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Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a specialized cognitive behavioral treatment developed by Marsha Linehan, PhD. Through DBT, individuals can learn to regulate intense emotions, communicate effectively in relationships, reduce impulsivity, and tolerate distress. It is considered the gold star treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). Research has shown that DBT is effective in treating depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and eating disorders.
In DBT, the client and therapist work together to set goals that are meaningful to the client. Therapy will focus on decreasing harmful behaviors and increasing life enhancing behaviors. DBT helps enhance a client’s abilities through the use of the DBT skills. These skills are focused on the areas of Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness, Emotion Regulation and Distress Tolerance. DBT participants use the skills in order to navigate every day to crisis situations that may arise in their life.
The adult program is designed for individuals 18 years and older. To be admitted into our adult program, a client will first need to be evaluated by a DBT therapist on our team. We want to make sure you are a good fit for our DBT program and confirm the appropriate level of care. It is important to know if we can provide you with what you need! Once in the program, a participant will have weekly individual therapy, weekly skills training group and access to coaching calls with their DBT therapist. Adult participants are able to select whether they would like to attend group skills training in person or virtually.
There is an initial program commitment of six months. This is because it takes six-months to get through all the DBT skills one time in a group setting. Research shows that DBT is most effective if done for 12+ months. A six-month commitment can give us all a good idea if DBT is working for you.
Our adolescent program is geared for teenagers ages 13 to 17. Participants who are 13 years old must be in the 8th grade in order to be considered appropriate for our program. The program consists of individual therapy sessions, adolescent skills group, parent skills group, access to coaching calls for the adolescent, and family therapy (when needed). To be admitted, the adolescent would first be evaluated by a DBT therapist on our team. The evaluation session would help us make sure that the adolescent is a good fit for DBT and that we are able to help. Once a teenager has been admitted, they will participate in weekly individual therapy and weekly skills training group with other teenagers.
Parents:
At least one parent must participate in the weekly skills training group offered for parents. We encourage both parents to attend if possible. There is a six-month commitment by both adolescent and parent(s) for skills training. It takes six-months to get through all the DBT skills one time. Parents and teens will learn the DBT skills at the same pace but in their respective groups. Parents must be willing to participate in a weekly parent skills group in order to learn and reinforce the skills at home. Without parent participation, it isn’t a comprehensive DBT program and will be less effective.
Tuesday
5:30 PM- 7:00 PM (Virtual – Adult)
Thursday
12:00 PM- 1:30 PM (In Person – Adult)
Wednesday
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM (Virtual – Multi-Family – Adult)
Wednesday
5:00 PM – 6:30 PM ( Virtual – Multi-Family – Adolescents)