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DBT SASKATCHEWAN · NOVEMBER 2026

DBT Skills Refresher

Build on what you know.
Practise using it when it matters.

12 weekly sessions · 90 minutes each
Private pay: $70 per session · $840 in group-session fees

No fee for First Nations participants with NIHB approval for this programme.

You have learned the DBT skills. This group gives you structured time to revisit them, work through what gets in the way, and practise using them in situations that matter to you.

For adults with a foundation in core DBT skills. Part of the DBT Skills Refresher Plus program.

November cohort planned

Your group at a glance

Sessions
12 weekly sessions
Duration
90 minutes each
Private-pay session fee
$70 per participant
Private-pay group total
$840 for all 12 sessions
First Nations participants with NIHB approval
No fee for this program

Live online across Saskatchewan.
STG Online Clinic resources and STG Track access are included for enrolled participants.

Exact dates and arrangements: see practical details.

A refresher for the situations that still feel difficult.

Perhaps a skill comes to mind afterwards, practice has become less consistent, or you know the steps but struggle to use them under pressure. You do not need perfect recall to return to practice.

Bring your foundation

You have completed core DBT skills training or substantial equivalent work. Previous training may have been with STG or another provider; suitability is reviewed individually.

Work with real situations

Refresh key skills, rehearse responses, receive feedback, and troubleshoot barriers. The emphasis is on using familiar skills, not compressing an introductory course.

Choose a manageable next step

Set personal goals and work on one main application each week. Review how practice is helping at sessions 1, 6 and 12.

Finding the right level of support matters. This is a client skills group, not professional certification or comprehensive DBT. Individual therapy and crisis support are not included. Intake considers whether this format meets your current needs; another pathway may be more appropriate.

HOW THE 90 MINUTES WORK

Less time repeating concepts. More time practising.

A typical meeting combines a brief skill refresher with practice review, coached rehearsal and a clear plan for the week ahead.

5 minMindfulness and settling in
20 minPractice review and troubleshooting
10 minFocused skill refresher
5 minBrief break
35 minCoached practice and application
10 minPlan the coming week
5 minClosing and consolidation

Examples are chosen to be manageable and relevant. You can bring a question about a skill that helped, an attempt that did not go as hoped, or a point where practice became difficult.

THE 12-SESSION OUTLINE

Reconnect. Practise. Carry it into daily life.

Mindfulness anchors the group, followed by distress tolerance, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness and integration. Open a session below to see the focus and practice.

01Reconnect with DBT: goals and mindfulness

Focus: Wise Mind and the mindfulness What and How skills.

In session: Identify one behaviour to decrease and one effective response to strengthen. Practise observing and describing a manageable recent situation without judgement.

Between sessions: Resume a manageable diary-card routine and practise one mindfulness skill in daily life.

02Interrupt escalation earlier

Focus: STOP, Pros and Cons, and selected TIP skills.

In session: Recognise early warning signs and rehearse a first-response skill. Suitable practice is selected with the facilitator.

Between sessions: Practise the chosen response when calm and notice when it helps you interrupt an urge.

03Get through distress without adding problems

Focus: Wise Mind ACCEPTS, self-soothing, and IMPROVE the Moment.

In session: Build a small coping menu and identify what to return to after the immediate distress.

Between sessions: Try selected strategies and notice whether they help you return to effective action.

04Reduce the struggle with reality

Focus: Radical Acceptance, Turning the Mind, and Willingness.

In session: Work with one manageable recurring situation. Distinguish acceptance from approval or giving up, and rehearse a willing next action.

Between sessions: Notice when rejection of reality returns and practise Turning the Mind again.

05Understand emotions and Check the Facts

Focus: The emotion sequence and the distinction between observations and interpretations.

In session: Map a recent emotional episode and work through Check the Facts.

Between sessions: Apply the process to one situation and notice any change in the emotion or intended response.

06Choose Opposite Action or Problem Solving

Focus: Select an effective response after checking the facts.

In session: Compare situations, rehearse an opposite action or problem-solving step, and revisit your personal goals.

Between sessions: Carry out the selected action in one real situation.

07Reduce vulnerability and Cope Ahead

Focus: Selected ABC PLEASE priorities and rehearsal for an anticipated difficulty.

In session: Choose a small number of realistic changes. Protect time to imagine and rehearse coping, including likely obstacles.

Between sessions: Practise the chosen changes and rehearse the anticipated situation before it happens.

08Experience emotions without automatically acting

Focus: Mindfulness of Current Emotions and personal skills-breakdown points.

In session: Observe a manageable emotion and troubleshoot an example where a skill did not help.

Between sessions: Notice when a simpler distress-tolerance skill is needed first, then return to emotion-regulation work.

09Ask, say no, and clarify priorities

Focus: Interpersonal goals and DEAR MAN.

In session: Clarify your objective, relationship and self-respect priorities before rehearsing a request or refusal with realistic pushback.

Between sessions: Try the planned interaction or an appropriately smaller practice step.

10Balance relationships, self-respect and firmness

Focus: GIVE, FAST, and how intensely to ask or say no.

In session: Rehearse an interaction while adjusting tone, validation, firmness and flexibility.

Between sessions: Evaluate all three interpersonal priorities, not only whether the other person agreed.

11Validate and find a middle path

Focus: Validation, self-validation, and Walking the Middle Path.

In session: Practise understanding an experience without having to agree with every interpretation. Apply dialectical thinking to a current disagreement.

Between sessions: Practise one validating response to another person and one self-validating response.

12Put the skills together and maintain practice

Focus: Integration, review of personal goals, and a continuation plan.

In session: Rehearse a likely future difficulty using Cope Ahead. Identify warning signs, useful skills and how to resume after a setback.

Between sessions: Continue a personally manageable practice and monitoring routine.

This practice-focused sequence is adapted for the 90-minute format. The facilitator may adjust examples and emphasis to the group while retaining the core learning goals.

INCLUDED WITH YOUR GROUP

Support between sessions, in two useful places.

Return to relevant resources, practise in daily life, and bring useful examples back to the next group.

STG Online Clinic

Resources to revisit and prepare.

Access resources and practice materials relevant to the refresher. Return to the skills covered in your sessions and prepare for your next application.

STG Track

Brief check-ins that support practice.

Record emotions, urges and skills use, notice patterns, and bring useful examples to the group. The purpose is to understand what helps, not to produce a perfect diary.

  1. RevisitFind the relevant resource.
  2. PractiseTry one useful action.
  3. NoticeRecord a brief example.
  4. AdjustBring it back to the group.

Access is included for enrolled participants during the program. Any access after the group ends will be confirmed with you.

Support boundaries: STG Track entries are not monitored continuously and are not an emergency contact method. Your facilitator explains how tracking is used in scheduled care. Platform access does not include unlimited messaging, on-demand coaching or additional individual sessions.

KNOW THE COMMITMENT

Dates, fees and practical details.

Your November cohort

  • First session: November 18, 2026
  • Weekly time: Wednesdays, 7:00pm – 8:30pm (SK)
  • Facilitators: Chris de Feijter, EdD., MACP., Mike White, PhD.

Twelve sessions are planned from November into 2027. The complete calendar, including any holiday breaks, will be confirmed before enrolment.

Fees and included access

No fee for First Nations participants with NIHB approval for this program.
The fees and payment arrangements below apply to private-pay participants.

Private pay: $70 per participant per 90-minute session.
The twelve group-session fees total $840 CAD.

STG Online Clinic resources and STG Track access are included. Payment arrangements and any separate intake or other required fees are confirmed before enrolment; $840 is the total of the twelve group-session fees.

Coverage depends on the specific service, clinician and plan. Confirm eligibility for this group before relying on reimbursement. Review fees and coverage.

Plan to attend the twelve sessions and practise between meetings. The clinic confirms attendance, missed-session and cancellation arrangements before enrolment.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

A few practical questions.

Do I need to have completed DBT with STG?

No. Core DBT skills training completed elsewhere, or substantial equivalent work, may be accepted after clinical review.

Is this an introductory DBT course?

No. The group assumes a foundation in core DBT skills and focuses on practice, feedback, troubleshooting and carrying skills into everyday situations. The intake review can identify a more suitable starting point when needed.

Do I have to remember all the skills?

No. Returning to skills that have become hard to access is part of the work. You should be familiar with the core skills and ready to practise, rather than have perfect recall.

What will I do between sessions?

Choose one main applied task each week and maintain a manageable record of practice. Use the Online Clinic resources and STG Track to support that work. The facilitator helps you focus on what is relevant.

Is individual therapy or emergency support included?

No. This group is not comprehensive DBT and does not include individual therapy or continuous monitoring. Existing support needs are reviewed during intake. Do not wait for a diary entry or group reply when urgent help is needed.

Does completing intake reserve a place?

No. Intake begins a suitability and availability review. Dates, fees, attendance arrangements and any further requirements are confirmed before enrolment.

A USEFUL NEXT STEP

Bring what you know. Work on what gets in the way.

Ask about the November 2026 DBT Skills Refresher and whether this format could fit your next step.

Use the clinic's existing contact route. Keep personal clinical details out of ordinary email.

This is not an emergency service. For immediate danger, use emergency services rather than waiting for intake, group contact or an app response.