In immediate danger, call 911. For health advice, call 8-1-1. For suicide crisis support, call or text 9-8-8.

Self-study with therapist guidance

DBT Guided Self-Help

A structured bridge for people who want DBT skills but cannot realistically attend weekly therapy or a full group right now. You follow a defined workbook path and meet monthly with a therapist to maintain direction and application.

  • Structured DBT workbook pathway
  • Monthly therapist guidance
  • Four core DBT modules
  • Option to step up to group or individual care when needed

You do not need to choose the perfect program first

The intake reviews risk, current supports, treatment history, goals, availability, funding, and the amount of structure needed before a service is recommended.

  • Clinician-reviewed intake
  • Clear service recommendation
  • No referral required
Quick read

The essentials before you decide

Format

Independent DBT study with scheduled monthly therapist guidance.

Best suited for

Lower-risk clients who can work independently but need accountability, tailoring, and troubleshooting.

What it is not

Not a substitute for emergency care, comprehensive DBT, or regular psychotherapy when those levels of support are needed.

Starting support

After booking, the clinic can provide the first chapter from a recommended resource so work can begin promptly.
Fit and safety

Choose the level of support that matches the pattern

This service may be right for you if…

  • You want DBT skills but weekly therapy or group attendance is not realistic
  • You can complete reading and practice independently between guidance sessions
  • Your risk and clinical needs can be safely supported at a lower-intensity level
  • You have tried self-help before but need accountability and clinical direction to follow through

A different pathway may be safer or more useful when…

  • Frequent self-harm, suicidal behaviour, severe instability, or repeated crisis requires a more intensive pathway
  • You need live weekly teaching and group repetition rather than independent learning
  • Cognitive, literacy, medical, or environmental barriers make workbook-based self-study impractical
Clinical rationale

This is not “read a book and hope”

Self-help often fails because people are left to choose what matters, apply it alone, and restart after motivation drops. Guided Self-Help creates a clinical scaffold: a defined sequence, clear goals, monthly review, application to real situations, and an explicit decision about when to stay the course or step up care.

Clear learning sequence

Move through mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness in a coherent order.

Monthly clinical guidance

Review progress, resolve confusion, choose relevant practice, and connect skills to current patterns.

Step-up flexibility

Transition into group, individual, or comprehensive support when the evidence indicates that more structure is needed.
Program structure

A repeatable monthly learning cycle

Each cycle converts reading into action so the work does not stay theoretical.

Prepare

Complete the assigned reading and identify the situations where the skill could matter.

Meet

Review learning, barriers, safety, and the most relevant application with the therapist.

Practise

Use a small number of selected exercises in real situations rather than attempting every strategy at once.

Review

Bring back what worked, what did not, and whether the current level of support remains appropriate.
Between-session and practical support

Current fee options

The current public fee structure varies by session length and whether the client is also participating in an STG DBT Skills Group.

45 minutes — prior DBT experience

$75 per guidance session for clients not currently in an STG group who have previous DBT experience.

45 minutes — current group participant

$65 per guidance session for current participants in an STG DBT Skills Group.

60 minutes — standalone guided pathway

$100 per guidance session for clients using Guided Self-Help outside a current group.
Fees and access

Know the practical details before treatment begins

Fees and eligibility can change. Confirm the recommended session length and current fee during intake. Insurance reimbursement and public funding remain plan- and approval-dependent.

How care begins

A clear pathway—without guessing where to start

You do not need to know the diagnosis, program, or clinician before reaching out.

01 — Secure intake

Tell us what is happening, what you want to change, and any safety, scheduling, or funding needs.

02 — Clinical fit review

A clinician reviews the pattern, risk level, goals, diagnosis questions, and amount of structure needed.

03 — Clear recommendation

You receive a proportionate recommendation: individual DBT, a group, guided support, coordinated care, or another pathway.

04 — Begin with a plan

Care starts with explicit targets, skills practice, progress review, and a plan for support between sessions.
Common questions

What people usually want to know before starting

Is this the same as DBT Skills Training?

No. Skills Training is a live weekly program with teaching and group repetition. Guided Self-Help is independent study with monthly therapist guidance.

Can I start without previous DBT experience?

Yes, when intake confirms that self-directed learning is clinically appropriate. The pathway begins with foundational material.

What workbook do I need?

The clinician recommends an appropriate DBT resource and provides clear direction about the learning sequence.

Can I move into a group or individual therapy later?

Yes. The pathway is intentionally designed to allow step-up care when more structure becomes useful.

Does this replace emergency support?

No. It is not an emergency service or a replacement for regular professional care when acute risk is present.

Related pathways

You may also be interested in…

DBT Skills Training

Choose live weekly teaching and repeated group practice.

DBT Individual Therapy

Choose personalized weekly treatment for higher-impact targets.

DBT for Emotional Relief

Choose a shorter live group when immediate emotional-rescue skills are needed.
A practical next step

Start with a clinical fit review—not a guess about the program.

The secure intake gives the clinic enough information to recommend a proportionate and clinically appropriate next step.