"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

Objectives: 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.

Design: A qualitative design with semi-structured individual interviews was utilised. The results were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.

Methods: 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.

Results: 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.

Conclusions: 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.