Two Pathways to Change, a Choice
Have you ever noticed how we participate in SO many choices each day? St. Louis DBT values your choices when it comes to change. This is why we are able to offer two pathways for your DBT Journey. What pathway will you take?
which pathway will you choose?
DBT, what is it?
DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy), combines mindfulness and CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy) to create a modality that offers the skills to get through life with the least amount of suffering while also being able to enjoy the current moment and bathe in happiness.
To choose DBT therapy as your therapy model, you are choosing learn about accepting yourself, learning about your reactions to situations, and agreeing to live to your fullest potential.
Sounds great, right?
The Two Paths
St. Louis DBT is able to offer two pathways for clients. Pathway One, I like to call Full Model, can be life changing just like Pathway Two: Group Only. The Pathways are explained below.
Full Model Pathway
Full Model DBT is just as Dr. Marsha Linehan intended it to be. This includes three factors for clients.
Individual therapy: You attend therapy each week, targeting behaviors you would like to increase or decrease, applying skills, and learning to recognize patterns.
Skills Group: This not so scary group is education based, designed to teach you the DBT skills.
Phone Coaching: this between session privilege lets you phone or text your current therapist when you are feeling overwhelmed, you cannot remember skills, or you have urges to act on your target behaviors.
Our Full Model Pathway is great for those looking for real change, who are intensely suffering, and who are willing to commit to plenty of time and energy to become their best self. This commitment includes filling out homework, connecting with your therapist, and being present as much as you can be.
The Group Only Pathway
St. Louis DBT offers a service that is unique to the Missouri Area. We are able to provide DBT informed skills classes to participants who are not being seen by one of our St. Louis DBT therapists, but rather, any therapy provider you see on a regular basis. To enter our skills groups, you must be seen by an individual therapist. Skills group alone is not enough to change behaviors effectively.
Who might need this?
There are plenty of reasons to come to skills groups if you are seeing another therapist. Maybe your therapist has recommended DBT skills for your goals. Maybe you don’t want to start over with another therapist. Or maybe DBT skills just sound valuable to you.
What you’re missing
If you choose the Group Only pathway, we want you to be informed about your choice. By choosing Group Only, and staying with your current therapist, you may not be able to engage in phone coaching. If you feel like you may need to reach out to a therapist in times of intense emotions, this privilege could be very useful.
A DBT therapy session is different than most therapy sessions
DBT therapists have a structured agenda with goals to meet during therapy. The most important, life threatening topics are discussed first.
Diary cards (how we track behaviors and emotions) are reviewed, and we use a tool called a behavior chain to understand our actions. If these things sound like great tools to understand yourself, you may not get to use them in Outside Provider sessions. Each of these tools and privileges are something you can discuss with your provider to see if they would be willing to engage in them. Your care is important, and there is no shame in asking if your provider would be willing to engage in these practices.
Whichever Pathway you choose, St. Louis DBT is grateful to be able to share the skills with you and walk alongside you as you build your life worth living.
If you come to us for Full Model or Group only, we welcome you with open arms. Send us a message to get started.