Adolescent DBT Program

Our Adolescent DBT program is a comprehensive treatment for youths aged 14 to 18. Adolescents who benefit from our program often struggle with intense emotions, impulsive behaviors, self-harm/suicidal behaviour, or problems in relationships. Adolescent DBT can also be helpful for an even wider range of problems, including but not limited to substance abuse, mood disorders such as depression, anxiety disorders, and eating disorders. 

Our program is self-referred. We do not require a doctor’s referral. Any parent/caregiver who thinks that their adolescent may benefit from DBT is welcome to call us. Adolescents can also call by themselves if they want to participate in our program. 

When you first call us, we will schedule a brief phone intake to understand the adolescent’s needs for treatment and to discuss whether DBT is the right program. The intake call works best if a parent/caregiver and the youth both participate. However, if this is not possible, we can speak with a parent/caregiver or the youth only. If DBT may be a good fit for the adolescent, we will arrange for an initial session with a therapist (pending availability). Adolescent DBT works best when parents/caregivers are involved in the treatment.


Adolescent DBT is an intensive treatment. The following components are included in our program:

1. Individual Therapy

Adolescents in our DBT program attend individual therapy sessions. Individual therapy typically works best on a weekly basis, and our program requires a minimum frequency of twice per month. In individual therapy sessions, youths will discuss in detail what is happening in their lives and the therapist will help them work toward their goals. Individual therapy is also where adolescents get help applying the skills they learn in the Adolescent DBT Skills Training Group to their own lives so that the skills can be as effective as possible.

In Adolescent DBT, individual therapy sessions also include family sessions as needed. During family sessions, youths and their parents/caregivers discuss specific issues with the individual therapist and get help applying DBT skills to any problems at hand.

2. Multi-Family Adolescent DBT Skills Group

In our Multi-Family Adolescent DBT Skills Group, youths learn skills to reduce their suffering, solve problems, and ultimately to build the lives they want to have. Adolescent DBT works best when a parent/caregiver learns the DBT skills alongside their adolescent. Therefore, the skills group is conducted in a multi-family format in which each adolescent is accompanied by one parent/caregiver (pending availability and individual circumstances, more than one parent/caregiver may be invited to participate in the group).

While attending the Multi-Family Adolescent DBT Skills Group, youths must also attend individual therapy at our clinic or elsewhere at least twice per month in order to receive support in applying the skills to their individual circumstances.

Adolescent DBT skills training consists of five sets of skills (we call them modules):

Mindfulness Skills
Mindfulness Skills will help you become more aware of what is going on inside and outside of yourself. They will help you have better control over your mind, thoughts, and emotions.

Distress Tolerance Skills
Distress Tolerance skills will help you get through crisis skillfully without doing things that will make the situation worse. They will help you cope with the most difficult and intense emotions. They will teach you to take care of yourself when things get very challenging, and will help to reduce the suffering that often comes with crisis situations and intense distress.

Emotion Regulation Skills
These skills will help you to understand your emotions better. They will also help you change emotions that aren't working for you, and reduce how often you experience unpleasant emotions.

Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills
Intense emotions can make it difficult to get what you want in relationships. Not getting your needs met in relationships can also cause intense emotions. Interpersonal Effectiveness skills help you to ask for what you want, say no to things you do not want, maintain important relationships, and stand up for yourself.

Walking the Middle Path
These skills help adolescents and their parents/caregivers to navigate common problems and conflicts that arise in families.

Schedule

Multi-Family Adolescent DBT Skills Groups take place weekly. The length of each session is 90 minutes. The entire curriculum of the group is 22 weeks. 

Clients can join a group at the start of any module. We typically have start dates approximately every 6 weeks. 

We currently offer the following group times and start dates:

Group Times: Thursdays, 6:30p.m.-8:00 p.m.

Group Size: To optimize learning and make sure everyone gets the help they need, our groups are limited to a maximum of 12 participants (5-6 youths and 5-6 parents/caregivers). Each group is facilitated by 2 therapists. 

Fees: The cost of our groups is $200 per family per session (1 adolescent and 1 caregiver). There is an additional fee of $100 per session if a second parent/caregiver attends the group.

Format: All of our groups are provided in virtual format via a secure healthcare video platform (Zoom for Telehealth). 

To attend group, each client is required to sign an agreement that they will attend group in a private space and will not record group sessions on their computer.

The following is required to attend group:

  • Access to a computer with a microphone and camera connected to high-speed internet, or a phone to call into the session.

  • Access to a private undisturbed space. We recommend that you use headphones to ensure every group member’s privacy.

  • Access to any distress tolerance items you may require during the group session

3. DBT Phone Skills Coaching

DBT Phone Skills Coaching is meant to help adolescents practice the skills they are learning in DBT during situations in their everyday lives. While adolescents are in our program, they have access to phone skills coaching on an ongoing basis. Adolescents are able to call their individual therapist during and after business hours for help with skills. Calls will be focused on helping youths use their skills. Parents/caregivers participating in the Multi-Family Adolescent DBT Skills Group will also have access to a therapist to call for phone coaching.

DBT Phone Skills Coaching is provided at no additional cost at our clinic.