Feeling nervous about DBT groups? You're not alone.

If the thought of joining a therapy group makes you feel nervous, you’re certainly not alone. In fact, one of the most common things we hear from people considering a DBT group is, “I’m not sure I’d feel comfortable in a group.”
And we completely understand that.
If you’d asked any of our therapists years ago whether we would choose group therapy for ourselves, our honest answer would probably have been no! Yet, after running DBT groups for many years, our views have changed. Having seen the supportive and helpful space that groups provide, we would all now choose groups if we were accessing help. 
So, what happens in a DBT group?DBT groups are skills-focused. Rather than spending the sessions exploring your personal history or asking you to share your story in front of everyone, the focus is on learning practical skills that you can use in everyday life. DBT skills are life skills and as therapists we use DBT skills each day.
The main areas we cover are:

• Mindfulness - learning to be present in the moment.
  

• Distress tolerance – getting through the eye of the emotional storm without making things worse.
• Emotion regulation – understanding emotions and learning strategies to manage them more effectively.
  
• Interpersonal skills – building skills to communicate, set boundaries and navigate relationships.
  

You can participate at your own paceOne of the things we love about DBT groups is that they can become really friendly, welcoming spaces. You’re surrounded by people who may understand some of the challenges you’re experiencing, without you needing to explain every detail of your life.
You can learn alongside people with similar experiences, practise new skills and, if you feel comfortable, share your thoughts and experiences. But there is no expectation that you have to disclose everything.
Sometimes simply knowing that other people are working on similar things can be reassuring in itself.
Give it a chanceFeeling nervous before your first group is completely normal. You don’t have to feel confident joining the group —you just have to be willing to give it a try.