Taproot Psychology

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

Trauma-Informed Support in the UK, Online and in Manchester

Many people come to Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) after years of being told — directly or indirectly — that they are “too emotional,” “too intense,” or “the problem.” These messages rarely exist in isolation. They are often shaped by wider experiences of trauma, exclusion, and misunderstanding, as well as by gender, race, culture, sexuality, neurodiversity, class, and interactions with systems that were meant to offer support.

At Taproot, we offer Dialectical Behaviour Therapy online across the UK and in person in Manchester from a trauma-informed, compassionate perspective. DBT starts from a very different place.

Rather than asking what is wrong with you, DBT asks:
What has happened to you?
How do your current ways of coping make sense?
And how can we reduce suffering without taking away who you are?

In DBT, strong emotions are not treated as flaws or failures. Emotional intensity is understood as emerging from the interaction between biology and environment. Some people are wired to feel deeply and quickly. When that sensitivity develops in environments that are invalidating, unsafe, chaotic, or discriminatory, emotions can become overwhelming. DBT does not judge this — it works with it.

DBT for Complex and Overlapping Difficulties

Many people worry that their difficulties are “too mixed,” “too inconsistent,” or “too complex” for therapy to help. You might notice that at some times relationships feel most difficult, while at others it’s urges to self-harm, suicidal thoughts, impulsive behaviours, or a sudden sense of emotional collapse.

DBT was developed specifically for this kind of complexity.

It works across different levels of need — from chronic emotional overwhelm and relationship instability to higher-risk behaviours such as self-harm and suicidal thinking. Rather than treating these as separate problems, DBT understands them as interconnected ways of coping when emotions feel unbearable.

In our Manchester and UK-wide online DBT work, the focus is always on what feels most painful or risky right now, while also building longer-term skills so life can become more stable, manageable, and liveable over time.

Relationships, Shame, and the Sense of Being “the Problem”

Many people starting DBT describe relationships that feel intense, fragile, or short-lived. You may find yourself craving closeness, then pulling away, feeling angry, panicked, or deeply afraid of abandonment. These experiences are often accompanied by significant shame — especially if you’ve been blamed or labelled in the past.

DBT understands relationship difficulties as emotional difficulties happening between people, not as personal defects. It offers practical, respectful ways to understand what happens in moments of conflict, how emotions escalate, and how to communicate needs and boundaries more clearly — without asking you to suppress your feelings or tolerate harm.

Importantly, DBT does not ignore context. Experiences of racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, poverty, or institutional harm shape how safe relationships feel and how emotions are expressed. These realities matter, and they are held in mind throughout the work.

Self-Harm, Suicidal Thoughts, and Safety Without Shame

If you self-harm or experience suicidal thoughts, you may already be carrying a great deal of shame — sometimes reinforced by previous therapy or services. At Taproot, our DBT therapists take a clear and compassionate stance: these behaviours are understood as attempts to cope with overwhelming emotional pain, not as attention-seeking or manipulative acts.

Safety is taken seriously, but never in a punitive or shaming way. Together, we look carefully at what leads up to these moments, what the behaviour provides, and how alternative ways of coping can be built that meet the same needs with less harm. Shame is expected, named, and worked with — not minimised or ignored.

DBT, Neurodiversity, and Difference

DBT is not a rigid, one-size-fits-all approach. Many people we work with are neurodivergent and experience emotions, sensory input, and communication differently.

Our DBT therapists adapt the work to the individual — whether that means adjusting language, pacing, how skills are taught, or how emotions are explored. The aim is not to make you “fit” DBT, but to shape DBT so it fits you.

Structure as Safety, Not Control

You may have heard that DBT is highly structured. If you’ve had experiences of coercive, controlling, or harmful services, this can understandably feel worrying.

In trauma-informed DBT, structure exists to create *clarity, safety, and predictability*, especially when emotions are intense. It is not about compliance or control. At Taproot, DBT is collaborative, respectful, and flexible. Your autonomy, dignity, and consent remain central throughout.

When Things Feel Difficult in Therapy

Strong emotions don’t disappear just because you’re in therapy. You may feel overwhelmed, angry, disconnected, or unsure of your therapist at times. DBT expects this.

These moments are not failures — they are part of the work. Ruptures, misunderstandings, and emotional reactions are approached openly and carefully. The therapeutic relationship itself becomes a place to practise staying connected, curious, and grounded when emotions rise.

Changing Needs Over Time

Many people worry that they are “too inconsistent” — coping well for a while, then crashing. DBT is designed with this pattern in mind. Progress is not linear, and periods of stability and crisis can alternate. The work flexes as your needs change.

If You’re Worried About Being Judged

If you’re concerned about being labelled, stereotyped, or judged — because of a diagnosis, your identity, or past experiences — that concern is taken seriously. Our DBT work at Taproot is grounded in respect for difference and an understanding of how power, identity, and systems shape emotional lives.

People do not need fixing. They need understanding, skills, safety, and time.

Who Is Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) For?

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy can be helpful for many people, particularly those who experience emotions as intense, overwhelming, or hard to manage. At Taproot, our DBT work in Manchester and online across the UK is often suited to people who:

• Experience strong or rapidly changing emotions
• Feel stuck in repeating relationship patterns
• Struggle with emotional regulation or impulsive behaviours
• Experience urges to self-harm or suicidal thoughts
• Feel overwhelmed by shame, self-criticism, or a sense of emptiness
• Have a diagnosis of, or traits associated with *Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD / EUPD)*
• Have experienced trauma, chronic invalidation, or unsafe early environments
• Are neurodivergent and experience emotions or relationships differently
• Have tried other therapies and found them hard to sustain during periods of crisis

DBT does not require you to fit a particular diagnosis or label. What matters is whether emotional distress is getting in the way of your wellbeing, relationships, or sense of stability — and whether you’re open to learning new ways of coping, at a pace that feels manageable.

Considering DBT Therapy Online, in the UK or Manchester

You don’t need to be certain that DBT will work. You don’t need to feel hopeful. You don’t even need to feel ready. It’s enough to be curious about whether things could feel different.

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy is not about becoming less yourself. It’s about reducing suffering and building a life that feels more stable, more connected, and more worth living — at a pace that feels possible.

At Taproot, we offer Dialectical Behaviour Therapy online across the UK and in person in Manchester, delivered by therapists working from a trauma-informed, client-centred perspective.

If you’d like to learn more about DBT therapy in Manchester or online in the UK, or to enquire about availability, please visit our Contact Uspage. You’re welcome to ask questions, take your time, and decide what feels right for you.

You don’t have to have everything figured out. Taking one careful step is enough.