Denise Poynter

Hello, my name is Denise. I am a dialectical behaviour therapist (DBT) with over fifteen years of experience. I specialise in working with adult individual clients and couples in independent practice. I have worked in specialist mental health environments, including medium and low-security inpatient settings. During my extensive experience as a DBT therapist, I have led DBT skills groups, DBT graduate groups, 6-week courses in mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), and co-facilitated group radical openness programmes (RO-DBT).

I am also trained as an emotionally focused therapist (Emotionally-Focused Therapy, EFT) and have discovered that DBT and EFT work very effectively together, so I often integrate these two evidence-based approaches to provide my clients with a more individualised, supported, and rounded experience.

I work with and support adult clients with general, severe, and enduring mental health difficulties, including anxiety and depressive disorders. I have a particular interest in working with those who have a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (BPD) or emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD). I have training and experience in working with those with co-morbid diagnoses of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and trauma associated with sexual and childhood abuse. I have also supported clients with learning difficulties through adaptations of the DBT programme to fit individual needs.

I always enjoy meeting new clients and being able to be a part of their journey; I consider this a privilege. I like to walk alongside clients to help them through difficult moments and witness them making changes and seeing the benefits that often happen at around 6 weeks. Essentially, I like to think I have enhanced and perfected my professional skill set to support clients in taking control of their own lives so that they are living their ‘life worth living’.

Due to my location, I work online only.