Research shows us that in order to get the most benefit from the DBT Multifamily skills training group, the teen should be receiving individual DBT treatment from a DBT therapist.  In the Multifamily Group each teen will be accompanied by a parent/guardian who will be learning the skills right alongside of the teen.  DBT Skills groups have been researched to be helpful for EVERYONE, and have been adapted to school, corporate and other settings, and parents consistently report benefiting from learning the skills and using them in their own lives, in addition to helping them support their child.   New group members will be added after being fully prepared by the individual therapist and when there is an opening and this usually takes 4-6 weeks.  Preparation consists of the therapist orienting the client and parent to how the group works, and some introductory concepts, and insuring commitment to attending.  The group is focused on enhancing members’ capabilities by teaching them behavioral skills.

The DBT Skills Group is organized into 4 modules, each lasting 6-7weeks long (6-7group sessions), with the  final group session within a module being dedicated to a “Transition Group” which is used to welcome new participants, or to say goodbyes to members who are leaving the group. The group is run like a class where the group leaders teach the skills and assigns homework for clients to practice using the skills in their everyday lives. Groups meet once per week for approximately 2 hours (120 minutes), and it takes 24 weeks to get through the full skills curriculum (6-months), which is often repeated to create a 1-year program.  The decision to repeat the group is made by the client, parents and individual therapist. Client can commit to joining the group on a per-module basis, meaning the client does not need to commit to the entire 4 modules upfront; however, the client must be in communication with the group leader and/or therapist about their wishes to discontinue the group. 

DBT for teens includes five sets of behavioral skills (Mindfulness and Walking the Middle Path are taught within the same module: Module 1): 

  • Module 1 (first 2 weeks) – Mindfulness: the practice of being fully aware and present in this one moment
  • Module 1 – Walking the Middle Path: How to reduce the conflicts in families, learning concepts of Behaviorism, Dialectics and Validation.
  • Module 2 – Distress Tolerance: how to tolerate pain in difficult situations, not change it
  • Module 3 – Emotion Regulation: how to change emotions that you want to change
  • Module 4 – Interpersonal Effectiveness: how to ask for what you want and say no while maintaining self-respect and relationships with others

The maximum number of teens is 5 plus their parents.  The fee for each group is $75.00 per group if client is receiving individual therapy from a TBC for CBT therapist and $80.00 per group for clients who are doing “Group Only“.  Group  members are financially responsible for paying for group for each module regardless of attendance. Before starting  group, the co-leader of the client’s preferred group will reach out to schedule a 30-45min Group Orientation session via Zoom; standard fee of $65.00.

Since group-only clients are those who are not seen by an individual therapist at our center, it is protocol that the co-leader of the client’s group schedule a 30-minute Zoom session with the client and parent on a once-per-module basis for a check-in session. This check-in session is a standard fee of $40.00. 

DBT Multifamily/Adolescent Groups currently offered:

  • Monday Adolescent DBT Skills Group: 4:30PM to 6:30PM, in-person at our office (219 Cook St, Brandon, FL 33511)
  • Wednesday Adolescent DBT Skills Group: 4:30PM to 6:30PM, virtual via Zoom

 

**Please call our intake coordinator with questions, including wait times for these groups: (813) 434-0094