One-to-one structured DBT care
DBT Individual Therapy
When intense emotions make it difficult to use what you know, individual DBT gives you space to work through your own situations and practise responses that support your goals.
You don’t need to choose a program before contacting us. Intake does not commit you to treatment.
Your care at a glance
Appointments
Weekly individual sessions, commonly 50 minutes.
In your session
Review your diary card, understand a difficult situation, and practise a response.
Between sessions
Agreed practice; secure support when included in your treatment plan.
Delivery
Secure online care across Saskatchewan when appropriate.
Could this support fit your needs?
This service may be right for you if…
- You need one-to-one treatment rather than skills education alone
- Your patterns involve significant risk, self-harm, suicidal thinking, impulsivity, severe avoidance, or repeated relationship rupture
- You are willing to review what happened between sessions and practise new responses
- You want a treatment plan with clear priorities rather than open-ended supportive conversation
A different pathway may be safer or more useful when…
- Immediate danger, acute mania, psychosis, intoxication, or medical instability requires emergency or medical care first
- A structured skills group may be enough when risk is lower and the primary goal is learning DBT tools
- Guided Self-Help may fit when weekly therapy is not needed and self-directed work is realistic
What usually happens in a DBT individual session
The session is structured enough to preserve direction and flexible enough to respond to what occurred during the week.
1. Review the week
2. Analyse the pattern
3. Practise a new response
4. Make the plan usable
We do not try to address everything at once.
01 · Life-threatening behaviours
Start with safety and behaviours that threaten life.
02 · Therapy-interfering behaviours
Address barriers on either side of the therapeutic relationship.
03 · Quality-of-life interfering behaviours
Work on patterns that disrupt relationships, health, work, and daily living.
04 · Skills acquisition and life-building
Build capabilities throughout treatment while moving towards meaningful goals.
These are Stage 1 treatment priorities. Skills are taught and practised throughout; life-building is not a promise of a fixed or linear recovery sequence.
Find a point of choice.
A simplified behavioural chain. Vulnerabilities and consequences are explored together in treatment.
Your week in DBT.
| Important event | A difficult conversation |
|---|---|
| Emotion intensity | Anger: 4 out of 5 |
| Urge | Send repeated messages: 4 out of 5 |
| Target behaviour | Repeated messages: 0 |
| Skills used | Pause, observe, check the facts |
| Progress marker | Waited, then made one clear request |
Reviewed together
What happened? What came before it? What helped, and what did not? What will we practise next?
The public report is fictional. Your clinician will explain whether reports are included, how to submit your diary card, and when it is reviewed. Diary submissions are not continuously monitored or an emergency contact channel.
The work between sessions is part of treatment
DBT aims for skills to become available when pressure is high. Depending on the treatment plan, support can include diary cards, assigned practice, secure messaging, digital learning materials, crisis planning, and coordination with other professionals.
Diary cards
Skills and assignments
Between-session coaching
Messaging and learning materials
When included in your treatment plan, secure messaging can help clarify assigned practice and connect it to the next appointment. Selected clients also receive learning materials through the STG Online Clinic. Your clinician explains what is available and the agreed response boundaries.
Fees and practical details
Individual counselling currently ranges from $140 to $225 per 50-minute session. Private-insurance reimbursement depends on the assigned clinician and plan. Public-benefit coverage requires confirmation of client eligibility, provider status, service type, and authorization; current Métis Nation–Saskatchewan funding should not be assumed.
YOUR QUESTIONS
Questions you may have
Do I need a confirmed BPD diagnosis?
No. Intake considers the behavioural pattern, risk, functioning, current supports, goals, and whether DBT is clinically appropriate.
Does individual DBT always include a skills group?
Comprehensive DBT includes both individual therapy and skills training. Some people receive individual DBT-informed care or another pathway when the full model is not indicated or available.
What is a diary card?
A brief weekly record of target behaviours, urges, emotions, and skills. It helps the session focus on what actually happened rather than relying only on recall.
Can DBT help with bipolar disorder?
DBT can support routines, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and relationships, but it does not replace medical assessment or medication management for bipolar disorder.
Is this an emergency service?
No. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department for immediate danger. HealthLine 811 and 988 are additional crisis resources.
You may also be interested in…
DBT Skills Training
Comprehensive DBT
DBT-PE for PTSD
You can work out the next step with us.
Tell us what has been difficult and what you hope to change. A clinician reviews your needs and explains the recommended support, practical arrangements, and next steps.
No referral is needed to contact the clinic. Your funding provider may have separate referral or authorization requirements.