House on Fire Podcast
BPS has launched a new DBT-based podcast called House on Fire. Hear our clinicians break down how to use and implement DBT skills in real-world scenarios. It’s a little bit educational, a little bit cheeky and a lot of fun. Check it out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Buzzsprout from the image links below.
Psychology Insights from Behavioral Psych Center
Understanding Suicidality & DBT’s Approach
Suicidality is a prevalent and complex problem in society today. As September is Suicide Awareness Month, it seems timely to revisit DBT’s approach to this global issue. In DBT, we try to understand what emotions are driving a client to suicide while also motivating...
How to Live in Accordance With What Matters: A Crash Course on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
What the heck is ACT? If you find yourself thinking, “another type of behavioral therapy? Another acronym?!” I would get it. It’s true, as a therapist, I geek out on this stuff. But I wouldn’t write a blog post about it if I didn’t think it was really worth your...
3 Skills for Responding to Invalidating Environments
Invalidation is one of the most corrosive factors in any given relationship. After all, chronic invalidation resides at the heart of DBT’s Biosocial Theory, which expounds upon why one may struggle to control one’s own emotions and actions. Invalidation, at its core,...
How to Talk about Consent With Your Children
Sex. It’s a topic parents often cringe at when thinking about how to broach the subject. And while teaching children about the birds and the bees is an important step toward sexual health and safety, allow me to make another suggestion: talk to your kids about consent...
Pop Quiz: What is the difference between pain and suffering?
There are certain circumstances in life which we cannot fix, we cannot problem solve, and we cannot change. To name a few: how others react, our past experiences, our genetic disposition, death, natural disasters, etc. One might ask: are we just meant to suffer? Make...
10 Tips to Support Your TGNB (Transgender/Nonbinary) Loved One
Considering the recent increase in anti-trans legislation across the U.S., I wanted to write this post to show our direct support of transgender, nonbinary and gender-diverse people, who make up a large portion of our clients at BPS. The impact of these bills can be...
There REALLY is No Place Like Home for the Holidays
Perry Como wasn’t wrong when he sang those iconic Stillman lyrics. “There’s no place like home for the holidays.” Really. And whether it’s your biological family, your chosen family or your new partner, home (for the holidays) carries a weighty pressure that perfectly...
What the Heck is the Biosocial Theory?
What the Heck is the Biosocial Theory? We’re talking about the biosocial theory today, and as with the concept of dialectics, the biosocial theory is a fundamental underpinning of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Therefore, whether you’re considering DBT for...
Mindfulness of Others: Through a DBT Lens
Mindfulness of Others: Through a DBT Lens By Nikita Patel, Psy.D. “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” The moral of this infamous metaphor we’re told as children is to be curious to those around us rather than assuming we know everything about everyone. Sounds pretty...
What The Heck is a Dialectic?
What the Heck is a Dialectic? By Avery Carmichael, BPS Social Work Intern Undergirding all that is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is the eponymous concept of dialectics. I will start by saying, in full transparency, that the term ‘dialectic’ is an...
Understanding Executive Functioning
By: Dr. Nikita Patel, Psy.D. Do you find yourself putting off errands or tasks unless there is an immediate deadline? Is it difficult for you to organize your thoughts and clearly explain them to someone else? Time management and organization are examples of executive...
Enhancing the Parent-Child Relationships with PRIDE
By: Dr. Emily Nichols, Psy.D. Have you ever found yourself giving your child the same direction multiple times to no avail? Do you find yourself getting into power struggles with your teen more often than you would like? It’s no secret that these negative interactions...
Back To Your Future
By: Michelle Bottone, LMFT The pandemic has been a lengthy period of uncertainty which can cause increased stressors in many areas of our lives. Given the CDC guidelines and in order to interact with others, most of us have been relegated to socializing via technology...
Managing Family Dynamics by Walking the Middle Path
By: Michelle Bottone, LMFT It has been nearly a year since many of us have been working remotely along with our children who must also learn remotely in the same environment. It was difficult to navigate both work and family obligations pre-COVID 19. Given the current...
Beginning Evidenced-Based Therapy: What is it? & What can you expect?
By Laura Miller, LMSW Most of us will face challenging and stressful situations at some point in our lives and find ourselves needing more support. This is a normal part of human experience; out of necessity, humans evolved into social beings, as dependence and...
The Myth of Motivation & How to Stay Productive
By: Laura Miller, LMSW “Ugh, but I’m just not in the mood to do that right now!” Sound familiar? Perhaps you’ve heard something like it from a loved one or caught yourself thinking similarly prior to starting a difficult or unpleasant task. It’s natural and common...
Ch-Ch-Changes: Embracing Change through Dialectical Thinking
By Michelle Bottone, LMFT In the David Bowie song, Changes, the lyrics ring out, “Turn and face the strange”. These lyrics echo a truth about the world of which people have become acutely aware in the last year: change inevitably occurs throughout our lives. Change is...
Neuropsychological Evaluations: What Are They? & When Should You Consider Them?
By: Laura Miller, LMSW Over the last year learning environments have drastically changed due to COVID-19. Many students have transitioned to remote and hybrid learning models and faced virtual learning challenges. For example, students must maintain focus despite home...