DBT in Wales: From adolescent therapeutic community to a national implementation programme

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy is a psychological therapy and treatment programme originally developed for the treatment of women who receive a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder and who are chronically suicidal and self-harming. Since the first treatment trial was published in 1991, the treatment has become the most investigated treatment for people receiving a BPD diagnosis and has been expanded to be utilised with a wide range of client groups and age ranges. The first DBT programme in North Wales was founded in 1994 only three years after the first RCT examining the treatment was published, a year after the publication of the treatment manual and was the first DBT programme in the UK. Currently Bangor University in North Wales is the only academic institution offering a validated and accredited programme of training in DBT. This paper charts the rise of DBT in North Wales and its expansion to lead the UK in training staff in this efficacious treatment. Mae Therapi Ymddygiad Dialectig yn rhaglen therapi a thriniaeth seicolegol a ddatblygwyd yn wreiddiol ar gyfer trin menywod sy’n cael diagnosis o anhwylder personoliaeth ffiniol ac sy’n hunanladdol ac yn hunan-niweidio’n gronig. Ers cyhoeddi’r treial triniaeth gyntaf yn 1991, y driniaeth hon yw’r driniaeth yr ymchwiliwyd iddi fwyaf ar gyfer pobl sy’n cael diagnosis anhwylder personoliaeth ffiniol ac mae wedi cael ei hehangu i’w defnyddio gydag ystod eang o grwpiau cleientiaid ac ystod oedran. Sefydlwyd y rhaglen Therapi Ymddygiad Dialectig gyntaf yng Ngogledd Cymru yn 1994 dim ond tair blynedd ar ôl i’r hapdreial wedi’i reoli cyntaf a oedd yn archwilio’r driniaeth gael ei gyhoeddi, flwyddyn ar ôl cyhoeddi’r llawlyfr triniaeth a dyma’r rhaglen Therapi Ymddygiad Dialectig gyntaf yn y DU. Ar hyn o bryd Prifysgol Bangor yng Ngogledd Cymru yw’r unig sefydliad academaidd sy’n cynnig rhaglen hyfforddiant ddilys ac achrededig mewn Therapi Ymddygiad Dialectig. Mae’r papur hwn yn olrhain cynnydd Therapi Ymddygiad Dialectig yng Ngogledd Cymru a’r ffaith ei bod yn cael ei hehangu i arwain y DU o ran hyfforddi staff yn y driniaeth effeithiol hon.