Dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT) For Addiction Treatment
Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) was developed out of a branch of therapy called cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), but was specially adapted for people who were struggling with very intense emotions. At first, this was people being treated for borderline personality disorder, but DBT has since proven effective in the treatment of addiction, eating disorders, suicidal behaviour and dual diagnoses. DBT plays a key role in the rehab therapies and programmes at Providence, helping you calm the storm inside.
How does dialectical behaviour therapy work?
Dialectical behaviour therapy works by teaching you a set of very practical skills for managing emotions, coping with stress and building healthier relationships. Instead of focusing only on why you feel the way you do, DBT gives you clear tools for what to do when those feelings threaten to take over.
At its core, DBT is all about the balance between acceptance and change. Acceptance means facing your reality as it is today. It takes away some of the self-blame and confusion and helps you make sense of why you have struggled. Rather than giving up or resigning yourself to your struggles, DBT acceptance techniques allow you to be honest with yourself, which is the first step to moving forward.
DBT change techniques are then about building something new. They help you challenge unhelpful thoughts, manage stress safely and create new habits that support your recovery. This is the action part of DBT, where you take what you have learned and put it into practice.
What are the core principles of dialectical behaviour therapy?
DBT is built on four core principles, which together make it an incredibly effective therapy for a range of conditions. These principles are:
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is about paying attention to what’s happening right now, rather than getting lost in worries about the past or future. In DBT therapy sessions, you will learn to notice your thoughts, feelings and physical sensations as they come up, without immediately reacting to them. This helps you pause, stay calmer in stressful moments and make more thoughtful choices instead of acting on impulse.
Emotion regulation
Strong emotions can take over quickly and completely overwhelm you. Emotion regulation is about learning how to recognise your feelings, understand them and find ways to keep them from running your life. Instead of lashing out, shutting down or relying on drugs or alcohol to cope with those feelings, DBT gives you new ways to bring your emotions back to a manageable level.
Interpersonal effectiveness
Addiction can harm relationships with all your closest friends and family. Interpersonal effectiveness in DBT can help rebuild those relationships and teach you how to handle difficult situations with people in the future. It teaches you to stay calm, explain yourself clearly and avoid falling into old patterns like people-pleasing or shutting down.
Distress tolerance
Life will always bring pain and difficult moments but distress tolerance skills help you get through them without making things worse. Instead of relying on drugs, alcohol or harmful behaviours to escape the discomfort, you can learn to ride out the storm until it passes. This can involve grounding or meditation techniques, calming exercises or something as simple as going for a walk.
Start your recovery journey today.
Finding the best rehab treatment for you is the first vital step in achieving life-long recovery from your addiction. Whether it is for you, or for a loved one, do not hesitate to find out how we at Providence Projects can help you.
Why is DBT used in addiction treatment?
DBT is especially valuable in addiction treatment (be it for an alcohol addiction, drug addiction or gambling addiction) because it teaches you how to survive and manage the intense emotions that so often fuel relapse. Many people turn to substances or destructive behaviours to escape pain, trauma, mental health symptoms or overwhelming stress. Where CBT focuses on changing thoughts, DBT balances that with acceptance so you can sit with uncomfortable emotions without panicking or trying to numb them.
Some of the biggest benefits of DBT for addiction include:
- Learn how to cope with powerful drug or alcohol cravings without acting on them
- Managing sudden mood swings or emotional crashes in early recovery
- Repairing the relationships damaged by addiction
- Building resilience for long-term recovery when life inevitably brings stress and setbacks
Many people who come into rehab live with a dual diagnosis, which means an addiction alongside another mental health condition. Instead of treating these issues one by one, DBT understands how they feed each other, with therapy addressing both at the same time.
How does DBT work at Providence Projects?
At Providence Projects, we offer DBT throughout our treatment pathway in many of our addiction treatment rehab programmes:
DBT helps calm the storm of early recovery. You’ll learn grounding skills for when emotions spike, and how to catch the moment cravings or urges usually take over. These techniques are practised in one-to-one sessions and tested in groups, where you’ll see how others manage the same challenges.
DBT examines long-standing patterns more thoroughly. You’ll explore how you handle conflict, how you treat yourself when things go wrong, and how to cope with emotions without turning to drugs or destructive behaviours. Therapists may set homework like journaling urges or practising self-soothing, so you can take DBT skills into everyday life.
Because rehab here is residential, DBT isn’t limited to the therapy room; it’s part of everything you do. Our team is always nearby to help you apply the skills in real time, whether that’s calming down after a difficult phone call, riding out anxiety, or practising healthier communication. This means you’re never alone in learning how to put DBT into action.
Continuing DBT after leaving Providence Projects
The real value of DBT shows once rehab ends. Life’s stresses and triggers will still be there, but DBT changes how you respond to them.
If you face a setback like job loss or a breakup, old habits might push you toward drugs or alcohol. DBT helps you pause, recognise the pain and choose healthier responses. Instead of spiralling, you’ll be able to regulate emotions, reach out for support and ride out the storm without relapse.
Many people continue DBT through weekly sessions, peer groups or daily practices like mindful breathing or journaling. The key is consistency; the more you use the skills, the more natural they become until DBT is part of everyday life.
The team of counsellors here at The Providence Projects are always available.
If you would like to find out more about how you can best set healthy boundaries, how you can hopefully encourage your loved one to seek help, find out more about intervention or the treatment process, please call anytime.
Reach out to the Providence Projects today
DBT is one of the most effective therapies for anyone struggling with tough emotions and addictive behaviours. At Providence Projects, our team uses DBT every day to help our clients manage urges, regulate emotions and rebuild trust in themselves. However long you’ve been struggling, change is possible. Contact us today and begin DBT with Providence.
Going in, I had no life…the Providence Projects has given my life back to me. I couldn’t have done it on my own. I found instantly how warm and welcoming everyone was.
LEO HAYDEN, FORMER CLIENT
Watch Leo's Story
Start your recovery journey today.
Finding the best rehab treatment for you is the first vital step in achieving life-long recovery from your addiction. Whether it is for you, or for a loved one, do not hesitate to find out how we at Providence Projects can help you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can DBT be done in a group setting?
Yes, in fact, group sessions are one of the ways DBT is most effective. In a group, you will learn the same skills as you would in one-to-one therapy, but you also get the chance to practise them with others who are going through the same struggles as you are. This can include role-playing conversations, sharing coping strategies or simply listening to how others apply DBT skills in real life.
How does DBT differ from CBT?
DBT (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy) grew out of CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy), but the two approaches focus on slightly different aspects. CBT works by identifying unhelpful thoughts and replacing them with healthier ones. DBT goes a step further by teaching four key skill sets for managing harmful thoughts and emotions: mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness.
How much does DBT cost outside of rehab at Providence Projects?
At the Providence Projects, there is no extra cost to take part in DBT sessions as they are included in the cost of our treatment programmes. However, if you decide to continue DBT after leaving rehab, you would normally need to pay privately. Prices vary depending on whether you choose group or individual sessions, but in the UK they typically range from £85to £150 per session. Some people may be able to find lower-cost options through charities or NHS referrals but places are limited and waiting lists can be long.