Comprehensive DBT vs DBT-INFORMED TREATMENT
During our initial intake with clients that are seeking DBT, we often hear, “I already tried DBT, and it did not work, how will this be any different?” There is a difference between delivering only some of the components of DBT (DBT-Informed Treatment) and delivering DBT to fidelity as it was designed by Dr. Linehan and her colleagues (Comprehensive DBT).
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
September 10, 2022 is World Suicide Prevention Day. There are an average of 123 suicides each day in the USA. Further, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Burden of Disease study estimate that almost 800,000 people die from suicide every year. That’s one person every 40 seconds.
What is ASD?
April is Autism awareness month. Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a disorder that impacts the nervous system and is usually characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication.
Self-Injury Awareness Month
As March ends, it is important to highlight the topic of self-injury given that this month is dedicated to increasing awareness around this commonly misunderstood behavior.
Black mental health matters
Mental Health Awareness is important year-round, and given that it is Black History Month, I wanted to honor this unique month by using our blog to discuss and learn more about the disparities and challenges facing Black communities when it comes to accessing services related to mental health needs.
New Year New You?
How about we remove some of the pressure and set new goals, milestones, resolutions, words for when we’re ready and willing as opposed to when the calendar changes?
Reality vs Expectations
Welcome to the holiday season! Whatever your background, religion, ethnicity or culture – I am guessing the end of the year is loaded with lots of expectations.
Building Mastery
With Emotion Regulation skills class starting this month, I am reflecting on the ways in which I use my skills of accumulating positives and building mastery both presently and in the past.
Being A Friend
Some people have dreams of being a doctor, a constructor worker, or a teacher. While some of those were true for me, I ultimately felt called to become a therapist after learning the statistic that 21 soldiers die by suicide every day in my undergraduate entry level psychology class.
Breaking The Stigma of Suicide
September 10th, 2021 is World Suicide Prevention Day. Sadly, suicide is already a leading cause of death in the US. This is of grave concern, prompting the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to publish a recent article entitled “The dual pandemic of suicide and COVID-19”
Self-Compassion: Building Resilience in Children with ADHD
Does your child often criticize themselves? Do they jump to say negative things about themselves after making small mistakes? It’s incredibly upsetting for any parent to hear their child say “I’m stupid. I’m lazy. I can’t do anything right.” Even when you rush to convince your child that these self-critical statements are false, your words may not be heard.
Returning to School: A Parent’s Sweet Dream Turned Nightmare
Once upon a time, in a land not too, too far away, their lived parents with children eagerly awaiting a slight drop in temperature, a turning of the leave, signifying the fading of summer and ushering in the fall. This was a time of joy and festivity in all the land.
Five Brain Break Strategies to Help Children Focus as the School Year Ramps Up
Whether it’s virtually or in person, the school year is underway! Brain breaks are a key, research-backed method to keep children attentive, productive, motivated, and stress-free. Brain breaks are short, scheduled breaks that help brains shift focus before fatigue, distraction, or frustration set in.
Holding Space in Times of Unrest
Many have been at a loss in the last couple of weeks as to how to “show up,” move forward, or even just unfreeze during these times of unrest. The recent incidents of violence against black individuals have brought issues of systemic racism to the forefront amid a public health crisis.
The “New Normal”
As stay at home orders are lifted, many people are asking themselves what the “new normal” will be like, whether there was ever truly a “normal,” or whether establishing their own sense of “normalcy” will be possible.
Couples Who Quarantine Together…
There is an assumption in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) that, based on current circumstances, patients are doing the best they can. Never has this been more true than right now as we’re all doing the best we can to cope during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Therapist’s Perspective on Telehealth
Therapy is such a sacred experience filled with rituals for many of us. We so often are greeted warmly by our therapist in the waiting room and quickly escorted to their office. While an office is perhaps a room, just like any other, it has a special meaning that is built over time.
Learn Something New Every Day
There is that old adage, You learn something new everyday. Sometimes, this is said in jest, though I earnestly believe that we can take this to a new level of meaning. Right now, we have an opportunity to rethink how we use our time, and our minds, for the greater good.
Loss and Grief
Many of us are no stranger to grief and the many forms that it takes. Loss, similarly, is a term that is applied to many different contexts. While traditionally the idea of grief and loss refers to the death of a loved one, the concept can extend far beyond this.
Tame (or Tickle) Your Temper
Are your emotional breaks failing during the stay-at-home order? Perhaps you find you are running on a shorter fuse, are lashing out more often, or just cannot seem to find the patience you usually reserve for friends, family, or even your pets.