Welcome to Our Transformative DBT Program

At Motivate Wellness Behavioral & Relationship Health Services, we believe in the power of transformation. Led by Ledora, a dedicated Licensed Professional Counselor and Relationship Coach, our DBT program is tailored to empower individuals and couples navigating the complexities of emotional regulation and interpersonal relationships. Discover a path to a more balanced, fulfilling life. Our individual counseling services are designed to help you overcome personal challenges and achieve your goals. Our licensed counselors provide a supportive and non-judgmental environment where you can explore your thoughts and feelings, gain insights into your behavior, and develop strategies for positive change.

At our center, we offer a comprehensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) program designed to provide a balanced approach to handling intense emotions, impulsivity, and interpersonal conflicts. Our services encompass all the core components of adherent DBT, including skills groups, individual therapy, phone coaching, and a consultation team to ensure the highest quality of care.

DBT is an evidence-based treatment that equips clients with the tools to manage crisis situations, improve focus and concentration, and enhance interpersonal relationships. It is particularly beneficial for those with borderline personality disorder, self-harm tendencies, or suicidal behavior, but it is also effective for treating depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), eating disorders, and substance use disorder.

• Evidence-Based: Our approach is grounded in extensive research, demonstrating DBT's effectiveness in treating a wide range of disorders.
• Skill-Focused: Our program focuses on developing four key skill sets: mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and emotion regulation. Clients learn to be present, tolerate challenging situations without escalating them, build healthy relationships, and manage emotions more effectively.
• Active and Engaged: DBT therapists take an active role as coaches and teachers, while clients are encouraged to actively participate in their own recovery by practicing skills both in and out of sessions.
• Balanced Approach: DBT emphasizes a balance between acceptance and change. We help clients accept their current state while guiding them toward meaningful and positive changes.

•  Skills Groups: Led by experienced DBT therapists, these weekly sessions focus on teaching core DBT skills, providing clients with the tools they need to manage their emotions and relationships.
• Individual Therapy: In one-on-one sessions, DBT therapists work with clients to create personalized treatment plans and provide support for achieving a "Life Worth Living."
• Coaching Calls: Clients can contact their DBT therapist between sessions for guidance on applying DBT skills to real-life situations.
• Consultation Team: Our DBT therapists meet regularly to discuss cases and ensure that each client receives the best possible care and treatment.

We offer various DBT services, including DBT Skills Group + Individual Therapy, DBT Skills Group only, and individual therapy with one of our DBT therapists or your current therapist.

If you're dealing with strong emotions, impulsive behaviors, or challenging interpersonal relationships, our DBT program may be the right choice for you. We specialize in treating conditions like borderline personality disorder, self-harm, suicidal behavior, PTSD, depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders (such as binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa), and substance use disorder.

For more information on our DBT program and to find out how it can benefit you, contact us today to schedule a consultation. Let us help you move toward a more balanced, fulfilling life.

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a form of talk therapy that combines principles of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with mindfulness skills. Originally developed by Marsha Linehan, PhD, and her team to treat suicidality in patients with borderline personality disorder, DBT is now used to treat a wide variety of mental health conditions.

The term “dialectical” refers to the concept that two seemingly opposed forces or feelings can both be true simultaneously. In DBT, two of the most commonly discussed forces are acceptance and change. Acceptance means understanding your current reality without necessarily liking or agreeing with it, which paves the way for recognizing what needs to change. This acceptance is also crucial in the client-therapist relationship, allowing clients to feel nonjudgmentally accepted, thereby fostering a willingness to pursue change.

DBT therapists usually ask for a commitment of six months to a year, though treatment can take longer. During this time, clients learn to embrace “both-and” thinking instead of “either-or.” This approach allows for accepting life nonjudgmentally while also working toward committed change. DBT treatment includes four components: individual therapy, group skills training, phone coaching, and therapist consultation.

1. Individual Therapy: Weekly one-on-one sessions with a therapist.
2. Group Skills Training: Weekly group sessions focusing on skills training, lasting two to three hours.
3. Phone Coaching: Crisis support provided by therapists over the phone.
4. Therapist Consultation: Weekly meetings among DBT therapists to support one another and consult on cases.

DBT helps clients acquire skills in four key areas:

1. Mindfulness: Focusing on the present moment and observing thoughts and feelings without judgment.
2. Distress Tolerance: Developing strategies to endure and soothe distressing situations without resorting to self-destructive behaviors.
3. Emotion Regulation: Identifying, understanding, experiencing, and managing emotions without impulsive reactions.
4. Interpersonal Effectiveness: Communicating needs, relating to others, and setting healthy boundaries.

1. Stage One: Stabilizing clients and stopping self-harming behaviors.
2. Stage Two: Addressing mental and emotional suffering and exploring past trauma with healthy coping skills.
3. Stage Three: Setting and working toward personal goals, building self-trust.
4. Stage Four: Finding a greater meaning or purpose in life, possibly through spiritual or religious practices.

What is a Skills Group?

A Skills Group is a structured class where you learn Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills alongside other participants. It's not a support group; instead, it provides a focused environment where you can acquire and practice DBT skills, enabling you to concentrate on applying them in real-life situations during individual therapy.

How often do Skills Groups meet?

Skills Groups meet once a week for two hours and follow a 24-week cycle. Clients are encouraged to complete the cycle three times, with each cycle serving a unique purpose:

• First Cycle: Focuses on learning and acquiring DBT skills.
• Second Cycle: Emphasizes skill implementation.
• Third Cycle: Concentrates on applying these skills in a variety of real-life contexts.

Can I Join a Skills Group Only?

If you're already seeing an individual therapist and they recommend a Skills Group to complement your therapy, you can join after completing an intake assessment to ensure this is the right treatment for you. Additionally, you'll need to complete four individual orientation sessions to prepare for the group setting. We also require a release of information to allow collaboration with your current therapist.

It's important to note that Skills Group-only therapy is suitable for a small subset of people who require minimal therapeutic support. For most, it is vital to engage in individual therapy alongside Skills Groups for comprehensive care. Our intake assessment will help determine if Skills Group-only therapy is appropriate for you. If it's not, we can help you find an individual therapist at our center or elsewhere to ensure you receive the necessary level of care. If you are eligible for Skills Group-only therapy, you will still need to complete four individual orientation sessions before joining a group.

DBT vs. CBT: DBT focuses on accepting difficult feelings rather than challenging unhelpful thoughts, making it particularly beneficial for those with extreme or self-destructive behaviors.

DBT vs. ACT: While both therapies emphasize acceptance and change, ACT is less structured and typically involves individual therapy without the additional group sessions and therapist consultations that DBT includes.

DBT vs. RO-DBT: DBT is effective for individuals struggling to control their emotions, while RO-DBT is designed for those whose self-destructive behaviors stem from overcontrol and rigidity.

DBT has proven effective for treating borderline personality disorder and suicidal ideation. There is also evidence supporting its use for eating disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, and substance use disorders, particularly in individuals with borderline personality disorder.

DBT requires a significant investment of time and resources, typically involving three to four hours a week of therapy sessions, plus homework assignments. This commitment can be a barrier for some individuals.

If you struggle with borderline personality disorder or other self-destructive behaviors, dialectical behavior therapy may be able to help you heal. At Motivate Wellness, our experienced therapists are here to guide you through this transformative journey. Contact us today to learn more and schedule a consultation.