Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a unique, specialized form of cognitive-behavioral therapy that was initially developed to treat adults who were chronically suicidal, self-injuring, and exhibiting symptoms of borderline personality disorder. DBT is now also being utilized for the treatment of adolescents who engage in impulsive, self-injuring, or suicidal behavior.
Our Clients Often Experience:
- Problems with anger
- Chaotic relationships
- Frequent mood swings
- Intense fears of abandonment
- Impulsive behavior
- Inadequate sense of self
- Recurrent suicidal or self-injurious behavior
- Family problems or conflicts
As A Comprehensive Treatment, DBT Has The Following Goals:
- Decreasing life-threatening (e.g., suicidal attempts, suicidal threats, suicidal thoughts) and self-injurious behaviors
- Decreasing therapy-interfering behaviors (e.g., missing or coming late to sessions, remaining silent in sessions)
- Decreasing quality-of-life interfering behaviors (e.g., fighting with people, substance abuse, trouble in school)
- Increasing coping skills (e.g., learning to deal with conflict, learning to cope with painful emotions, improving positive self-care)
Skills Group Training:
DBT Skills Group Training focuses on helping patients develop the coping skills they need to solve their own problems and achieve their desired goals.
Five skills training modules are taught in DBT:
- Core mindfulness skills
- Distress tolerance skills
- Emotion regulation skills
- Interpersonal effectiveness skills
- Middle Path – Skills for Families
Individual/ Psychotherapy:
Participants in the DBT Program are required to be in individual therapy while in the skills group.
DBT Trained therapists will provide individual DBT psychotherapy. Individual therapists will help motivate clients to stay in treatment and will help clients apply DBT skills to their personal lives.
Commitment:
To participate in Dialectical Behavior Therapy Programs, participants are asked to commit to:
- Weekly individual therapy sessions
- Weekly 90-minute DBT Skills Groups
- Medication management services as needed
- Participants are asked to commit to 12 weeks with an understanding that failure to attend sessions can be the basis for being discharged from the program
