Seeking DBT Therapy in Sydney?

At The Balmain Practice, our team of kind and caring psychologists provides evidence-based DBT therapy in Sydney. We support individuals experiencing emotional and behavioural difficulties, helping them develop skills to manage their emotions, relationships, and overall well-being.

We understand that each individual has unique experiences, so we tailor our approach to meet their needs. Our team works collaboratively with you to identify your goals and develop an approach that addresses your specific concerns

What Is Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)?

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is a modified form of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) designed to be more practical and skills-based. It focuses on helping people live in the moment, manage stress in healthier ways, regulate their emotions, and build stronger, more positive relationships.

DBT can help people who experience intense emotions and find them difficult to manage. It equips individuals with strategies to cope with overwhelming feelings, manage impulsive behaviours, and improve their responses to difficult situations.

How Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Works

Dialectical behaviour therapy teaches four core skill areas:

Mindfulness: Learning to stay present and notice your thoughts and feelings without immediately reacting to them
Emotion regulation: Understanding your emotions and developing healthier ways to manage them
Distress tolerance: Learning how to cope with difficult or overwhelming situations without turning to harmful behaviours
Interpersonal effectiveness: Developing ways to communicate your needs while maintaining healthy relationships and self-respect

These skills can be used together in everyday situations. Mindfulness can help you recognise when you are becoming distressed, while distress tolerance skills can help you manage the situation without acting impulsively. Interpersonal effectiveness skills can then help you communicate and work through the issue.

Other Conditions DBT Can Help With

DBT was originally developed for borderline personality disorder; it has since been adapted to address a variety of psychological conditions, including:

ADHD

Generalised Anxiety Disorder

Major Depressive Disorder

Including treatment-resistant and chronic depression

PTSD

Substance use disorders

Self-harming behavior

Who Can Benefit from DBT Therapy?

DBT therapy helps people across all life stages develop essential coping strategies. This evidence-based approach is effective for children, adolescents, and adults facing various psychological concerns.

DBT for Adults

Adults who seek DBT may find that intense emotions are difficult to manage or that these difficulties affect their relationships and daily routines. Others may seek support after experiencing:

Persistent low mood or depression
Anxiety that feels difficult to manage day to day
The lasting effects of trauma
Concerns relating to substance use
Thoughts or urges related to self-harm

Through DBT, adults can learn practical strategies to respond to these experiences. Rather than reacting on impulse, the goal is to create space to pause, assess, and choose a response that aligns with what matters to them. Rather than a quick fix, this approach takes consistent practice, and our psychologists work alongside you to reinforce these skills session by session.

DBT for Adolescents

Adolescence can bring changes in friendships, family relationships, school, and everyday life. For some teenagers, these challenges can feel difficult to manage and may show up as:

Mood swings
Emotional outbursts
Conflict at home
Withdrawing from others
Difficulty maintaining friendships

Dialectical behaviour therapy for adolescents, often called DBT-A, adapts DBT for the needs of teenagers. DBT-A focuses on practical skills that can help teenagers manage difficult emotions, cope with distress, and communicate more effectively with the people around them.

DBT for Children

Dialectical behaviour therapy for children, often referred to as DBT-C, adapts DBT to meet children’s developmental needs. DBT-C can help children learn to identify and express their feelings and develop healthy coping strategies for stress and frustration. It can also help them build stronger relationships with family and friends, while supporting greater self-confidence and emotional awareness.

It’s useful for:

Persistent anger or sadness
Defiance or oppositional behaviour
Impulsivity or attention difficulties (including ADHD)

DBT-C involves parents or caregivers and encourages them to take an active role in the process. Caregivers can model skills like emotional regulation and mindfulness at home, which helps children learn and practice them in a safe, familiar environment.

What To Expect From DBT Therapy at The Balmain Practice

We understand that starting therapy may feel overwhelming, and we are here to guide you through every step. DBT at The Balmain Practice is adapted to your needs and may include:

Sessions focused on you: Everyone’s circumstances are different, so your sessions will focus on what you're currently experiencing and areas where you need support.
Learning practical DBT skills: Your psychologist will introduce skills that may be useful for your situation and help you understand how to use them in everyday life.
Using skills between sessions: Your psychologist may suggest things to try between sessions and discuss your experience at your next appointment.
Parent involvement when needed: When working with children and teenagers, psychologists may involve parents or caregivers to help support the use of DBT skills at home.
Progress over time: DBT takes practice, and progress may happen gradually. Your psychologist will work with you over time, adjusting the approach as your needs change.

TAKING YOUR NEXT STEP

If you’re considering DBT therapy in Sydney for yourself, your child, or your teenager, the team at The Balmain Practice is here to help.

Our team takes a warm, kind, and understanding approach to DBT. We’ll take the time to understand your situation and connect you with a psychologist who suits your needs. Contact us today to book your first appointment at our Inner West Sydney practice.

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