"All the horrible emotions have passed, I still remained, and I was safe": A qualitative study of Lesbian and Gay people's lived experience of completing a full Dialectical Behaviour Therapy programme.

Abstract

Lesbian and Gay people (LGP) experience higher rates of mental health difficulties, including self-harm, suicidal behaviours, as well as inequalities in health care, than their heterosexual peers. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based treatment for self-harm and suicidal behaviours, though there is little research on LGP's experiences of DBT. This research aims to explore LGP's experiences of completing a full DBT programme. A qualitative design with semi-structured individual interviews was utilised. The results were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Six lesbian and two gay adults, aged between 22 and 47 years, living in the United Kingdom took part. All participants had completed a full programme of DBT within the 2 years prior to the interview. Four superordinate themes emerged from the data: (1) The DBT journey; (2) Connections and Sense of Community during DBT; (3) Sexuality both visible and invisible in DBT and (4) A Gender, Sexuality and Relationship Diverse (GSRD) affirmative future for DBT. Several clinical implications are suggested to improve DBT for LGP, for example to consider having other LGP within DBT groups, to create a more GSRD-affirming DBT (changes to the DBT manual, DBT therapists, DBT programme and physical DBT space), to adapt DBT techniques to manage sexuality-related difficulties and to adopt a GSRD-centric framework. Overall, DBT appears to be beneficial for LGP.