If you’re considering joining a DBT group in Toronto, knowing what to expect can make starting feel a lot easier. DBT isn’t just talk therapy—it’s a structured, skills-based program designed to help you build real-life tools for managing emotions, relationships, and stress. Below is a week-by-week breakdown of the first 12- weeks of a 24- week DBT skills group program at Dialectical Living. At Dialectical Living we are very much aligned with the manualized program of Marsha Linehan.
Week 1: Understanding Emotions & Wise Mind
In your first session, you’ll be introduced to DBT, emotion dysregulation, and how your brain responds to stress. You’ll learn how intense emotions can “flip your lid,” making it harder to think clearly. A core concept introduced is the three states of mind: Emotion Mind, Rational Mind, and Wise Mind. The goal is to begin recognizing where you are operating from moment to moment. You’ll also learn that DBT helps strengthen the connection between emotional and logical parts of the brain. Expect group introductions, mindfulness exercises, and your first simple home practice.
Week 2: Crisis Survival Skills (Part 1)
This week focuses on getting through intense emotional moments without making things worse. You’ll learn crisis survival skills like STOP (pause before reacting) and TIPP (rapid ways to calm your body). These skills are all about solving problems and helping you tolerate distress in the moment. You’ll also learn when to use these skills—especially during urges and emotional overwhelm. There’s a strong focus on body-based regulation like breathing and temperature changes. By the end, you’ll begin building a toolkit for handling crisis situations effectively.
Week 3: Crisis Survival Skills (Part 2)
This session builds on distress tolerance by introducing ACCEPTS and IMPROVE skills. You’ll learn how to distract, self-soothe, and shift your mindset during difficult moments. There is also a focus on creating meaning and using encouragement to get through distress. You’ll explore ways to engage your senses and use activities to regulate emotions. Expect interactive exercises and building your own distress tolerance kit. The goal is to expand your options when emotions feel overwhelming.
Week 4: Emotion Regulation (ABC & PLEASE)
This week shifts toward building a life that supports emotional stability. You’ll learn ABC skills (Accumulate positives, Build mastery, Cope ahead) to increase resilience. You’ll also explore PLEASE skills, which focus on physical health like sleep, eating, and exercise. The idea is that emotional regulation is deeply connected to how you take care of your body. You’ll identify your values and start aligning your actions with them. This session is about long-term change, not just managing crises.
Week 5: Core Mindfulness Skills
Mindfulness is the foundation of DBT, and this week goes deeper into it. You’ll learn “what” skills (observe, describe, participate) and “how” skills (non-judgmentally, one-mindfully, effectively). The focus is on being present without reacting and judging your experience. You’ll practice noticing thoughts and emotions without getting caught up in them. This helps reduce reactivity and increase clarity. Expect guided exercises like mindful eating and awareness practices.
Week 6: Check the Facts & Cognitive Distortions
This session helps you understand how your thoughts shape your emotions. You’ll learn about common cognitive distortions like black-and-white thinking and catastrophizing. The key skill, “Check the Facts,” teaches you to separate facts from interpretations. By adjusting your thoughts, you can often reduce emotional intensity. You’ll practice challenging assumptions and exploring alternative perspectives. This is a powerful step in gaining control over emotional reactions.
Week 7: Opposite Action
Here, you’ll learn how to change emotions by acting opposite to unhelpful urges. You’ll identify your emotions, check if they fit the facts, and decide if acting on them is effective. If not, you’ll practice doing the opposite (e.g., approaching instead of avoiding). This skill helps break patterns like avoidance, anger, and withdrawal. You’ll also explore posture, tone, and behaviour changes that shift emotional states. Over time, this rewires how you respond to emotions.
Week 8: Interpersonal Effectiveness (DEAR MAN)
This week focuses on relationships and communication. You’ll learn how to ask for what you need using DEAR MAN while maintaining respect for yourself and others. You’ll also explore GIVE (relationship focus) and FAST (self-respect focus). The session emphasizes balancing your goals, relationships, and self-worth. You’ll practice setting boundaries and communicating clearly. This is one of the most practical and immediately useful DBT skills.
Week 9: Validation
Validation is a powerful tool for improving relationships and reducing conflict. You’ll learn how to validate both others and yourself without necessarily agreeing. The focus is on understanding emotions and communicating that understanding. You’ll practice steps like observing, reflecting, and validating experiences. Validation helps reduce defensiveness and builds trust. This session often has a big impact on personal and professional relationships.
Week 10: Radical Acceptance
This week teaches how to accept reality as it is, even when it’s painful. You’ll learn that resisting reality increases suffering, while acceptance reduces it. Radical acceptance does not mean approval—it means acknowledging what is real. You’ll explore willingness vs. willfulness and how to shift toward acceptance. Body-based practices like “willing hands” are introduced. This skill is especially helpful for situations you cannot change as well as understanding that radical acceptance is required in order to make changes.
Week 11: Urges, Pros & Cons, Urge Surfing
You’ll learn how to handle urges without acting on them. The pros and cons skill helps you make wise decisions ahead of time. Urge surfing teaches you to observe urges like waves that rise and fall. You’ll practice noticing urges without reacting impulsively. This helps break cycles of harmful behaviours. The focus is on building long-term change through small, consistent choices.
Week 12: Review, Self-Compassion & Moving Forward
The final session brings everything together. You’ll review all DBT skills and how they connect. Loving-kindness and self-compassion practices are introduced to deepen emotional healing. You’ll reflect on your progress and identify next steps. The goal is to leave with a strong foundation for continued growth. Many programs also discuss aftercare options at this stage. This session reinforces that change is ongoing—and you now have the tools to continue.
Final Thoughts
DBT group therapy at Dialectical Living in Toronto is structured, practical, and deeply supportive. Each week builds on the last, helping you move from crisis survival to long-term emotional balance. Whether you’re struggling with intense emotions, relationships, and feeling stuck in patterns, DBT gives you real tools that work.
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