DBT in the News
A Note from Stevenson’s Counseling Center: DBT in the News
A recent New York Times article, "The Best Tool We Have’ for Self-Harming and Suicidal Teens," has received ample attention, and it is relevant to our work at Stevenson. In the article, DBT is featured as the best tool we have for self-harming and suicidal teens. DBT is an evidence-based treatment that teaches skills for managing intense and overwhelming emotions, and it reduces problem behaviors that increase risk for suicide. While it has been shown to be effective in treating a range of disorders, this article highlights some real and present barriers for many families that include cost, availability, and feasibility. With all of this in mind, DBT plays a key role in the conceptual foundation of Stevenson practices.
Implementing DBT in school-based settings can eliminate many of these barriers for students and families. Schools have a captive audience of students who are available and present to learn. DBT skills can be taught in groups and classes, and they target a wide range of problem behaviors and diagnoses. Research shows that additional benefits of teaching DBT in schools include reducing referrals of students to emergency rooms or higher levels of care, reduced disciplinary issues at school, and even improved academic performance. When DBT skills are taught universally as a social-emotional curriculum, they can reach and help students at earlier stages and equip them with tools that can prevent greater problems down the road.
Stevenson has partnered with Cognitive & Behavioral Consultants for the past 8 years, training both its clinical and non-clinical staff. Here is more information about how Stevenson uses DBT to inform its approach to working with students:
Stevenson is a DBT-informed school. Our clinical staff and faculty have been trained in DBT skills and theory, and the professional development is ongoing. We use this information to help understand each student’s unique struggles while maintaining empathy and a non-judgmental stance. We selected specific skills from a DBT curriculum designed to be taught universally in schools to teach all of our students.
Stevenson uses a multi-layered supportive approach. Our clinical staff and faculty have received ongoing training in DBT over the past 8 years. This started with direct training by Dr. Alec Miller, the Co-Director and Co-Founder of Cognitive Behavior and Consultants, and a leading expert in DBT with adolescents. The basic philosophies of DBT are integrated into Stevenson’s framework by shaping the way we understand and approach our work with emotionally complex students.
We implement DBT skills into our classrooms and advising groups.
Teachers use behavioral principles to maximize student engagement and coach students in the moment to use skills to help them tolerate distress. They refer students to our Counseling Center for additional support and skills coaching when needed.
Advisors teach students DBT skills in their advising groups. Students learn skills from all 5 modules of DBT skills (mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and walking the middle path).
Our clinical staff use a DBT-informed approach to intervening with students in our Counseling Center. Our Counseling Center is staffed with 5 full-time licensed psychologists and a pre-doctoral school psychology intern. They facilitate a weekly DBT skills group for a select group of students.
We share information about DBT with parents. Our clinical staff and partners provide workshops for parents and families that include DBT. We provide summaries of the skills being taught in advising groups to parents in our email communications so they can learn and practice as well.