Dialectical behaviour therapy team

Heli Sarin-Yates

Heli is the lead for the DBT programme.

Heli’s background is in mental health nursing and she is registered as an RGN with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). She has worked within child and adolescent mental health for 20 years. 

She trained as a DBT therapist in 2007 and has worked as a therapist in conjunction with her career as a nurse manager. She completed her Master’s degree in Health Promotion in 2008.

Heli joined Bear Project in 2014 and is our DBT lead and a member of the Society for DBT (SfDBT).  

Heli is highly respected in the field and has many successes with young people who previously described as very difficult to engage. She is referred to as very caring and empathic. 

I have worked in mental health since 1999, bringing over 25 years of clinical experience across NHS and private therapeutic settings. Since 2014, I have been a core clinician at the BEAR Project where I provide individual therapy, mentoring, and structured skills-based interventions. My role includes delivering Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) as part of the BEAR Project’s DBT programme alongside broader therapeutic work supporting young people and adults experiencing emotional distress, difficulties with emotional regulation, and mental health challenges impacting day-to-day life

Before joining the BEAR Project I worked for over a decade within NHS community mental health services. My principal role was within a Crisis Home Treatment Team where I developed significant expertise in assessing and managing high-risk clinical presentations, providing intensive community-based crisis interventions, and supporting individuals through periods of acute mental health difficulty. This involved working flexibly across home settings, collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams, and providing rapid response support to individuals and families. I also undertook a leadership role within this team as Acting Crisis Home Treatment Team Manager gaining further experience in service coordination, staff supervision, and managing clinical priorities under significant service pressures

Alongside my crisis work I worked extensively as a Community Psychiatric Nurse holding responsibility for case management, clinical risk assessment, medication management, and the delivery of therapeutic interventions to individuals with complex mental health needs. I also contributed to the development of junior staff and students serving as a student lead and mentor within the service

I am a fully trained DBT therapist having completed my formal DBT training with British Isles DBT Training in 2016. My professional development has also included training in health promotion, mentoring, and physical healthcare within mental health services. I maintain active registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and am a member of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and the Society for DBT UK and Ireland

My therapeutic practice is underpinned by a pragmatic, supportive, and person-centred approach. I place a strong emphasis on helping individuals develop practical strategies to manage difficulties, enhance self-awareness, and promote sustainable emotional wellbeing. I have a particular interest in integrating health promotion and lifestyle factors into therapy drawing on my longstanding professional experience and personal interest in balanced, healthy living