DBT Therapy In Waterloo (List Of Therapists & Clinics 2024)
Are you looking for DBT therapy in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada? This article will provide you with a some information on Dialectical Behaviour Therapy clinics and therapists available in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
You’ll also discover how to pick the right clinic or clinician for your specific needs. And we’ll share interesting information about accessing mental health services in Waterloo, which may be helpful for your own research.
7 DBT Therapy Options In waterloo
Board Certified DBT Programming in waterloo
1) Broadleaf Health
Only Board Accredited Online and in-person DBT Therapy In WATERLOO and Ontario
If you’re looking for easy and fast access to in-person or online DBT therapy in Guelph, Broadleaf Health offers the only Linehan Board Certified (DBT-LBC) and Adherent Comprehensive program to residents in Guelph or anywhere in Ontario. Broadleaf Health is one of three Linehan Board of Certification certified Dialectical Behaviour Therapy programs in Canada and the only such program operating in Guelph or Ontario. Meaning, their clinicians and programming have been independently verified by the governing body established by the treatment developer, Dr. Marsha Linehan. Broadleaf Health is a national leader in DBT, having provided trainings to DBT agencies across Canada for over 15 years.
Broadleaf Health clinicians are also registered and providing clinical care in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Northwest Territories. Broadleaf Health provides in-person DBT in Waterloo and online throughout Ontario.
Broadleaf Health offers comprehensive DBT programming which includes all treatment modes including individual therapy sessions, group skills training, inter-session contact or “phone coaching” with your DBT therapist, and DBT peer-consultation meetings.
Broadleaf Health also offers “DBT Group-Only” programming for those seeking a less comprehensive version of DBT. “DBT Group-Only” programming can be an option for those learning to learn skills for more effective living either on their own, or while working with a therapist outside of Broadleaf Health if you are concerned about changing therapists.
If you are looking for DBT clinicians who’s skill has been independently verified, contact Broadleaf Health with any questions or to join the waitlist.
Find out more about Broadleaf Health
2) Psychology Today
Psychology Today provides a lengthy list of programs providing a range of DBT services in and around the Waterloo area. Some of these programs are located in Waterloo while others are located in Hamilton, Ontario, Midland, Ontario, and elsewhere.
If you are looking for DBT services either in Waterloo or in these somewhat neighboring areas it may be worth checking out the Psychology today list of DBT services.
Some of the programs and therapists on this list appear to be more “DBT-Informed” while others may offer more comprehensive in nature.
The Psychology Today website also has more information on what DBT is more broadly to help you understand how it might or might not be a good fit for you.
Find out more about Psychology Today DBT options in Waterloo
3) The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA)
CMHA Waterloo Wellington also offers DBT programming.
The CMHA Waterloo Wellington website also includes a helpful factsheet on DBT. It summaries several of the key areas of “dysregulation” that Dr. Linehan identified for some clients whom might benefit from DBT. These include:
Emotion Dysregulation, or a difficulty managing intense and quickly shifting emotions.
Interpersonal dysregulation, or difficulties in relationships.
Behavioural dysregulation, or feeling impulsive or “out of control” when your actions are not matching up with what you really believe deep down is in the best interest of yourself, your loved ones, and other long term priorities.
Cognitive dysregulation, which can happen when someone starts to feel, blank, numb, or distant from the world going on around them.
Self dysregulation, which can happen when people feel like their sense of who they are deep down is uncertain, or shifting. While this feeling can be common, and even healthy at times, for teens and young adults, when people go too long without a sense of who they are this can start to have a strong negative impact on their psychological health.
The CMHA-WW DBT program strives to help clients develop meaningful and fulfilling lives while overcoming difficulties related to emotion dysregulation and Borderline Personality Disorder.
More information on the CMHA DBT Program can be found here.
4) A Wise Mind
DBT Focused Programming in Waterloo
A mindful change notes that it has a comprehensive DBT programme. Comprehensive DBT is described above.
A Wise Mind also features programming for caregivers of adult children. This work is particularly important. Caregivers love their loved ones and want them to thrive. At the same time, some clients who are a good fit occasionally experience their emotions and behaviour in ways that can be disruptive to family environments. These disruptions can lead to emotion dysregultation in family members, and the cycle can then repeat. This does not mean that caregivers are “to blame” for their loved one’s difficulties, it means that these difficulties occur in a family environment where everyone can benefit from skills.
Caregivers learning skills to manage their own emotions and behaviour can be just as important as their loved ones learning these skills.
A Wise Mind also highlights the value of contributing to community resources such as helping schools develop some DBT informed programming.
Explore A Wise Mind in Waterloo
5) Trillium Counseling
Trillium Counseling features clinicians offering a range of services including DBT informed programming. Trillium has a helpful description of DBT on their website. This description includes information on the different skill modules for DBT (noted above under CMHA). The web site also describes the functions of DBT. These functions of DBT include:
Enhancing the client’s understanding of skills and adding “tools to the toolbelt” that client’s have to manage life’s difficulties.
Enhancing a client’s practice of the skills they have learned, including practicing these skills in different environments such as home, school, work, with family members, with friends, etc. This skill practice in a range of environments can be called “skill generalization.
One way of thinking of “skill generalization” is thinking of doing something in both challenging and less challenging environments. For example, if a baseball player hits a home run in practice you’d be very impressed! At the same time, if that player did the exact same thing in a different environment, for example, in a tied game the bottom of the ninth in the World Series we would understand that on the one hand that player had engaged in the exact same movement, had “used the same skills” but had done it in a much more demanding situation than in practice in an empty stadium.
Increasing the client’s motivation to practice the new skills they have learned.
Improving and maintaining clinician's motivation to work with clients and the effectiveness of their services when working with clients.
Helping the environment be as effective as possible in responding to clients by helping the environment reinforce healthy behaviour and not reinforce unhealthy or problematic behaviour.
6) Building Bridges Psychotherapy
Building Bridges Psychotherapy provides DBT informed therapy in Toronto, Mississauga, Vaugh, Markham, and Waterloo.
They provide individual therapy, couples therapy, family therapy, consultation, supervision, and public speaking services.
In addition to DBT informed therapy, Building Bridges provides services related to a range of therapeutic modalities. This clinic website also features a number of videos related to topics such as managing stress during the pandemic, introductory videos of therapists, and introduction to the clinic and its offerings.
Contact Building Bridges Psychotherapy
How Do You Know Which Clinician Or Clinic Is Right For You?
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy is an evidence-based therapy developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Since the first research trial was published in 1991 and the first therapy manuals were published in 1993, interest in DBT has exploded.
While all aspects of DBT are helpful, it’s important to know your goals and understand what kind of clinician and therapy you are looking for. Are you mostly interested in group skills training? Do you want a therapist that integrates different therapy modalities? Are you looking specifically for clinician that’s highly-trained in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy?
If you are looking for a highly-trained DBT clinician, contact Broadleaf Health with any questions or to join the wait list.
Why Access DBT Therapy In Waterloo?
While there are many therapies to choose from, DBT is an evidence-based therapy that has grown in popularity. DBT focuses on teaching skills to cope with stress, manage emotions, tolerate distress, pay more attention to the present moment, and improve relationships with others. Key components of DBT include Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness. These skills help individuals lead more balanced and meaningful lives.
Mental Health Statistics for Waterloo
Public health statistics indicate that stress is a common experience for both adults and youth in Waterloo. In fact, A 2018 report from the University of Waterloo found that 40% of youth in Waterloo report “overwhelming anxiety”.
A more recent report, which includes data gathered during the COVID-19 pandemic, noted a further spike in the mental health difficulties faced by youth.
Fortunately, stigma related to mental health difficulties appears to be fading as more and more Waterloo Region citizens appear to be accessing mental health services, according to a report from the Canadian Mental Health Association.
How Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Can Help
DBT is not just another “talk therapy”. It was developed to help individuals acquire the necessary skills to live happier lives, manage their emotions, deal with the many stressors of life and have healthier relationships.
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy can be an effective treatment for a variety of mental health conditions. While it was originally developed to treat impulsive behaviour and chaotic emotions (difficulties sometimes associated with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and is considered the gold standard for treating BPD, there is also research linking it to the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, and eating disorders. If you are looking to treat any of the issues listed above, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy may be a therapy worth considering. To find the right DBT therapy in Waterloo, explore our suggestions above.
To work with a Linehan Board of Certification certified Dialectical Behaviour Therapy program in Canada, contact Broadleaf Health to learn more and schedule an appointment with Broadleaf Health.
Conclusion
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy offers a powerful and effective approach to managing mental health challenges and improving overall well-being. With mental health issues on the rise in Waterloo, DBT is an excellent choice to treat a variety of mental health conditions.
It is strongly suggested that you become educated on the difference between DBT as it was designed and as has been demonstrated to be helpful for people and “DBT-Informed” programming which differs from that. It’s also suggested that you learn about the experience and skill level of the clinicians who will be responding to your needs. As mentioned above, clinicians with 2 days, 2 months, 2 years, or 2 decades of experience can all say they are “doing DBT” and at the same time their knowledge, skills, and abilities may differ.
While not every clinic or clinician might be the right fit for you, there are several options to choose from. Interest in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy continues to grow, and it’s important to be informed about what DBT is and is not so that you can find the clinic provides the best possible care for you and/ or your loved ones.
While access to DBT therapy in Waterloo may still be limited, the presence of Broadleaf Health in Waterloo creates an opportunity for those seeking DBT to receive the therapy as provided at the highest quality standards. Broadleaf Health is making DBT available throughout all of Ontario online and online and in-person in Waterloo.
If you have any questions about DBT or which clinic or clinician may be best for you, please don’t hesitate to leave us a comment or contact us.