DBT – Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
Group Skills Training Program What is Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)? Everyone struggles from time to time with their mental health and relationships. However, for some people, these struggles are experienced much more severely and frequently, to the point where it fundamentally undermines their wellbeing and appears to be part of who they are. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) was developed to assist those who experience extreme difficulty in relationships, decision-making and emotion regulation. DBT, as created by Marsha Linehan, is best known for assisting those with Borderline Personality Disorder. Alongside this however, it has also been found to be effective for those experiencing emotional dysregulation, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Clinical Depression and addiction. It can also be highly beneficial for people who experience self-harm urges or suicidal thoughts and feelings. DBT is an evidence based treatment with a heavy emphasis on behaviour change through use of skills. These skills have been found to enhance problem solving capacity, modify interpretations, and moderate emotional responses. They can also enhance a person’s capacity to find acceptance in challenging circumstances. The skills within DBT are comprised across four main modules: Core Mindfulness Emotional Regulation Distress Tolerance Interpersonal Effectiveness DBT Group Program Laburnum Psychology will be conducting a 12-week skills training program that progresses through the modules of DBT, and provide psychoeducation around their successful implementation. The program will follow the following structure throughout the 12-week program: 1x content session per week – 2 hours in length 1x individual check-in session per week – 1 hour in length What is the difference between the group content session and the individual check-in session? Group sessions focus on psychoeducation of the skills taught in DBT and follow a classroom format. Participants will have the opportunity to learn from each other’s experiences, and will also have space to share their own as it relates to the content. The two facilitators of the group will be in a position to interact with group members, answer questions, and ensure a safe and calm space for participants to learn the skills. Individual sessions form an important component of DBT. These sessions afford the opportunity to apply insights with greater tailoring each participant’s circumstances. These sessions follow a more traditional therapeutic service between practitioner and client. The focus of these sessions are to manage unhelpful behaviours as they occur in one’s life, manage risk-based behaviour, work towards identified goals, and work towards applications of skills learned into one’s everyday life. Where can I book to become a participant in the program? Laburnum Psychology has an intake process where prospective participants can apply. Group numbers are limited, so in the instance that the forthcoming group is fully booked, eligible participants can be put on a waiting list for the next available group. To enquire, or for further information regarding group commencement dates and up-to-date cost, please call Laburnum Psychology on (03) 9877 9179. Do I need a Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP) referral from a GP? While a MHCP is not required to attend the group, you will be eligible for a significant rebate if you do have a current MHCP. Speak to you GP if you would like more information about this process. What does the structure of the DBT program look like? The breakdown of content covered in the 12-week DBT program is: Mindfulness – 2 weeks Introduction to DBT, Goals of DBT, Introduction to Mindfulness, and States of Mind What and How Skills of Mindfulness Emotional Regulation – 4 weeks Goals of Emotional Regulation, Understanding and Naming Emotions, and Model of Emotions Checking the Facts, Opposite Action, and Problem solving ABC PLEASE Skills Mindfulness of Current Emotion, Managing Extreme Emotions, Troubleshooting Emotional Regulation Skills Distress Tolerance – 4 weeks Goals of Distress Tolerance, Crisis Survival Skills, STOP Skill, Pro’s and Con’s, TIPP Skill Distracting: ACCEPTS, Improving the Moment, Self-soothing Radical Acceptance and Turning the Mind Willingness and Willfulness, Mindfulness of Current Thoughts Interpersonal Effectiveness – 2 weeks Goals for Interpersonal Effectiveness; DEARMAN GIVE FAST Skills, Mindfulness of Others Dialectics, Validation and Self-validation Laburnum Psychology: Servicing Melbourne with DBT Therapy and Groups Fluctuating emotions are part of the human experience, and it can be entirely normal for a person to feel extreme emotions various times life. However, some people experience emotional extremes more regularly than others, to the point where it can undermine many other areas of a their daily functioning. For these people, DBT, or Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, can assist in the repair and healthy management of emotions and associated behaviours. Taking the time to visit a DBT psychologist can help those who are struggling with their mental health to prioritize their well-being and take a positive step towards learning helpful skills of emotional regulation. Operating out of Melbourne’s east, Laburnum Psychology is offering DBT groups for people who are experiencing difficulties with emotional regulation, and some of the difficulties this can bring in relationships. We offer counselling therapies for a wide range of issues and difficulties such as couples therapy, depression counselling and PTSD counselling.We seek to support people to learn new insights and strategies to find greater peace and contentment in their lives. Laburnum Psychology DBT for Melbourne and Beyond When it comes to making a real difference with DBT therapy, Melbourne is home to many highly qualified and skilled therapists. Laburnum Psychology has invested heavily in recruiting a team of excellent psychologists. This positions us strongly to be able to help people with a range of different types of difficulties. Through building a strong and diverse team, we are able to pair our clients with professionals who are most likely to have the expertise required to make a difference. We have also taken the opportunity to invest in new tech services that expand and improve our general accessibility. Thanks to Telehealth, our clients can now schedule and attend appointments remotely instead of feeling under pressure to travel to our Melbourne clinic. This can be an excellent way of overcoming a variety of barriers that otherwise prevent people from coming
Tuning into Kids & Teens
Laburnum Psychology are excited to be facilitating two 6 week parenting programs in 2023. We will be running Tuning into Kids ® and Tuning into Teens ®. These highly renowned evidence based programs focus on the emotional connection between parents and their children, from pre-schoolers to teens. The programs are proven to be highly successful at bringing improvements in parenting, parent-child relationships and children’s emotional competency and behaviour. These groups are designed to assist parents to become more aware and more able in managing their own emotions. The program also assists in developing skills in how to respond to children using an emotion coaching parenting style. Our facilitators are experienced psychologists and parents themselves. They have witnessed personally and professionally how these skills enhance a child’s wellbeing, mental health and ability to regulate challenging emotions. This in turn leads to better family communication, closeness and enhanced relationships. Most parents are on the same page when it comes to the question of what they truly want for their children and their family as a whole. We all want our children to become functional and adaptive individuals who can contribute positively within society. Sometimes the pathway to this feels challenging and overwhelming, and despite our best efforts we may not feel confident that we are managing. Negative or destructive behavior or poor mental health in our children can be immensely challenging for parents, especially if we feel lost or uncertain of what more we can do. We want to support parents who find themselves in this position, and to understand that they are not alone in their experiences. Our parenting programs aim to provide strategies to help manage the most difficult times with your children. We believe this will support you in moving toward your overall goals, rather than simply reacting in the difficult moments and surviving day to day. We are running these groups to help parents take charge of their family dynamics and find ways to create happier and more resilient kids, and more peaceful and cooperative relationships.