as destroying of a sense of self.As the client deals with an internal view of selfwhich is not supported externally, the client learns toinvalidate themselves and to try to stop or avoid the emotionalresponses which have been deemed to be abnormal.Avoidance of emotional reactions leads the client togreater sensitivity when the emotion inevitably re-occurs.This leads to many responses such as drug and alcoholabuse, self- harming, top-down management, and numbingin an attempt to quell the emotions. As this continuesthe client may also increase the intensity of their responseso that it might match how they feel. I feel like deathwarmed over so if I try to kill myself others might seehow much I hurt. I see clients as being SIPS or sensitiveinvalidated people.DBT assumes of the client that they are: Doing the best they can Want to improve Need to do better, try harder, and be more motivated Have not caused all their problems Must solve their problems In lives unbearable as they are currently being lived Must learn new behaviours in all relevant contexts Cannot failDBT assumes of the therapist that the Most caring thing a therapist can do is to help clientschange and come closer to their own goals Clarity, precision, and compassion are the most importantelements The therapeutic relationship is a real relationshipbetween real people Principles of behaviour are universal, affecting therapistand client Therapists working with these clients need support Therapists can fail Therapy can fail even when therapists do not.Standard DBT formatThe standard format for DBT is quite differentfrom Hakomi. DBT is comprised of Skills TrainingGroups, Individual Therapy, Telephone Coaching, CaseManagement, and Consultation Groups for the Therapists.Group Skills TrainingIn DBT there is a set curriculum that is providedfor clients in a 2 12 hour per week Skills Training Group.This group runs for 6 months with four 12 week modules.The clients may repeat the 6 month training.The modules include:Mindfulness Teaching the client to pay attention to theirexperiences by observing and describing what is perceivedand focusing on one thing at a time in a non-judgmentaland effective way. This skill allows clients to note urgesto react before reacting and to stay with emotional experienceslong enough to learn about them. DBT does notbelieve that the awareness that comes from mindfulnessis sufficient for change. They do believe that it is essentialfor change. DBT constantly calls for a balance betweenacceptance, and change or intervention strategies.Emotional Regulation Teaches the client how to analyzeand modulate their emotions. It teaches them how emotionsare typically expressed and how to recognise emotions.Again this is a taught process and not a discoveryprocess.Distress Tolerance Teaches clients crisis managementand acceptance skills. These include self-soothing, distraction,radical acceptance, changing the moment.Interpersonal effectiveness Teaches clients how to recognisedifferent types of interpersonal interactions and howto skilfully ask for their needs to be met and how to skilfullysay no.Individual TherapyIn order for the client to stay in the SkillsTraining Group they are required to have individual therapyfor one hour per week. This therapy, with the primarytherapist, focuses on problems from last week using chainanalysis, developing alternatives and exploring blocksto change. In both the individual therapy and the SkillsTraining Group