DBT for Adults

Our adult DBT program is for individuals 18 years and older. We offer all components of comprehensive DBT. It typically takes between 6-12 months to complete the full program (a “cycle” of DBT takes six months to complete, although clients often opt for a second cycle to further solidify their skills knowledge). We are aware that not everyone needs to or can commit to comprehensive DBT. Some people may benefit from the skills group alone or just individual therapy. After your initial evaluation, we will recommend which kind of treatment will best suit your needs and goals.  

During our Adult DBT program, clients will learn Mindfulness skills to help them increase their ability to control their attention, enhance focus, feel more connected to reality, and reduce emotional and psychological suffering. Clients will also learn Distress Tolerance skills to better be able to tolerate intense emotions and/or “crises” to avoid acting on maladaptive or ineffective, self-destructive urges. Interpersonal Effectiveness skills will allow clients to practice asking for what they want more effectively, and to learn how to say “no” without alienating themselves or others. And finally, Emotion Regulation skills teach clients to turn negative emotions in to positive or neutral ones, reduce the occurrence of intense emotional crises and build lives worth living.

Our comprehensive Adult DBT program includes: 

• Individual DBT therapy (one or more times per week)
• Weekly DBT Skills Training group 
• Brief between-session coaching with your therapist
• Therapist Consultation Team for the therapist
• Family meetings as needed (or other significant others)
• Support or interventions for people in the client’s environment as needed

Adult DBT Intensive Outpatient Program: L.I.V.E.

Learn. Implement. Venture. Excel.

Welcome to the L.I.V.E. Program at Behavioral Psych Studio!  The L.I.V.E. Program is a DBT Intensive Outpatient Program open to adults 18+ who are residents of NY or CA.  The program takes 8 weeks to complete and meets 3x weekly for 2 hours per day, Tuesday through Thursday.  Additionally, clients meet with their individual therapist 2x weekly on a schedule that works for them.  While groups are currently held virtually, individual therapy can be either virtual or in person.

Clients who attend the L.I.V.E. Program will experience a more “intimate” DBT experience and receive support from a variety of clinicians over a more condensed period of time.  DBT Skills Groups are held in the first hour, with other specialty groups to support their work in treatment during the second hour of each day’s program.  

As with standard DBT described above, clients will learn skills from all four DBT Skills Training Modules:  Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Interpersonal Effectiveness, and Emotion Regulation, all as part of the work to build their “Life Worth Living.”  Clients will similarly have access to between-session skills coaching with their individual therapist to further generalize the skills learned in group.  

The admission to the L.I.V.E. Program is on a rolling basis, and new clients can join the program every Tuesday, after having completed the intake prior to that start date.  

The L.I.V.E. Program was designed to meet the needs of clients who: 

• Have been doing standard outpatient treatment (DBT or otherwise) and do not feel it is enough support
• Are being discharged from a higher level of care (inpatient, residential, or partial hospitalization) and would like more support as they transition back to the community
• Would like a condensed experience to “jumpstart” their outpatient treatment

The L.I.V.E. Program includes: 

• 3x Weekly DBT Skills Training group
• 2x Weekly Individual DBT therapy sessions
• Brief between-session skills coaching with your therapist
• 1x Weekly Rotating Specialty Topic Groups on each treatment day, such as CBT/Psychoeducation, Mindful Movement & Art, Cope Ahead for the Weekend
• Family & Friends Support Group
• Family meetings as needed (or other significant others)
• Support or interventions for people in the client’s environment as needed 

Prior to admission to the L.I.V.E. Program, we will do a brief (15 minute) phone screening to determine if the L.I.V.E. Program will meet your needs.

For more information or to be screened, please contact the Client Services Coordinator at: 917.497.2760 or info@behavioralpsychstudio.com