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10-Week DBT Group Programme in Barrie

Dialectical Behaviour
Therapy Group

skills you can actually use

DBT has a primary focus on distress tolerance and emotion regulation skills, while also introducing mindfulness and interpersonal effectiveness. Over ten weeks, you build a practical toolkit in a small, supportive group.

In Person · Small Group The calm, welcoming waiting room at Balanced Life Therapy in Barrie

about the group

Find Balance, Strength, and Emotional Resilience


Our Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) Group is designed for individuals ready to create meaningful change and find stability amidst emotional challenges. Over the course of 10 transformative weeks, participants learn evidence-based skills to manage distress, regulate emotions, and build healthier relationships — both with others and themselves.

This group provides a safe, supportive, and structured environment for learning, reflection, and growth. Sessions combine education, guided exercises, and group discussion to help you integrate new tools into your daily life.

Places are limited to eight participants, so there is room for personalized support alongside the shared learning.

who this group is for

This Group Is Ideal For Individuals Who:


Struggle with intense emotions or difficulty managing stress
Experience interpersonal conflict or relationship challenges
Engage in self-destructive or impulsive behaviours
Want to build healthier coping strategies and emotional balance

Those living with anxiety, depression, mood disorders, PTSD, substance use challenges, or borderline personality disorder (BPD) will find DBT particularly beneficial and supportive.

what you’ll learn

The Four Core DBT Skill Areas


The group works through the skill areas that underpin emotional healing and personal growth — one set of tools at a time, with room to practise between sessions.

Mindfulness

Cultivate awareness of the present moment and respond rather than react — the foundation the other three skill areas are built on.

Distress Tolerance

Learn how to survive and soothe emotional crises without making things worse, so difficult moments do not become lasting setbacks.

Emotion Regulation

Understand your emotions and develop strategies to manage them effectively, rather than being carried along by them.

Interpersonal Effectiveness

Strengthen communication and relationship skills to express your needs with confidence and respect, and hold boundaries without conflict.

our goal

By the End of the Ten Weeks


Participants leave with a practical set of tools they can keep using long after the group ends — not theory, but skills rehearsed in real situations.

You can expect to cultivate stronger, more authentic relationships; stay grounded in the present moment; cope with distress without self-sabotage; and navigate emotional experiences with greater calm and clarity.

Because the group is capped at eight people, there is space to ask questions, work through what is actually happening in your week, and be supported by others who understand.

group details

What to Expect, Practically

10 Weeks · Eight Participants Max

If you are curious, book a complimentary 20-minute consultation to see whether the group is a fit before committing.

Duration
10 weeks
Schedule
Wednesdays, 6–8 PM
Time Commitment
1.5–2 hours weekly
Group Size
Maximum of 8 participants
Facilitator
Michael Fox, BSW, MSW, RSW
Location
In person · 27 Gowan St, Barrie

meet your group leader

Michael Fox

BSW, MSW, RSW · Psychotherapist · DBT Group Leader

Michael supports individuals experiencing emotional distress and dysregulation, trauma, relationship challenges, anxiety, depression, and life transitions. His work is grounded in mindfulness, anti-oppressive practice, and person-centred therapy.

Alongside DBT, he draws on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, narrative therapy, and solution-focused approaches — bringing an affirming, inclusive, and collaborative environment to the group room.

He leads the DBT group with an emphasis on practical skill-building: what the skill is, why it works, and how to use it before the next session.

Michael Fox, Psychotherapist and DBT Group Leader at Balanced Life Therapy in Barrie

related support

Where DBT Skills Often Help


DBT is used across many of the areas we support, in individual therapy as well as in the group. Explore what fits, or reach out and we will help you find it.

Ready To Build Skills That Last?


The DBT group runs for ten weeks with a maximum of eight participants. If you are curious whether it is the right fit, book a complimentary 20-minute consultation and we can talk it through.