About the DBT Centre

An Introduction to The Melbourne DBT Centre

The Melbourne DBT Centre has been planned for several years by Dr Amanda Johnson, who is a clinical psychologist and leading DBT clinician.

Dr Johnson has been trained at Monash University and in the United States at the Univeristy of Denver. Her doctoral thesis evaluated a standard DBT programs delivered across 3 different community health settings, over a 4 year period in the United States. Since returning to Australia, she has primarily been involved in establishing and developing several DBT programs in the public and private sectors in Victoria, and providing expert DBT supervision, consultation and training to mental health organisations and clinicians working with at risk and complex clients utilising the DBT framework.

Dr Johnson has received many requests to establish a DBT program that would be available to people privately, rather than through a public or private hospital. Requests have been made continually for many years from many different organisations, health professionals, family members and patients.

Inclusion of clinical psychology on the Medicare Benefits Schedule since November 2007 has meant that a government rebate is available for psychology services, making the 3.5 hours of weekly treatment necessary in DBT affordable to the general community.

The Melbourne DBT Center is based in Melbourne, in the south eastern suburb of Murrumbeena, and is continuing to grow. The first DBT group commenced in July 2008. We have an established DBT Graduates Program, which is open to graduates of any DBT program. Our programs strictly follow the protocol as designed by Dr Marsha Linehan, the originator of DBT.  We offer Dialectical Behaviour Therapy programs during the day and the evening on an ongoing basis.  These programs cover the four modules designed by Dr Linehan and are delivered in alignment with her comprehensive DBT model.

The Melbourne DBT Centre is staffed by a team of highly skilled DBT clinicians who have training in DBT, and who are dedicated to treatment and support of the participants in our programs and are focussed on working within the DBT treatment model.

What Programs Do We Offer?

The Melbourne DBT Centre provides ‘standard or comprehensive DBT’ treatment on a module-by-module basis, which involves a commitment to weekly group and individual therapy for the duration of that module.  Groups are run in the day and also in the evening.

DBT is useful for individuals who have difficulties with emotions, relationships, impulsivity, self harm, suicidal behaviours, substance use problems, and other self destructive behaviours. It is also very helpful for people who find it hard to be assertive, retain a sense of personal balance, and have low self esteem.

Individual DBT therapy is available for those not able or not ready to commit to the full DBT program, and is often helpful as preparation to begin the full program.

We also have a DBT for Teens Program, for adolescents and their families.  This program closely follows the manual published in 2007, and involves the adolescent and one caregiver each attending weekly individual DBT sessions and together attending DBT Skills Group training sessions with other families in the program.

If you are interested in this program, please go to the relevant section of our site for more information.  You can also call us or email us for more information, or to make a booking to discuss intake into the program.

A DBT Graduates Program is available for graduates of our programs, and also to those that have graduated from DBT programs in other settings. The DBT Graduates Program provides ongoing support to maintain the skills learnt in the program, a refresher of the information, and a place to continue growing and building a life worth living and staying focussed on your own wellbeing.

We also offer organizations and individual health professionals:

• specialist DBT training for your team
• clinical supervision and case consultation

Please contact us if you are interest in receiving the above.

We also offer a specially designed DBT for Bulimia & Eating Problems Program.  In 2009, a new program specifically for eating problems was published.  We closely adhere to the program outlined.  Participants attend weekly individual DBT sessions and a weekly 2 hour DBT Skills Group.

This program is not a weight loss or eating regime program.  It focuses on teaching strategies to cope with difficult emotions, which are usually the underlying reason or trigger that leads people to binge, over-eat, or engage in bulimic behaviours.

This program is suitable for anyone that has an eating problem or bulimia.  It is not suitable for people with anorexia nervosa.  You do not need to have a full eating disorder to benefit from the program..

If you think this may be right for you, please contact us and we can discuss and assess what type of help you need.  Please also view the relevant section of our site for more information.