Dialectical Behavior Therapy separates skills training from individual psychotherapy, requiring participants to attend weekly skills training groups in addition to ongoing, weekly psychotherapy. As a unique and powerful way to further reinforce the skills taught in the skills groups, telephone coaching with a therapist is available between group sessions.
One of the key assumptions of Dialectical Behavior Therapy is that while we may not have caused all of our problems, we are the only ones capable and responsible for fixing them. |
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This requires a continual willingness on the part of DBT participants to work hard and look at themselves honestly, so that they can make the changes necessary to create lives worth living.
Because of the personal dedication, sacrifice and effort required to successfully complete our Dialectical Behavior Therapy program, applicants are required to complete an individual DBT Orientation and Commitment session as part of the assessment process.
DBT pre-treatment requirements:
- Initial intake interview(s) to determine eligibility and readiness for DBT skills training.
- Agreements with individual therapist and group skills leader, including releases of information, reviewed and signed.
- Skills Modules taught in DBT:
- Core Mindfulness - being present and non-judgmentally aware in the moment
- Interpersonal Effectiveness –relating skillfully with others
- Emotion Regulation - learning to skillfully use or change emotions
- Distress Tolerance - managing difficult feelings without acting impulsively
- DBT assumptions about participants:
- You are doing the best you can.
- You want to improve.
- You will do better, work harder, and be motivated to change.
- The lives of suicidal individuals are unbearable as they are currently being lived.
- You will learn new behaviors in all areas of your life.
- You cannot fail in DBT.
- DBT assumptions about therapists:
- All therapists, no matter how well trained, are fallible.
- We make every reasonable effort to conduct competent and effective therapy.
- We obey standard ethical and professional guidelines.
- We are available for weekly therapy sessions and provide needed therapy back-up.
- We respect the integrity and rights of the patient.
- We maintain confidentiality.
- We meet regularly for consultation and support.
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The South Bay DBT Associates is a team of independent practitioners who are not associated as a business entity in any way. Each team member is a licensed, sole practitioner or is a marriage and family therapist intern or trainee under supervision by licensed MFTs. The purpose of the affiliation is limited to consultation, clinical feedback, resource sharing, and ongoing training.