Who is the program for? 

This program is designed to help people develop skills to cope with periods of distress, manage challenging emotions and improve relationship skills, in a supportive environment.  

The treatment approach is based on Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). Developed by psychologist Marsha Linehan (1993), DBT helps people with a range of concerns such as Borderline Personality Disorder, Complex PTSD, drug dependence, or chronic trauma related symptoms.

How does it work? 

EMP is a 6-week inpatient program based on Dialectical Behavioural Therapy split into three 2 week modules, with a break of at least 4 weeks between admissions. Each module covers one of the 3 areas of DBT: Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness.

Each module is a 2 week inpatient admission to the Melbourne Clinic, and will consist of daily groups focusing on learning and practicing DBT skills, along with 2 individual therapy sessions each week.

Why is there a break between modules?

There is a break between each module of EMP to give participants an opportunity to practice the skills learned in each module in their normal environment before returning to learn additional skills. Research and feedback from patients who have completed the program suggests that this improves the effectiveness of the program.

How do I access the program?

A referral from your GP or Psychiatrist is required. A referral letter can be faxed to The Melbourne Clinic’s Intake service for triage. The fax number for intake is (03) 9420 9351 

Please click HERE for further details on the referral process 

What is DBT Therapy?                                                                                                                         

DBT is an adaptation of cognitive behaviour therapy developed by psychologist Marsha Linehan for people who experience long term difficulty regulating emotion. The overall goal of DBT skills training is to help individuals change patterns in thinking, behaviour, and emotions associated with problems in living. DBT aims to help participants change these patterns through the development of skills that can help to change these patterns.