Helping Clients Heal from Self-Harm: A DBT Approach for Teens

Individuals struggling with complex trauma, emotion dysregulation, and treatment-resistant mental health conditions - and the practitioners working with clients whose symptoms don't respond to traditional approaches - may need more than standard therapy to address the deep neurological patterns that drive emotional instability. Sheri Van Dijk has spent over 25 years mastering the integration of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) with EMDR and cutting-edge trauma treatments, becoming one of the world's leading experts in helping clients develop the emotion regulation skills essential for lasting recovery.

As a bestselling author with New Harbinger Publications and EMDRIA-Approved Consultant, Van Dijk brings exceptional expertise that bridges evidence-based therapy with practical accessibility. Her award-winning book The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook and The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for C-PTSD (2025) demonstrate her unique ability to make complex therapeutic concepts immediately usable for both clients and practitioners. Her R.O. Jones Award from the Canadian Psychiatric Association for research on using DBT skills with bipolar disorder reflects her innovative work in expanding DBT applications beyond borderline personality disorder to help diverse populations develop emotional stability.

Van Dijk's expertise spans Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Complex PTSD treatment, trauma therapy, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, and what she calls helping clients move from emotional chaos to emotional mastery. Her approach recognises that many clients struggle not because they lack motivation, but because they've never been taught the specific skills needed to regulate intense emotions effectively. She specialises in working with individuals who experience emotional overwhelm, those with complex trauma histories, clients with bipolar disorder or personality disorders, and practitioners wanting to develop expertise in evidence-based emotion regulation interventions.

What sets her training apart is practical skill-building combined with trauma-informed wisdom. Van Dijk doesn't just teach DBT theory - she shows practitioners exactly how to help clients develop the concrete skills they need to manage crisis situations, regulate intense emotions, and build the distress tolerance that makes recovery possible. Her integration of EMDR with DBT creates comprehensive approaches that address both trauma processing and skill development simultaneously.

For your practice, expect to gain specific DBT techniques for different diagnostic presentations, tools for integrating trauma processing with emotion regulation skills, and frameworks for making evidence-based therapies accessible to clients across various mental health conditions. Her approach particularly benefits clinicians working with emotion dysregulation, those treating complex trauma presentations, or practitioners wanting to develop expertise in DBT and EMDR integration.

Quick Win: Van Dijk's "TIPP" technique (Temperature change, Intense exercise, Paced breathing, Progressive muscle relaxation) helps clients regulate crisis-level emotions - to prevent self-harm or impulsive behaviors while building confidence in their ability to manage intense feelings.

Qualifications

• MSW, Social Work, University of Toronto, Canada, 2003–2004
• BSW, Social Work, York University, Canada, 2001–2003
• B.A., Sociology and Criminology, University of Toronto, Canada, 1993–1997
• Registered Social Worker (RSW), College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers
• EMDR-trained and EMDRIA-Approved Consultant
• Advanced training: Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR), Neurofeedback, Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP)
• 25+ years experience in mental health field

Authored Books

• The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for C-PTSD (2025, New Harbinger Publications)
• Don't Let Your Emotions Run Your Life for Teens (bestseller, New Harbinger Publications)
• DBT Made Simple (2013, New Harbinger Publications)
• The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for Bipolar Disorder (2009, New Harbinger Publications)
• Calming the Emotional Storm (New Harbinger Publications)
• The DBT Workbook for Emotional Relief (New Harbinger Publications)
• The Bipolar Workbook for Teens (co-author, New Harbinger Publications)

Professional Experience

• Psychotherapist, Private Practice, Newmarket, Ontario, Canada, December 2003–present (21+ years)
• EMDR Consultant, EMDRIA-Approved
• International Trainer and Consultant, DBT and EMDR
• Mental Health Therapist, Southlake Regional Health Centre, Outpatient Mental Health Clinic, March 2004–July 2018 (14+ years)
• Founder, Ananda Mental Health Workshops, Barrie, Ontario, January 2017–April 2020

Treatment Populations

• Individuals aged 16 and older
• Complex trauma survivors and C-PTSD presentations
• Clients with bipolar disorder and mood disorders
• Borderline personality disorder and emotion dysregulation
• Anxiety disorders, depression, and PTSD
• Eating disorders and substance use disorders (secondary to mental health issues)

Ready to help clients develop genuine emotion regulation skills while processing complex trauma? Discover how Sheri Van Dijk's integrated DBT and EMDR methods can transform your ability to help clients move from emotional chaos to emotional mastery through evidence-based skills designed to work in crisis situations.