Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is the leading therapeutic approach in working with adolescents on emotional regulation, impulsive behaviors, polarized thinking, and peer or family relationships. DBT Pathways is a safe space for open discussions about stressors and triggers, with practical guidance and essential tools for managing emotions, improving relationships, and navigating life's challenges with greater resilience. We integrate and explore issues like social anxiety, grief, loss, anger, bullying, self-esteem, academic stress, personal accountability, peer pressure, and other topics that organically arise. 

DBT Pathways is a co-ed, in-person group facilitated by a licensed therapist. Each series runs for six weeks, on Saturdays from 11am-12:15pm.  Please contact us for more information including our 2024 dates and fees. The skills we cover include:  

Mindfulness Skills

Mindful Breathing: focusing on the breath to anchor into the present moment

Wise Mind: learning to balance emotional and rational thinking

Distress Tolerance Skills

TIPP: temperature, intense exercise, paced breathing, paired muscle relaxation

Radical Acceptance: learning to accept reality as it is, without judgment or resistance

Emotion Regulation Skills

Emotion Awareness: identifying and labeling emotions accurately

STOP Skill: (stop, take a step back, observe, proceed mindfully) for healthy responses to intense situations and emotions

Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills

GIVE: (gentle, interested, validate, easy manner) for building healthy relationships and resolving conflicts

FAST: (fair, apologies, stick to  values, truthful) for self-respect and boundaries in relationships

Middle Path Skills

SMART Goals: setting realistic, achievable goals, into smaller steps, while tracking progress over time

Finding Compromise: finding the middle ground between extremes in thinking and behavior by exploring alternative perspectives and solutions

For clients seeking aftercare from a residential or outpatient program, this group reinforces the skills learned in PHP or IOP and provides support for relapse prevention.