Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) in Saint John & Fredericton

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a structured, skills-based treatment that blends behavioural change strategies with an emphasis on mindfulness and acceptance. DBT focuses on helping people accept the reality of their lives and their behaviours, as well as helping them learn to change their lives, including their unhelpful behaviours.

How We Can Help

DBT is especially helpful for individuals who:

  • Experience intense emotions and mood swings

  • Struggle with self-harm or suicidal thoughts

  • Have difficulty managing relationships and interpersonal conflicts

  • Feel overwhelmed by stress or emotional distress

  • Want to develop better coping strategies for daily challenges

DBT has proven to be effective for treating and managing a wide range of mental health conditions, including:

  • Borderline personality disorder

  • Self-harm

  • Suicidal behaviour

  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

  • Substance use disorder

  • Eating disorders

  • Depression

  • Anxiety

We offer dialectical behaviour therapy in-person in Fredericton and Saint John, as well as online for people across New Brunswick.

How DBT Works

DBT combines cognitive-behavioural techniques with mindfulness practices to help individuals balance acceptance and change. Unlike traditional Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which primarily focuses on changing negative thought patterns, DBT emphasizes the dialectic—or the balance—between accepting emotions and working to change behaviours. It integrates four key modules:

  • Mindfulness: Learning to stay present and fully engage with the current moment rather than getting lost in thoughts or emotions.

  • Distress Tolerance: Developing the ability to cope with crisis situations and intense emotions without resorting to destructive behaviours.

  • Emotional Regulation: Understanding and managing emotions in a healthy way to reduce mood instability and reactivity.

  • Interpersonal Effectiveness: Strengthening communication skills to set boundaries, assert needs, and maintain healthy relationships.

Sessions with a registered social worker (RSW) or licensed counselling therapist (LCT) are $160 for 50 minutes.

How much does DBT cost? 

Our counselling fees are not covered by Medicare but are covered by many extended health insurance plans.

Our clinic has therapists who are either registered social workers (MSW & BSW level social workers) or Licensed Counselling Therapists (LCT).

You must check your specific plan for what you have coverage for, as coverage is different for each policy. Verify that your plan covers counselling/therapy with a MSW, RSW or LCT. Your insurance may state you have coverage for clinical counsellor or psychotherapist, which would cover LCT or social worker. 

We also offer direct billing with many different insurance companies, which allows you to keep more money in your pocket. We can direct bill Blue Cross, Veterans Affairs (VAC), Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), Canada Life, Claim Secure, Chamber of Commerce, Work Safe, NIHB, Department of Social Development, and more provided your plan is set up for direct billing. You are still responsible for any co-pay amounts at the time of service.  

Is DBT covered by insurance? 

About Laura Gatien & Associates

At Laura Gatien & Associates, we take a proactive and collaborative approach to mental health treatment, offering clients access a diverse team of professionals with various expertise and specialties who learn from and can refer to one another. We take a holistic approach to treatment and believe everything makes perfect sense in the context of your life experiences.

Quality care is very important to us as a team, and we ensure this is upheld through regular clinical meetings, ongoing professional development and training opportunities, as well as using evidence-based frameworks. This helps us provide you with the best care for your individual needs so you can make progress sooner.

Our clients benefit from shared resources that exist within a team and the peace of mind that they are not just working with an individual, but are part of a broader mental health community learning and growing together.

We prioritize accessibility and availability of services, providing limited wait times and evening appointments to accommodate diverse schedules. We will regularly ask for feedback on your experience here so we can continue to improve.

Therapists

  • “After speaking with the therapist, my confidence was raised up to a level that I felt satisfied with the way I was feeling.”

  • “I have connected well with my therapist. She has been extremely easy to talk to and open up to. I’ve been in for 2 sessions and am already starting to feel like I am handling things better.”

  • “I was able to book my appointment online which was nice because I have anxiety about making phone calls. My therapist was very friendly and informative about how everything works and she made me feel comfortable when discussing my worries.”

Start Your Path to Healing Today

You don’t have to navigate your healing journey alone – we’re here to help. Take the first step toward a more balanced and fulfilling life.