What Exactly Do We Offer?
DBTwenties is a Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) program. Dialectical Behavior Therapy is an evidence-based treatment created by Marsha Linehan, Ph.D., and supported by scientific research. It is a type of cognitive behavior therapy that combines acceptance and mindfulness with problem-solving strategies.
DBTeens NH is an adherent program, which means we offer all the components of a comprehensive DBT program. This includes individual therapy, group skills training, and a consultation group for staff members.
Our individual therapy sessions focus on targeting behaviors in this order: life-threatening behaviors, therapy-interfering behaviors, and quality of life-interfering behaviors. We also target avoidance behavior and posttraumatic stress behaviors. Individual therapy sessions are focused around the diary card, which is the behavioral tracking tool of DBT. We use behavioral chain analysis within each individual session to help clients identify patterns of behavior, better predict outcomes, and problem-solve ways to cope with emotions, thoughts, body sensations, and actions that lead to target behaviors.
Group skills sessions are co-facilitated by a clinician and a skills coach, and include skills from standard DBT and Radically Open (RO) DBT. Skills are from the four original DBT sets: mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. We also teach “walking the middle path” skills, an additional unit created by Dr. Miller and Dr. Rathus. The RO DBT skills include using self-enquiry to learn about yourself, skills to become more open to new people and situations, flexible thinking skills, and skills to improve connection and intimacy with others.
Team consult meetings are weekly staff-only meetings which ensure that our team is following DBT protocol and treating each client as effectively as possible. This team approach guarantees each client a well-developed, collaborative plan.
In addition to the core components of DBT, DBTwenties offers additional support and structure to increase motivation, accountability, and compliance. Evening meetings provide further skills training, yoga, and offer self-soothing class content.
Planned skills coaching occurs once a week. Clients talk to a skills coach about how their skill use is going, problem solving strategies, and focus on improving motivation to keep going with this difficult work.
An optional support person group is offered once per week for loved ones to learn how to use DBT skills themselves in order to assist their participant in healing.
Our program provides approximately 9 hours/week of service to each client. All components of the program have been developed in adherence to DBT treatment protocols. We strive for acceptance and change, and a balance between providing traditional service and offering an innovative treatment approach.