Frequently Asked Questions
What is DBT good for?
Anxiety, extreme mood swings, depression, trauma, addictions, anger issues, feelings of emptiness, suicidal thoughts, self harm, and many other symptoms that affect your functioning and satisfaction with life.
How much does DBT cost?
Insurance often covers the majority of the cost of DBT. You may have a copay depending on your insurance. Our office staff can help with individual inquiries.
Will my insurance cover DBT therapy?
In most cases, yes. Check with our front office staff for help with any questions regarding this.
What will I learn in DBT?
DBT teaches you skills that will help you in regulating emotions and behaviors, communicating more effectively, navigating distressing or crisis situations without making it worse, and achieving a more balanced and satisfying life.
What does the DBT program consist of?
DBT consists of weekly individual therapy, weekly skills training group, and access to phone coaching with a therapist. DBT therapists meet weekly to consult and collaborate to insure effective treatment. There is homework assigned in each group, encouraging practice of skills between groups.
What is DBT group like?
This is not a process group. You are not expected to come into group and share personal stories or your history. The focus is on learning skills that will help you achieve treatment goals and improve your daily life. First the group will do a Mindfulness exerciseto help everyone feel grounded and ready to focus on learning DBT. It is also a great time to learn new ways to practice Mindfulness in your own life. A review of diary cards and homework is done so that anyone that may have questions can have them answered or further explained. Don’t worry…there are no grades in DBT! You are not going to fail or have ‘wrong’ answers! Then, a review of the last week’s skills gives people a chance to talk about how using the skills helped or didn’t help. It’s a good time to trouble shoot skills. The last half of the group is usually learning a new skill or two. We learn new skills from the book, discussion of the skill(s) and sometimes roleplays or small group exercises. Questions are answered, homework is assigned and that is it until the next week. We will work with you if you have any anxiety or questions about group.
What is individual DBT therapy like?
In individual DBT therapy you have an opportunity to practice skills, get individual help with skills or find the correct skill for specific situations. Your individual therapist is trained in DBT and can help you with issues in your life.
What is Dialectical?
Dialectics is a term from philosophers such as Plato and Socrates. Dialectical means, basically, that two things can be true at once. You can feel good about yourself exactly as you are, but still work towards bettering yourself.
Is DBT an Evidence Based Treatment?
Yes, there has been extensive research on DBT and its ability to help people with a variety of issues. You can start out researching at https://behavioraltech.org/research/evidence/
https://theranest.com/blog/list-of-top-evidence-based-practices-in-mental-health/