Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) in Alberta

Practical skills to manage emotions, steady relationships, and build a life that feels more balanced.

Is Emotional Intensity Making Life Harder Than It Should Be?

When emotions hit like tidal waves, life can feel exhausting. Small disagreements turn into major conflicts, or frustration bubbles up and pushes people away. On other days, emptiness takes over and nothing feels meaningful. If your life swings between these extremes, it’s not because you’re weak or failing; it’s because your nervous system reacts with more intensity than most. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, or DBT, was created to bring order to that chaos.

At The Mental Health Clinic, we provide DBT therapy online across Alberta, serving clients in Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Fort McMurray, and smaller communities throughout the province. Our DBT sessions are designed to help you strengthen self-control, improve relationships, and find ways to ride out difficult emotions without getting swept away.

What Is Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)?

DBT was first introduced in the late 1980s by Dr. Marsha Linehan, a psychologist who wanted to create a structured therapy for people facing intense emotional struggles. Although DBT was originally designed for individuals living with borderline personality disorder, its success quickly led to adaptations for many other mental health concerns.

The foundation of DBT is a balance between two forces that often feel at odds: fully acknowledging and accepting your current experiences as valid, while also learning practical ways to move forward and create change.

The therapy is structured and skills-based. Rather than just talking about difficulties, you will learn practical strategies you can use in everyday situations. Over time, these tools become second nature. People often describe DBT as a roadmap: when life feels overwhelming, DBT gives you direction, helping you manage emotions and act in ways that align with your long-term goals instead of short-term impulses.

For more, see CAMH’s overview of DBT.

Who Can Benefit from DBT Therapy in Alberta?

While DBT was created to treat borderline personality disorder, research now shows it is effective for many concerns, including intense anxiety, depression, trauma responses, and difficulties with anger or impulsivity. It is particularly helpful for people who:

  • Experience emotions more strongly and more suddenly than others.

  • Struggle with conflict in relationships or feel abandoned easily.

  • Engage in harmful coping strategies such as self-harm or substance misuse.

  • Feel chronically empty or disconnected from themselves and others.

  • Have difficulty calming down after being upset.

  • Act on impulses that create regret or shame later.

DBT is especially useful for people struggling with intense emotional swings. If managing emotions is your biggest challenge, you may also want to explore our dedicated Emotion Regulation Blog for more support.

Many clients describe DBT as the first-time therapy gave them clear, usable tools. Instead of vague advice, you leave sessions with strategies you can test in real life like scripts to use in difficult conversations, steps to ground yourself during panic, or techniques to ride out an urge without acting on it.

The Canadian Psychological Association’s fact sheet on DBT outlines the breadth of its effectiveness.

What Happens in a DBT Session?

Your first session is about orientation. Together, you and your therapist map out the struggles you’re facing and set goals for what you want life to look like. You may identify target behaviours such as outbursts during conflict, withdrawing when emotions feel too strong, or relying on harmful coping strategies and agree on the order you want to address them. This clarity can bring a sense of relief, because DBT is structured from the very beginning.

As sessions progress, you’ll begin learning specific skills in four key areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Rather than trying to master everything at once, you build skills gradually, with time to practise between sessions. A therapist might introduce a short breathing technique to ground you, or a worksheet to track emotional triggers. In following sessions, you discuss how it went and adjust the plan.

Over time, DBT shifts from learning basic skills to applying them in increasingly complex situations. This might mean practising staying present during a stressful work meeting or using a new communication technique with a partner during an argument. The ultimate goal is for these skills to become natural responses, so that when challenges arise, you have tools ready to use instead of falling back into old patterns.

Why DBT Works

DBT works because it directly addresses how emotions, behaviours, and thoughts interact. When emotions are high, people often fall into all-or-nothing thinking, act on impulses, or avoid situations that trigger discomfort. DBT interrupts these cycles with practical strategies. For example:

  • Instead of avoiding distress, you learn to sit with it in manageable ways, preventing escalation.

  • Instead of reacting impulsively, you build pause-and-choose techniques that give you options.

  • Instead of invalidating your own emotions, you learn to acknowledge them without letting them dictate your actions.

You can also explore our Trauma Blog for insights on how trauma affects daily life and the role therapy can play in recovery.

The emphasis on both acceptance and change means clients don’t feel pressured to ignore their struggles or pretend they’re fine. Instead, DBT validates the reality of emotional intensity while offering clear steps toward stability.

Benefits of DBT Therapy

The benefits of DBT unfold gradually. Many clients first notice that they can pause in situations where they used to act automatically. For example, someone who previously lashed out in anger may start to recognise the signs earlier and use grounding skills instead. Over time, people report:

  • More control over their emotions and reactions.

  • Better communication and healthier boundaries with family, friends, and partners.

  • A reduction in harmful coping behaviours.

  • Less frequent feelings of emptiness or hopelessness.

  • Increased resilience when facing setbacks.

These changes don’t happen overnight, but they accumulate. A client may look back after several months and realise arguments no longer escalate as quickly, or that they feel calmer after stressful workdays. The sense of life being “unmanageable” begins to shift toward a feeling of steady progress.

Our Approach to DBT at The Mental Health Clinic

At The Mental Health Clinic, DBT is offered in individual sessions delivered online. This makes the therapy accessible across Alberta, including communities where in-person services are limited. We prioritise flexibility, offering daytime and evening sessions to fit into busy schedules.

Our therapists are trained in DBT and integrate it with other evidence-based approaches such as CBT Therapy, ACT, or EMDR where appropriate. This allows us to adapt therapy to your unique needs. For example, someone struggling with trauma may benefit from combining DBT skills with trauma-focused therapy. Another client might find CBT techniques helpful for managing negative thinking while focusing on DBT for emotion regulation.

We believe therapy should feel practical and supportive, not abstract. That means you’ll always leave a session with something specific to try, whether it’s a new strategy to handle distress, a mindfulness exercise, or a plan to communicate differently in a difficult situation.

What to Expect Between Sessions

DBT is designed to be active. Progress doesn’t just happen during the hour with your therapist; it builds in the days between. After each session, you’ll have a manageable assignment. This might be practising a short mindfulness technique each morning, writing down what triggered an emotional spiral, or trying out a new way of asking for what you need in a conversation.

Homework is not about perfection. If you struggle, that information is valuable. You and your therapist will review what happened, adjust strategies, and celebrate even small successes. Over time, these practices accumulate into lasting skills that feel natural to use.

Measuring Progress in DBT

Progress is measured collaboratively. You and your therapist will regularly check in on the goals set early in therapy. Together, you’ll track not only whether harmful behaviours are decreasing, but also whether you feel more able to manage day-to-day life.

Some therapists use standardised questionnaires to measure symptoms of depression, anxiety, or emotional distress, but the most important measure is whether therapy is making a difference in your daily experience. The focus is always on your goals, whether that means reducing conflict in relationships, gaining control over impulsive behaviours, or feeling more stable in your emotions.

Why Choose the Mental Health Clinic for DBT in Alberta

There are many reasons clients across Alberta choose our clinic for DBT. We provide accessibility by offering all sessions online, eliminating barriers like travel or limited local services. Our team of Alberta-licensed professionals are trained in DBT and related therapies, and we tailor every session to your needs and goals.

To learn more about our values, team, and story, visit our About Our Clinic page.

We are committed to evidence-based practice and provide a free 20-minute consultation so you can meet your therapist before deciding to begin. This consultation allows you to feel confident about the fit before starting therapy.

Fees and Coverage

Session fees are collected at the time of your appointment. Many extended health insurance plans in Alberta cover counselling with registered providers, though coverage varies depending on your plan. Health spending accounts can also be applied toward therapy costs.

We provide detailed receipts that include all necessary registration information for reimbursement. If you’re unsure about your coverage, it is best to contact your insurance provider directly and ask whether sessions with an Alberta-licensed therapist are included.

For more details, visit our Fees page.

Frequently Asked Questions About DBT

  • No. While DBT was developed with BPD in mind, it has since been adapted for a wide range of issues including trauma, depression, anxiety, and difficulties with emotion regulation.

  • Many clients attend DBT for several months, though the timeline depends on individual goals and progress. Some stay longer for continued support, while others transition to maintenance sessions after a few months.

  • Yes. Research shows that DBT delivered via secure video is just as effective as in-person therapy for many clients, with the added benefit of accessibility.

  • DBT homework is flexible. If you struggle, your therapist will help adapt it. The point is steady progress, not perfection.

  • Yes. With your consent, we can coordinate with your physician, nurse practitioner, or coach to make sure supports align.

Your Next Step

If DBT sounds like the right fit, the first step is simple: Book an appointment online or schedule a no cost 20-minute consultation. With the right support, you can start building the skills to manage emotions more effectively and create the stability you’ve been searching for.

Meet Our Therapists