Online DBT Therapy UK —APT-Accredited Dialectical Behaviour Therapy

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based psychological treatment originally developed by Dr Marsha Linehan to support people with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD/EUPD). It has since been shown to be highly effective for a wider range of conditions, including ADHD, autism, addiction, eating disorders, PTSD, and emotional dysregulation.

DBT works across four core skill areas: Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness. Treatment combines weekly group skills training with individual therapy, giving clients both the practical tools and the personal support needed to apply new skills in everyday life. It is widely recognised as the gold standard treatment for BPD and emotion regulation difficulties.

CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) focuses primarily on identifying and changing unhelpful thought patterns. DBT was developed from CBT but goes significantly further — it adds a strong emphasis on acceptance alongside change, and specifically targets emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness as distinct skill areas.

DBT also includes group skills training as a core component of treatment, whereas CBT is typically delivered one-to-one only. For people experiencing intense emotional reactions, relationship difficulties, self-harm, or a history of trauma, DBT is generally considered more appropriate than CBT alone. If you are unsure which therapy is right for you, our clinical team can advise during your free initial consultation.

The Association for Psychological Therapies (APT) is a leading UK training and accreditation body for mental health and behavioural professionals. Their DBT Centre of Excellence accreditation is awarded only to services that meet rigorous standards across clinical practice, therapist training, programme delivery, and client outcomes.

Very few private DBT providers in the UK hold this accreditation — it means that when you join our programme, you can be confident you are receiving DBT delivered to the highest evidenced standard, by properly trained clinicians, within a quality-assured framework. It is not a self-awarded badge; it requires ongoing assessment and renewal by an independent professional body.

Our aim is to see you within 48 hours of contacting us.

Groups are run by one or two facilitators, each group begins with a check in, where you share with the group and skills trainers how you are doing and how your week has been. This is followed by a short mindfulness activity, to help ground and to try put different techniques to assist with your own practice.

Next, we look at the homework that was set from the previous week, you will be invited to share your homework and skills practice. It allows you to get feedback from the skills trainers in case of any problems encountered, it also serves as a valuable learning tool for other group members to hear how skills are being practiced in different contexts. Please not there is no requirement to share personal information or anything in depth, however it is an effective way of encouraging skills practice and increasing your mastery of skills over time. We will then look at the skills card to see how skills practice generally across the week has been. Usually at this point there will be a short comfort break.

We will then move on to the new skills being taught, this will involve teaching points, discussions, activities and examples to help explore Important concepts or aspects of the skills. We try to make there’s teaching sessions as interactive and as engaging as possible. There will always be opportunities to ask questions and practice the skills in group. Before finishing, the homework and skills practice will be set. As group comes to a close there’s a final check out and chance to ask questions.

The WhatsApp group is the primary method of communication for all things group related. Any information about group, homework or relevant links will all be posted in the group chat. It is also an opportunity to get skills advice or help with your homework.

As part of our clinical obligations, your safety and wellbeing is our priority. Between yourself and your therapist, together you will decide whether the lite or the full course is best. It is our clinical responsibility to provide appropriate care and provision to meet your needs.