DBT Outpatient Programs

Individual DBT Therapy

Individual DBT therapy is based on Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and focuses on patient/therapist collaboration to determine what maladaptive behaviors are impeding the patient towards building their Life Worth Living. The individual 50-minute session focuses on creating greater awareness and enhancing motivation for patients to learn and generalize DBT skills to manage the challenges they face in their daily lives. Learning new coping skills, replacing unhealthy thinking, developing greater awareness of behaviors, thoughts, and emotions, and learning how to balance Acceptance and Change strategies, are important aspects of individual DBT therapy. Using diary cards to support greater self-understanding as well as working through Behavior Chain Analysis with their individual therapist, strengthens the patient’s awareness of their behaviors and helps facilitate alternate coping strategies.

Adult Intensive Outpatient Program

Our DBT Intensive Outpatient Program is held 3 days per week and offers a minimum of 10 hours of services. The program includes yoga/mindfulness practice, art therapy, skills training and individual therapy. An initial assessment is required. Participants can choose between a morning or evening track.

Adult DBT Skills Group

This is a 90 minute DBT Adult Skills Group that meets weekly and covers the DBT model created Dr. Marsha Linehan. Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness are modules covered in a small, specialized group setting. The 16-week skills training is educative and interactive. An initial assessment is required.

Adolescent DBT Skills Program

This is a 90 minute DBT Adolescent Skills Group that meets weekly and covers the DBT model based on the curriculum of Dr. Alec Miller and Jill Rathus that combines Dr. Marsha Linehan’s skills training manual specifically tailored to address the needs of adolescents. Incorporating an additional module of Walking the Middle Path, adolescents will be introduced to concepts of Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness. The 16-week group curriculum is educative, fun and interactive. An initial assessment is required. Two 90 minute parent/family sessions are included in the program to further support one another and reduce any conflict and distress within the home.

Advanced DBT Skills Group

Our DBT Graduate Skills Group is designed for those patients who have completed Skills Training Group and are no longer exhibiting Life Threatening (Stage 1 Target) Behaviors. The Advanced curriculum is built to primarily address mood and quality of life issues. The focus of this group is to provide ongoing support while simultaneously using the skills to create enough meaning in day to day life that a patient is able to eventually successfully transition out of therapy and Build a Life Worth Living.

A challenge of the later stages of DBT treatment is to help patients be able to determine their own needs and act in an effective manner (Linehan, 1993a), as well as learn to trust themselves. Patients are encouraged to define a target goal they would like to achieve. The treatment and commitment agreements focus on using group as a support and reinforcement toward working on this goal.

The object of this group is to offer confidential and supportive space in which to continue the study, practice and development of DBT skills such as mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance and interpersonal effectiveness. The group does this through discussion, sharing, mindfulness practice, and homework. This group meets weekly for 90 minutes and offers a 16-week curriculum. Patient’s eligibility for group is based on their primary therapist’s recommendation.

DBT Coaches in Action

Our DBT ‘COACHES IN ACTION’ Program offers our patients practical tools to improve their daily lives and help them towards Building a Life Worth Living! Using compassionate guidance and support and working within a DBT framework, our DBT COACHES IN ACTION, also known as case managers, offer individualized and collaborative coaching depending upon the patient’s needs in applying life skills to a variety of situations. Whether working on financial management such as credit repair and budgeting, time management, career planning, resume building and job hunting, creating a work-out regimen, building and strengthening a mindfulness practice or DBT skills – our DBT COACHES IN ACTION help patients with practical guidelines to get their lives on track. The emphasis is on setting and achieving goals, developing strengths and improving self-esteem. The overarching DBT goal is to Build a Life Worth Living and our DBT ‘Coaches in Action’ are committed to encouraging our patients to this end!

Family Connections

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) affects the whole family. When a loved one has borderline personality disorder, suffers from extreme emotions, self-harm, suicidality, and a pattern of unstable relationships, family and loved ones may suffer a great deal. Since BPD can include a pattern of intense and stormy relationships with family, friends, and loved ones, they may be on the roller coaster of extreme closeness and love (idealization) to extreme dislike or anger (devaluation). Changeable moods, high-risk behavior, suicidality and intense anger are often part of life for a person with BPD and in turn, becomes part of life for those who love them. Families of people with BPD may benefit from support, skills training and sometimes their own therapy. The challenges of dealing with an ill relative on a daily basis can be very stressful, and family members may unknowingly act in ways that negatively impact their relative. Family Connections™ is a free group program facilitated by highly trained family members that focuses on the needs of family members.