PURPOSE
OF GROUP
The DBT Graduate Group is a process support group for clients who have completed Stage I (Core) DBT Skills Group and who want to continue to strengthen and generalize skills in managing distress and problems of daily living, with a special focus on behavior activation and increasing compassion towards themselves and others.
The Graduate Group is not appropriate for crisis patterns/behavior.
WHO COULD BENEFIT?
The Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Graduate Group is geared towards participants who have successfully completed at least two full rounds of a DBT skills group (minimum 6 months each), i.e., mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness, and are committed to maintaining their gains, building upon the skills they’ve learned and mastering advanced DBT skills. We like to call them DBT Master Skills.
INTRODUCTION – CRITERIA AND EXPECTATIONS OF GROUP MEMBERS
Group Size
Groups
will consist of 4-12 adults. This is a closed group and additional
members will not be allowed to join during a 12-week span of each
segment (Part 1 and Part 2).
Group Registration Requirements
- Referral from their therapist with recommendation for readiness.
- Completion of a comprehensive DBT program or equivalent with fundamental knowledge of skills and have achievement of a significant reduction of Stage 1 behaviors.
- Absence of hospitalization or ER services for 3 months
- No active self-harm, aggressive, or suicidal behaviors for 3 months
- Ideally clean and sober, but at a minimum, a commitment to not come to group using substances and to not engage other group members in any using behaviors.
- Not actively suicidal, in active psychosis, or recently in-patient
- A history of positive group behaviors:
- Ability to effectively participate in group despite being triggered by others.
- Ability to balance sharing with listening and validating and able to give and receive effective feedback.
- Must be in therapy seeing their individual therapist at least once per month (DBT therapist optional).
- Full commitment to 12 week program (Parts 1 & 2).
Registration & Referral Process
- Register HERE with your personal information through our client portal.
- OR call us to register and/or to receive more information regarding our groups: (616) 719-0194.
- IN ADDITION, have your current or previous individual therapist complete the referral form HERE. All group members must have a referral to join the group.
- Intake paperwork must be completed prior to attendance. Forms will be made available through our client portal.
- Attend orientation.
GROUP OBJECTIVES
1. To build a life worth living. You’ve learned how to reduce your most problematic target areas. Now what does the new normal look like?
2. To consolidate core DBT skill use. You learned the skills, now you are going to practice and process in your new reality.
3. To introduce DBT Master skills. If you thought you knew something, just wait! We are going to go deeper into what you know. We are going to take the skills deeper because you want more.
GROUP TOPICS
Part 1 – Advanced Mindfulness and Distress Tolerance
Part 2 – Advanced Interpersonal Effectiveness and Emotion Regulation