DBT

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an empirically validated treatment that targets mood lability and impulsive behaviors. Clients appropriate for DBT tend to have intense and difficult to tolerate emotions, which often result in problematic, impulsive behaviors that are understood as attempts at coping with said emotions.

DBT consists of four components. First, clients attend weekly individual DBT designed to identify goals and problem behaviors through the use of a diary card. Sessions help clients generalize skill use into their daily lives in order to make progress toward larger goals. Second, in most cases, clients attend weekly DBT Skills Group which targets skill acquisition, practice and generalization. Skills include core mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance and middle path. Third, phone and text coaching is implemented to help clients utilize skills in the actual, real time moment in their life when the skill is needed. Finally, DBT Consultation Team is a weekly forum for Behavior Therapy Group therapists to present clients and collaborate on treatment strategies in order to best serve the client.

CBT

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a short term, highly effective treatment for depression, insomnia, and anxiety disorders including obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder and specific phobias. Client and therapist focus on the development of personal coping strategies that target solving current problems and changing unhelpful patterns of behavior. Therapist and client together work to identify unhelpful, ineffective and, in some cases, inaccurate thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes that impede functioning. Mood-dependent behaviors are also targeted, challenged and modified to provide symptom relief.

Groups

ADOLESCENTS

We offer a Multi-Family DBT Skills Training Group for adolescents and their caregiver/s, usually one or both parents. The group's goal is to help participants gain skills to better cope with and manage difficult emotions and strong behavioral urges.

Four modules are covered: emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and walking the middle path. Mindfulness skills are taught during the first two weeks of each module and are practiced at the beginning of each group. Groups are structured with a mindfulness practice, homework review, and presentation of the new skill.

Adolescents must attend weekly individual therapy with a therapist of their choosing. Both adolescents and caregivers attend the same weekly group, which is 90 minutes long and lasts for 24 weeks. Admission is rolling, and new participants can enter the group at the start of any module.

ADULTS

DBT Skills Training Group is also available for adults. The group's goal is to help participants gain skills that will enable them to cope with and manage difficult emotions and strong behavioral urges.

Four modules are covered: emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness. Additionally, mindfulness skills are practiced at the beginning of each group, followed by a homework review and presentation of the new skill.

Group members are required to be in weekly individual therapy with an internal or external therapist to participate in the group. Groups are weekly, 90 minutes long, and last for 25 weeks. Admission is rolling, and new participants can enter the group at the start of any new module.

Additionally, we offer graduate groups to adults who have completed DBT Skills Training. Graduate groups allow clients to process situations and discuss how to apply skills in everyday life. Unlike skills groups, which are didactic in nature, graduate groups allow clients to more openly discuss their daily lives, current problem behaviors, and barriers to implementing skills.

PARENTS

We offer Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) groups for parents. SPACE is a novel cognitive behaviorally based treatment that targets childhood anxiety and OCD solely through working with parents.