is quite an amount of reading involved for each module.  The material is covered in the sessions.  If there are any reasons this may deter you from attending, please let the facilitators know in the pre-commitment and we will endeavour to accommodate where we can.