RO-DBT Therapy in the Sutherland Shire

At Evolving Minds Counselling and Psychology in Menai, our certified RO-DBT clinician Vanessa Allen provides Radically Open Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (RO-DBT) for adolescents and adults across the Sutherland Shire. Appointments are available in person at our Menai practice and via secure online appointments across Australia.

RO-DBT is an evidence-based therapy developed by Dr Thomas Lynch for difficulties associated with emotional overcontrol. Overcontrol is a coping style that includes perfectionism, emotional restraint, high self-criticism and difficulty forming close or trusting relationships.

People who are emotionally overcontrolled may appear calm, high-achieving or self-sufficient, but often feel emotionally disconnected, misunderstood, or unable to express their needs. This pattern can interfere with relationships, make it difficult to experience joy or spontaneity, and may contribute to long-standing psychological distress.

What is RO-DBT?

RO-DBT was developed for difficulties at the opposite end of the spectrum to standard Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). Where DBT is widely used for under-control, including impulsivity and intense emotional swings, RO-DBT is designed for emotional overcontrol.

The therapy targets three core areas: openness, flexibility, and social connectedness. Rather than focusing on reducing or managing strong emotions, RO-DBT supports people to express what they feel, take small steps toward emotional risk-taking, and build richer, more authentic relationships.

The standard RO-DBT outpatient protocol is delivered across approximately 30 individual sessions, structured around five core themes. At Evolving Minds, RO-DBT can be offered as the full protocol or as RO-DBT principles drawn on within other therapy, depending on each person's needs and goals.

What does RO-DBT help with?

RO-DBT can be helpful for people experiencing:

emotional overcontrol, including perfectionism and emotional restraint
chronic or treatment-resistant depression
treatment-resistant anxiety
anorexia nervosa and restrictive presentations
obsessive-compulsive personality patterns
difficulty experiencing joy, spontaneity or closeness in relationships
feeling disconnected, misunderstood or unable to express needs

For people whose overcontrol shows up as a preference for routine, predictability or a low social battery, RO-DBT can be a useful approach. This can include people who are autistic, ADHD, or neurodivergent.

RO-DBT may be offered as a standalone treatment or integrated with other approaches such as Schema Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy or eating disorder therapy approaches, depending on each person's clinical presentation.