Psychiatric Dialectical Behavior Outpatient Therapy
Providence Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers an effective, evidence-based approach to helping people better manage their behavior and emotions. Blending Eastern and Western methods, DBT teaches important life skills:
- Mindfulness
- Interpersonal effectiveness
- Emotion regulation
- Distress tolerance
People with emotion regulation problems often find it difficult to manage emotions in a healthy way, and at times turn to “negative” coping strategies such as self-harm, suicide attempts, and substance use in an attempt to regulate extreme emotions.
DBT teaches skills to reduce emotional distress and harmful behavior, and to increase healthy coping strategies. The ultimate goal is to work towards “building a life worth living.”
DBT consists of a two hour Skills Training group once per week, and an individual session with one of our DBT therapists once per week.
The specific skills taught are in Emotion Regulation, Distress Tolerance, Mindfulness, and Interpersonal Effectiveness.
DBT is presented in 3 modules of 8 weeks each for a total of 24 weeks of group. Individual sessions begin 2-4 weeks before the group, for a total of 26-28 weeks of individual sessions.
Participants are expected to:
- Track their “target behavior” (what they want to change)
- Log their use of skills daily on a diary card
- Participate actively in treatment by completing homework and practicing skills, as well as being willing to examine problem behavior
- Not see another therapist while in DBT
- At Providence St. Vincent Medical Center (in the Sunset Business Park), we have groups on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursdays from 4-6, and Wednesdays from 12-2.
- At Providence Portland Medical Center (in Building B), we have groups Monday 1 to 3, Tuesdays 2 to 4, Wednesdays 10 to noon, and Thursdays 5:30 to 7:30
- You can pick which time/day works best for you and will stay in that group for the length of treatment.
- You will see one of our DBT therapists on a different day than group.
- You can expect to be on a waitlist for anywhere from 1 week to several months, depending on which group you would prefer to attend and how long our waitlist is.
- If you are in another Providence treatment program, talk to your therapist about making the referral.
- Once you are on the waitlist we will call you when we have an opening, so be sure to remember to check your voicemail.
- If you want to check with us about your position on the waitlist, please call the appropriate location and ask to speak with a DBT therapist.
- If you are not coming from a Providence treatment program and are referring yourself, please call the DBT program that you want to attend and ask to be referred to the DBT program.
Your behavioral health provider may ask you to fill out some forms before your appointment. Click on the link or links below that apply to your appointment and download the forms you have been assigned.
Select from the following sections for forms to complete before your first appointment and forms to read and sign:
Find a Doctor
At Providence, you'll have access to a vast network of dedicated and compassionate providers who offer personalized care by focusing on treatment, prevention and health education.
