Stage 2 DBT Program

The Stage 2 DBT Program is a mindfulness-based, values-directed, treatment to help clients learn to deal with their psychological distress by learning to live in the present via committed, value-guided actions.

Enhance Your Life With Mindful Awareness

The practice of paying attention to the present moment, with non-judgmental awareness, helps you cultivate a deeper connection with your inner self, others, and the world around you.

Living By Your Values

Values provide meaningful direction and capture what we want our life to be about, which helps improve our overall well-being

Become Your Own Therapist

The aim of Stage 2 DBT is to provide you with a compass to empower you with increased confidence and a greater sense of control during challenging times.

What is Stage 2 DBT?

This treatment uses a trauma-informed and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy approach (ACT) to help clients use acceptance and mindfulness strategies, along with commitment and change strategies to increase psychological flexibility. We focus on value-based living and specific skills to empower and guide you to make choices that bring you closer to your goals and values. Home-practice exercises will be assigned each week.

Who Benefits From Stage 2 DBT?

Stage 2 DBT is offered for individuals who struggle with emotional dysregulation and who have completed the DBT program at OICBT within the last two years to ensure they have learned the necessary skills for emotional stabilization. It can benefit clients who are committed to practicing self-directed therapy skills to guide them in making value-based choices in their lives.

What Is The Focus of Stage 2 DBT?

This group therapy is a “second stage treatment” because the first stage involved learning the necessary skills for stabilization, as we do in the DBT program;

  • This program was developed for individuals who are struggling with mild, moderate or severe emotion dysregulation (diagnosed with a borderline personality disorder or other mood disorder that impacts their ability to regulate emotions);
  • Stage 2 treatment: Processing and Integration is:
    • Time-limited (established number of weeks);
    • A closed group (same group members from session to session; 6 to 8 members + facilitators);
    • Takes place weekly;
    • Has two parts: Part 1 focuses on self-therapy skills (8 sessions) and Part 2 focuses on interpersonal trauma recovery (7 sessions). Each module follows a set curriculum.
    • Is processed-based: each session includes the presentation of didactic content but will prioritize discussion amongst group members;
    • And uses a trauma-informed and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy approach (ACT):
      • Trauma informed practice: a strengths-based framework grounded in an understanding of-and responsiveness to the impact of interpersonal trauma.
      • ACT: is an empirically based psychological intervention that uses acceptance and mindfulness strategies along with commitment and behavior-change strategies to increase psychological flexibility

Frequently Asked Questions: DBT Stage 2

We understand starting a therapy of any kind comes with uncertainty. Please see below for your most commonly asked questions.

It is intended for clients who have completed all 3 modules of the DBT program within the past 2 years.

Clients with mild to moderate emotional dysregulation who are seeking “self-therapy” skills

For the latest group fees, please refer to our current fees page.

Generally groups are held in the early evenings.Please contact us for current dates and times.

No. Clients can participate in either module, however we do recommend that clients take both modules, beginning with Module 1 before completing Module 2.