Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a structured, skills-based approach originally developed to help people manage intense emotions and reduce harmful coping behaviors. A DBT skills group is a class-style setting where participants learn and practice a specific set of tools each week, rather than an open-ended discussion group.
Group sessions typically include a brief mindfulness practice, review of skills practiced during the past week, and teaching of a new skill with guided practice. Homework between sessions helps participants apply the skills to real situations in their daily lives.
DBT skills are organized into modules — Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, Interpersonal Effectiveness, and Walking the Middle Path. Each module targets a different area: staying present, getting through crises without making things worse, understanding and changing emotional responses, and communicating needs effectively in relationships.
A DBT group is educational and skills-focused rather than a place for open processing of personal history — it's a space to learn tools you can use right away, practice them with support, and build them into lasting habits.