behaviors? Do you have problems with:
- anger
- impulsive behavior
- self-injury
- binge-eating or restricting food
- substance abuse
- developing relationships
If so, then Dialectical Behavior Therapy may be a helpful treatment for you.
Our DBT therapists understand your struggles and can help you find new and effective ways to manage your emotions, effectively solve problems, and have a life that is worth living.
Discovery Counseling & Consulting offers Dialectical Behavior Therapy programs for adolescents, adults, and family members. We can help you develop more effective skills to manage your emotions, manage life’s problems and interact with loved ones, with less strife.
Visit our Dialectical Behavior Therapy section for more information or make an appointment online.
What is Dialectical Behavior Therapy?
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) was developed by Marsha Linehan, PhD and is an evidence-based treatment designed specifically for individuals with struggles such as intense and dysregulated emotions, self-harm behaviors, suicidal thoughts and/or suicide attempts, impulsivity, chaotic interpersonal relationships, and struggles with sense of self. Many clients with these behaviors meet criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). It is not unusual for individuals diagnosed with BPD to also struggle with other problems — depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, eating disorders, or alcohol and drug problems.
How can you tell if a DBT Program is comprehensive and has fidelity to the model? Click here to review our checklist to make sure that the DBT services you are researching are comprehensive and you know what to ask about the program.
To read more about DBT therapy and frequently asked questions, visit the Behavioral Tech FAQ.
To be added to our waiting list and/or sign up for our DBT program for adults or adolescents please click here.
Adult DBT
Discovery Counseling & Consulting offers DBT programs that are comprehensive, which means they faithfully follow the model established by Marsha Linehan. Our DBT programs include all four treatment components: individual therapy, group skills training, phone coaching, and team consultation.
Our adult DBT program consists of the following components:
- DBT skills training groups focus on helping clients develop the coping skills they need to solve their own problems and achieve their desired goals.
- DBT individual therapy requires participants to be in individual therapy while they are in skills group. Individual therapy is where the clients discuss the behaviors and stressors they are experiencing that prevent them from living the life they want and build on what is learned in group.
- DBT phone coaching is offered to all clients in our DBT program. Phone coaching is available as an “after hours” way for clients to access their therapist for coaching on using skills to manage urges for suicide, self-harm, or other problematic behaviors.
Adolescent DBT
Our adolescent DBT therapy program modifies the DBT program and offers unique methods of addressing frequent conflicts between parents and teens. The adolescent DBT program includes focusing on the Middle Path; a unique way for teens and their parents to find the middle ground of their different perspectives.
Like the adult DBT therapy program, it includes DBT adolescent skills training group and DBT-focused individual therapy. Parents attend all DBT skills groups with their teens to help parents communicate more effectively with their teens, to learn how to coach their teens in using skills when problems arise, and to develop their own coping skills.
Family Education and Support
Families and loved ones connected to someone with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) or intense emotions often face unique problems. Rapid mood changes and impulsive behavior may cause intense stress, confusion and desires both to punish extreme behavior and protect the loved one from the consequences of impulsive behavior. Loved ones and family members often feel alone, angry, isolated and confused. Discovery Counseling & Consulting offers programs to help you develop more effective ways of managing relationships and reduce guilt, tension and conflicts. Individual and Family Coaching provides the opportunity for individuals and families to address concerns in a more private setting. Individual and family coaching provides an opportunity to explore concerns in a more detailed manner and develop strategies to manage ongoing problems with BPD.
To schedule an appointment with one of our clinicians, or learn more about dialectical behavior therapy, please call our office (804-591-0002) or request an appointment online.
To be added to our waiting list and/or sign up for our DBT program for adults or adolescents please click here.