CHARLESTON DBT ASSOCIATES:
COMPREHENSIVE DBT PROGRAMS
BUILDING A LIFE WORTH LIVING
ADOLESCENT DBT PROGRAM
Adolescent and Young Adult clients ages 14-18.
DBT for adolescents was developed by Alec Miller, Jill Rathus, and Marsha Linehan. This evidence-based approach is the gold standard of treatment for individuals suffering from emotion dysregulation, identity confusion, interpersonal difficulties, impulsivity, and at times risky or dangerous behaviors. This includes adolescents who present with high risk behaviors such as a history of past suicide attempts, self-injurious behaviors, maladaptive coping skills, previous behavioral health hospitalizations, trauma, and substance abuse. Clients do not have to meet all of these criteria in order to enter the CDBTA Adolescent DBT program.
In the CDBTA Adolescent DBT Program adolescent clients receive comprehensive DBT treatment, including all four components of full fidelity Dialectical Behavior Therapy. This means that adolescent clients attend weekly individual sessions with their DBT primary clinician, have access to phone coaching services for skill use outside of therapy sessions, attend weekly skills group and have their treatment overseen by the CDBTA consultation team.
The CDBTA Adolescent Skills Program includes a 28-week curriculum using Marsha Linehan’s Skills Training Manual to teach the DBT skills of mindfulness, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance along with the Walking the Middle Path skills form DBT Skills Manual for adolescents published by Marsha Linehan, Alec Miller and Jill Rathus.
CDBTA’s comprehensive Adolescent DBT program is particularly effective for those adolescents requiring more comprehensive treatment than standard Cognitive Behavioral therapy (CBT).
Before beginning treatment clients undergo a thorough intake assessment with a DBT clinician in order to determine whether DBT is the most appropriate form of treatment given their symptoms and needs.
ADULT DBT PROGRAM
Adult Clients ages 18+
In the CDBTA Adult DBT Program, clients receive comprehensive DBT treatment, including all four components of full fidelity Dialectical Behavior Therapy adherent to the model developed and extensively researched by Marsha Linehan. This includes weekly individual therapy sessions, weekly skills group, between session phone coaching and treatment overseen by the CDBTA consultation team.
DBT has been extensively researched and is recognized as the most effective treatment for people with Borderline Personality Disorder, as well as those with self-injury or suicidal behaviors. In addition, research has shown that DBT is effective for a wide range of other disorders associated with difficulties in emotion regulation, including substance abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The CDBTA Adult DBT program includes attending 24 skills training sessions based on the curriculum of Marsha Linehan’s Skills Training Manual designed to teach the DBT skills of mindfulness, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance.
Before beginning treatment clients undergo a thorough intake assessment with a DBT clinician in order to determine whether DBT is the most appropriate form of treatment given their symptoms and needs.