Can I do DBT by myself?
Unlike CBT, it can be difficult to learn DBT techniques by yourself. It can also be overwhelming when you start doing DBT. So doing it by yourself doesn’t usually work as well as going to sessions run by trained therapists.
Doing a formal course can help you:
- stay motivated if you feel like giving up
- find situations where you can practise DBT skills
- feel supported and less alone, as others in the group are going through the same process.
But you may be able to find DBT self-help materials available online. This might include diary cards, exercises and behavioural analysis sheets. You could use these to brush up your DBT training alongside or after finishing a formal course. The DBT Self Help website offers these resources.
“At first it was really tough, and I wondered what the point of it was going to be. Some of the DBT skills seemed silly to me, but I had committed myself to the process and as time passed, it started to make more sense.”
You can find out more about DBT on the official DBT website, BehavioralTech
