Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is a highly effective, evidence-based approach originally developed to treat borderline personality disorder but now used for various conditions characterized by emotional dysregulation. At UK Therapy Guide, we connect you with experienced private DBT therapists who can help you learn essential skills in mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.
DBT Therapy Online
Learn powerful skills to manage emotions, improve relationships, and build a life worth living with evidence-based dialectical behaviour therapy
Connect with our experienced therapists to manage emotions and improve relationships from the comfort of your own home, wherever you are in the UK.
When Emotions Feel Overwhelming
Experience relief and support through specialized DBT therapy to help you manage overwhelming emotions effectively.
Living with intense emotions can be exhausting. One moment you might feel fine, and the next, overwhelmed by feelings that seem impossible to control. This emotional rollercoaster can damage your relationships, impact your work, and leave you feeling hopeless about the future.
If you're struggling with self-destructive behaviours, difficult relationships, or emotions that feel too intense to manage, you're not alone – and there is help available through specialised support.
How DBT Therapy Can Help
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy offers a proven path forward. This structured approach combines acceptance-based strategies with concrete skills for change, helping you build a more balanced emotional life.
Online DBT therapy brings these powerful techniques directly to you, wherever you are in the UK. Through regular video sessions, your therapist will help you learn and practice skills in four key areas:
- Mindfulness
- Distress tolerance
- Emotion regulation
- Interpersonal effectiveness
Through key DBT skills like mindfulness, individuals learn to create a balanced emotional life, reducing self-harm behaviors significantly.
Common Questions About DBT
Explore common questions about DBT, an evidence-based approach that offers practical skills for managing emotions and improving relationships.
- "Is DBT the right therapy for me?" While originally designed for borderline personality disorder, DBT is now effective for depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and substance use issues – particularly when emotions feel overwhelming or unmanageable.
- "Is online DBT therapy as effective as in-person?" Yes! Recent studies show online DBT programs achieve comparable results to in-person therapy, with a large proportion of participants reporting improved emotional regulation.
- "Do I need to commit to a full DBT program?" While comprehensive DBT includes group skills training, individual therapy, and phone coaching, our therapists can tailor the approach to your needs – whether that's full DBT or integrating DBT techniques into individual therapy sessions.
Not Sure if Online Therapy is Right For You?
Curious about therapy but have questions? Our interactive quiz helps demystify counselling and clear up common misconceptions.
- Learn what therapy actually involves
- Understand how it might help you
- Discover what to expect from sessions
- Get clarity on practical matters like costs
Why Choose UK Therapy Guide for DBT Therapy
Our personalized matching service ensures you find the right therapist for your needs, offering expertise and flexible options for effective online therapy.
- Specialist DBT expertise – Our therapists are specifically trained and experienced in delivering dialectical behaviour therapy
- Personalised matching service – Our caring specialists understand the nuances of DBT and will connect you with the right therapist for your needs
- Flexible delivery options – Access individual DBT therapy, skills-focused sessions, or combined approaches that work for you
- Secure, professional online platform – Attend sessions from the comfort of your home with complete privacy
- Backed by a decade of experience – Our team has helped thousands of people across the UK find the right therapeutic support
How It Works
Finding the right online therapist shouldn't feel overwhelming. Our simple, personalised process ensures you're matched with the perfect counsellor for your needs.
Share Your Preferences
Complete our brief placement form to tell us about your needs, schedule preferences, and what you're looking for in a therapist.
Free Consultation Call
Have a friendly chat with our placement specialists who'll take the time to understand your situation and match you with the perfect therapist for your needs.
Begin Your Journey
Meet your carefully matched therapist and start working together through regular sessions to achieve your therapeutic goals.
Meet Our DBT Therapists in the UK
Finding the right online therapist shouldn't be complicated. Our placement team personally knows every counsellor in our network, ensuring we can match you with someone who truly understands your needs.
Why we recommend Aaron
Aaron Kelly is a compassionate therapist specialising in anxiety, self-esteem, and academic pressures for students and young adults. He offers practical, evidence-based strategies to build resilience and emotional well-being, providing a safe space to explore challenges and gain clarity, confidence, and stress management skills.
Edinburgh
Young Adult Specialist
Anxiety & Stress Relief
Masters-Level Psychologist
Summer is often seen as a season of possibility — longer days, warmer evenings, and a natural invitation to slow down, reconnect, and reassess what we need to feel well...
Summer is often seen as a season of possibility — longer days, warmer evenings, and a natural invitation to slow down, reconnect, and reassess what we need to feel well and whole. But a summer refresh doesn’t have to be just about holidays or home projects. Emotionally, it can be a powerful time to let go of what’s been weighing us down and make space for renewal.
If you’re navigating complex relationships, intense emotions, or living with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), this season can bring up a mix of feelings. The desire for connection, fears of abandonment, or struggles with boundaries might feel more vivid as everything around us seems to expand and bloom.
Therapy offers a calm, supportive space — a kind of emotional summer reset. Together, we can reflect on old patterns, unpack unresolved feelings, and discover tools that help you move through the world with more clarity, self-compassion, and confidence.
Whether you’re healing from a breakup, feeling stuck, or simply sensing it’s time for a shift, counselling can help you feel more grounded and prepared for what lies ahead.
Therapy Offered
- Couples Therapy
- Dialectical Behaviour
- Humanistic Therapy
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Systemic Therapy
Speciality areas
Qualifications
- Masters Degree in Psychology
- Masters Degree in Counselling
- BACP
- Master's Degree in Educational Psychology
Session Fees
| Session Type | Online & Phone | In-Person |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | £65 | - |
| Couples | £120 | - |
| Adolescent | £65 | - |
"I was nervous about starting therapy, but the matching process made it so easy. I felt understood and supported from the very beginning."
What is Dialectical Behaviour Therapy and How Can It Help?
DBT therapy helps you find balance between accepting yourself and making positive changes.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy is a specialised form of talking therapy that combines cognitive-behavioural techniques with mindfulness practices derived from Buddhist traditions. Developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan in the 1970s, DBT helps people who experience intense emotions learn to manage their feelings without resorting to harmful behaviours.
The "dialectical" aspect refers to bringing together two seemingly opposite strategies: accepting yourself as you are while making positive changes for the future.
Four Core Skills
DBT is structured around four essential skill modules that work together to help you manage emotions and build a more fulfilling life:
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Mindfulness Skills
At the foundation of DBT is mindfulness – the practice of staying present and aware without judgment. These skills help you observe your thoughts and feelings without becoming overwhelmed by them.
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Distress Tolerance Skills
These practical techniques help you survive crisis situations without making things worse. Rather than trying to immediately escape difficult emotions, you'll learn strategies to accept and manage them in the moment.
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Emotion Regulation Skills
Identify, understand, and manage intense feelings:
- Recognize emotional triggers
- Reduce vulnerability to negative emotions
- Increase positive experiences
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Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills
These skills focus on maintaining healthy relationships while respecting your own needs and boundaries. You'll learn how to ask for what you want, say no when necessary, and navigate conflicts – all while preserving self-respect and important relationships
Master the four essential DBT skills to transform your emotional life and relationships.
Frequently Asked Questions About DBT Therapy
- What exactly is DBT therapy and how does it work?
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Dialectical Behaviour Therapy is an evidence-based approach that combines cognitive-behavioural techniques with mindfulness practices. It works by teaching you specific skills in four key areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.
Through regular sessions with your therapist, you'll learn to identify triggers, manage intense emotions, and replace harmful behaviours with healthier coping strategies that improve your quality of life.
- What conditions is DBT therapy best suited for?
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While DBT was originally developed for borderline personality disorder, it's now effectively used to treat a wide range of conditions characterized by emotional dysregulation. These include:
- Depression
- Anxiety disorders
- Eating disorders
- Substance use problems
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Self-harming behaviours
It's particularly helpful for people who experience intense emotions that feel difficult to manage on a day-to-day basis.
- How is online DBT therapy different from in-person sessions?
- Online DBT therapy follows the same principles and teaches the same skills as in-person DBT, but sessions take place via secure video platform. This allows you to participate from the comfort of your home, eliminating travel time and potentially making therapy more accessible.
- How long does DBT therapy typically last?
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A comprehensive DBT program traditionally lasts between 6-12 months, with weekly individual therapy sessions and skills training.
However, at UK Therapy Guide, our therapists can tailor the approach to your specific needs. Some clients benefit from shorter-term DBT-informed therapy focusing on specific skills, while others may require longer-term support to achieve lasting change.
- How much does private DBT therapy cost in the UK?
- The cost of private DBT therapy typically ranges from £60-£120 per session, depending on the therapist's experience and location.
- What's the difference between DBT and CBT?
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Both DBT and CBT are evidence-based approaches, but DBT was specifically designed for people who experience very intense emotions. While CBT focuses primarily on changing thoughts and behaviours, DBT adds emphasis on:
- Acceptance
- Mindfulness
- Dialectical thinking (balancing acceptance with change)
DBT also typically includes skills training in areas like distress tolerance that aren't central to traditional CBT.
- How do I know if my therapist is properly trained in DBT?
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A properly trained DBT therapist should have specific training in dialectical behaviour therapy beyond their general therapeutic qualifications. At UK Therapy Guide, we verify all therapists' credentials and ensure those offering DBT have appropriate training and experience in this specialized approach.
During your initial consultation, you're encouraged to ask about your therapist's experience and approach to DBT. This transparency helps build the trust essential for effective therapy.