DBT

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

What is DBT?

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based treatment to help clients who struggle with emotions regulation difficulties. DBT was originally developed for individuals who experience symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder and has been found to be beneficial for a number of clinical presentations. DBT has a focus on behavioral skills training in the following areas: mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance.

Two different ways to take part in DBT therapy

Full Program - Individual and Group

Lighthouse Counseling offers full individual DBT skills treatment with DBT trained clinicians. If clients are interested in the full skills program, they will be matched with an individual therapist to provide individual DBT treatment while also attending a once-a-week DBT Skills Training Group. Clients seeking full individual DBT treatment are required to attend skills group while receiving individual treatment. While enrolled in the program, clients will be expected to attend two sessions per week (individual and group). Clients will be required to complete a weekly diary card while also committing to reducing self-harm and suicidal gestures. Individual therapists will work collaboratively with clients and group therapists to reinforce skill training in individual treatment. DBT Skills Group teach clients skills in the following areas: mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance, and emotional regulation. Group runs on-going. Clients can be seen in-person and via telehealth for individual and group treatment.

DBT Skills Group Only

DBT Skills Group teach clients skills in the following areas: mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance, and emotional regulation. Lighthouse Counseling offers DBT Skills Group for clients not receiving individual treatment services at Lighthouse. Clients who are seeing a therapist outside of Lighthouse can recommend clients for skills training group. Clients can contact Lighthouse to be enrolled in Skills Group only. Clients will be required to complete a diagnostic evaluation and orientation appointment(s) with Lighthouse clinician before being enrolled in DBT Skills Group. Outside therapist seeking to refer clients to skills group; please see Information for Referring Therapists. Clients who attend Skills Group at Lighthouse will be required to adhere to all group rules/requirements/attendance policy established by DBT Program. Clients cannot transfer to a Lighthouse individual DBT therapist while engaged in DBT Skills training group. Clients can be placed on the waitlist to wait for a DBT individual therapist and will be enrolled in skills group when individual group therapist has availability to start meeting with client. Group runs on-going. Clients can be seen in-person and via telehealth for individual and group treatment.

Information for Referring Therapists

Therapists referring clients to individual DBT Skills Group are encouraged to educate their clients about DBT skills treatment when making referral for group. Individual therapists are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with DBT Skills in order to help reinforce skills training in their individual sessions. Lighthouse DBT group therapists expect to collaborate with outside referring therapist about their client’s individual treatment needs. Therapist referring to Lighthouse for skills group will be required to sign a primary therapist agreement before clients will be scheduled for a diagnostic evaluation. Referring therapists will send a copy of referred clients’ most recent evaluation to Lighthouse prior to client starting skills group. DBT Group therapists will send outside clinician’s weekly notes regarding their client’s attendance to skills group. Referring clinicians will be contacted if clients are at risk of violating the attendance policy or inappropriate behavior is demonstrated in group. The primary therapist agrees to be available for case consultation within 48 hours as needed. If the primary therapist is not available for case consultation within a reasonable amount of time, the client may be asked to leave the group until this is resolved. Primary therapists will agree to skills coaching as this task cannot be reasonably absorbed by DBT Skills Group therapists.

You can download a copy of the Primary Therapist agreement on this website under the Fees/Insurance/Forms tab.

Adolescent DBT

Lighthouse offers full DBT and skills groups only for clients between the ages of 14 – 19. Adolescent clients will be recommended to have one parent/caretaker enrolled in the Lighthouse Friends/Family Group.

Friends and Family Group

Do you have a family member/loved one with BPD or who struggles with emotion regulation? Do you have a family member/loved on in a DBT program, previously been in a DBT program, or would benefit from a DBT program?

The goal of the group is to create a safe space for family members to talk about the stressors of living with someone with an emotion dysregulation problem and to learn new skills to improve their communication and relationships. Group is available for participants aged 14 and up. Group runs weekly, online for six weeks.

Costs

Individual DBT treatment and DBT skills group are billable to insurance companies. The participant program fee and costs associated with the Friends and Family group, are not billable to insurance.