Getting Back Your Life: Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) Skills Training
SOAR Psychological Services is excited to offer DBT Skills groups for military members and Veterans in Enfield, NS, starting August 2019. DBT is intended to help individuals who would benefit from learning and practicing skills to help manage extreme emotions and reduce impulsive behaviours that interfere with functioning. The goal is to increase well-being and healthy relationships.
While DBT is the gold standard treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder, research has shown that DBT can effectively treat other disorders such as anxiety, depression, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and substance use disorders.
There are four key skills training modules: Core Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness.
Core Mindfulness is a mandatory and critical aspect of DBT, hence the name Core Mindfulness, so it will occur at the start of each module. Mindfulness allows the individual to remain grounded and present, gaining awareness of themselves and situations, thus increasing their ability to use skills more effectively.
Distress Tolerance module is 8 weeks in duration. The goal of Distress Tolerance is to assist with managing crisis situations, coping with difficult or traumatic events, and reduction of self-harm and suicidality.
Emotion Regulation module is 9 weeks duration. Emotion regulation skills help the individual be able to reduce emotional vulnerability, naming and gaining awareness of the function of emotions, and approaching rather than avoid situations.
Interpersonal Effectiveness module is 8 weeks duration. The goal of Interpersonal Effectiveness skills is to teach the individual to meet their objectives of saying “no” or getting needs met, while maintaining the relationship and their self-respect.
Please note: An initial individual therapy session is required to ensure that DBT skills group is the best fit for the client and the client is committed to fully engaging in DBT treatment. Ideally, individuals complete all the modules twice to obtain full benefits of skill integration. As per comprehensive DBT, individuals benefit from concurrent individual therapy sessions to assist with skill use specific to their needs. Clinicians also attend weekly consultation team meetings to ensure that the integrity of comprehensive DBT is being maintained.
While DBT is the gold standard treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder, research has shown that DBT can effectively treat other disorders such as anxiety, depression, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, and substance use disorders.
There are four key skills training modules: Core Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness.
Core Mindfulness is a mandatory and critical aspect of DBT, hence the name Core Mindfulness, so it will occur at the start of each module. Mindfulness allows the individual to remain grounded and present, gaining awareness of themselves and situations, thus increasing their ability to use skills more effectively.
Distress Tolerance module is 8 weeks in duration. The goal of Distress Tolerance is to assist with managing crisis situations, coping with difficult or traumatic events, and reduction of self-harm and suicidality.
Emotion Regulation module is 9 weeks duration. Emotion regulation skills help the individual be able to reduce emotional vulnerability, naming and gaining awareness of the function of emotions, and approaching rather than avoid situations.
Interpersonal Effectiveness module is 8 weeks duration. The goal of Interpersonal Effectiveness skills is to teach the individual to meet their objectives of saying “no” or getting needs met, while maintaining the relationship and their self-respect.
Please note: An initial individual therapy session is required to ensure that DBT skills group is the best fit for the client and the client is committed to fully engaging in DBT treatment. Ideally, individuals complete all the modules twice to obtain full benefits of skill integration. As per comprehensive DBT, individuals benefit from concurrent individual therapy sessions to assist with skill use specific to their needs. Clinicians also attend weekly consultation team meetings to ensure that the integrity of comprehensive DBT is being maintained.