[Ellie_jo]

I enrolled in a DBT group to deal with worsening depression. My pdoc says she can't see me until next week and t hasn't helped me come up with anything useful so I'm hoping just registering and knowing I'm doing something will help. I'm also hopeful the group will be helpful in ways individual stuff isn't. Has anyone had experience with dbt groups or have any wisdom they'd like to share?

[Clara22]

Hi Ellie Jo,
Unfortunatelly, i don't have such a experience, i look forward to learning from yours. I wish you the best for this experience

Hi Ellie Jo, I just signed up for my first DBT group too. It starts in September at the place I just started going to for therapy. I have heard good things about DBT. I know that there are components of distress tolerance, mindfulness, self soothing, and interpersonal communication skills. I hope that your group goes well. Hang in there.

[Ellie_jo]

Originally Posted by starrysky

Hi Ellie Jo, I just signed up for my first DBT group too. It starts in September at the place I just started going to for therapy. I have heard good things about DBT. I know that there are components of distress tolerance, mindfulness, self soothing, and interpersonal communication skills. I hope that your group goes well. Hang in there.

Thank you, I hope yours goes well too!

[Ellie_jo]

Originally Posted by Clara22

Hi Ellie Jo,
Unfortunatelly, i don't have such a experience, i look forward to learning from yours. I wish you the best for this experience

I'll let you know how it goes

[dexter]

I have had a very positive experience with DBT. I was in a partial hospital program a few months ago that focused on DBT. As starrysky said there are four key components: Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Interpersonal Effectiveness, and the one she missed is Emotion Regulation. The skills in these different areas work together to create short term and long term relief of depression and anxiety symptoms.

Like any branch of therapy different people have varying degrees of success. I will say that practicing the skills outside of the group as they are taught is very important. I found them easy to practice because 1) I was desperate for help so I wanted my best chance to succeed, and 2) some of the skills had quick, effective results which encouraged me to put the time and energy into learning and practicing some of the more difficult skills.

A full DBT program should include private time with a therapist in addition to the group therapy. It also includes counselling outside of the group if needed... The focus there is always--if you call and you are in a troubling situation--they will talk you through applying the skills you have been learning that are appropriate to that situation. A lot of DBT is about facing your problems in a healthy way and working them out instead of hiding from them. The skills they give you help you deal with this situations without being harmed by them or losing control over them. The last part of a full DBT program is that the counselors meet to make sure they aren't being negatively effected by the things discussed in group and they compare notes on different cases to look for best ideas to help individuals.

I agree that getting help can have a calming/positive effect even before that help starts. Just knowing that you are going in to something different and new and knowing that you are doing something healthy and positive for yourself is worth being proud of and worth feeling good about.

Good luck with the program.

[Hopeofreedom]

Im not familiar with DBT?? I have heard of CBT though... I am curious about it . Can you keep us informed on what you learned?? No need to if it's to much😄.

Glad you're taking control of your health!!!!! Go for it!

[Ellie_jo]

Originally Posted by dexter

I have had a very positive experience with DBT. I was in a partial hospital program a few months ago that focused on DBT. As starrysky said there are four key components: Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Interpersonal Effectiveness, and the one she missed is Emotion Regulation. The skills in these different areas work together to create short term and long term relief of depression and anxiety symptoms.

Like any branch of therapy different people have varying degrees of success. I will say that practicing the skills outside of the group as they are taught is very important. I found them easy to practice because 1) I was desperate for help so I wanted my best chance to succeed, and 2) some of the skills had quick, effective results which encouraged me to put the time and energy into learning and practicing some of the more difficult skills.

A full DBT program should include private time with a therapist in addition to the group therapy. It also includes counselling outside of the group if needed... The focus there is always--if you call and you are in a troubling situation--they will talk you through applying the skills you have been learning that are appropriate to that situation. A lot of DBT is about facing your problems in a healthy way and working them out instead of hiding from them. The skills they give you help you deal with this situations without being harmed by them or losing control over them. The last part of a full DBT program is that the counselors meet to make sure they aren't being negatively effected by the things discussed in group and they compare notes on different cases to look for best ideas to help individuals.

I agree that getting help can have a calming/positive effect even before that help starts. Just knowing that you are going in to something different and new and knowing that you are doing something healthy and positive for yourself is worth being proud of and worth feeling good about.

Good luck with the program.

I was told that one of the rules of the program is that I must continue to see my psychiatrist and therapist. Is that what you mean by individual counseling? Or do the counselors running the program typically meet with you? I will try to keep a positive outlook going in to make the most of it. Thank you for sharing and I'm glad it helped! Maybe this is just what I need.

[Ellie_jo]

Originally Posted by Hopeofreedom

Im not familiar with DBT?? I have heard of CBT though... I am curious about it . Can you keep us informed on what you learned?? No need to if it's to much😄.

Glad you're taking control of your health!!!!! Go for it!

I will try!

[dexter]

Originally Posted by Ellie_jo

I was told that one of the rules of the program is that I must continue to see my psychiatrist and therapist. Is that what you mean by individual counseling? Or do the counselors running the program typically meet with you? I will try to keep a positive outlook going in to make the most of it. Thank you for sharing and I'm glad it helped! Maybe this is just what I need.

My understanding is that the private time would be with one of the DBT clinicians in the program. Tha'ts how it was in the program I was in. The program I was in, there were several clinicians, they all rotated in the daily and group therapy programs, but I had one clinician assigned to me and she met with me once a week.

I also met with a program psychiatrist once a week.

During this time I stopped seeing my regular pdoc and T but I resumed with them once I completed my time in the program.

Of course your program might be different. They should make it clear to you before you go in, and when you are nearing the end they should make sure you have appts set up so that you are covered transitioning out of the program.

[dexter]

I should also clarify that the program in was a partial hospital program, I went every weekday from 11am to 4:30pm. The one-on-one time was once a week.

[Crook32]

I am just finishing up a 6 month DBT group. I found that even though some of the concepts were easy and kind of common sense that they do require a lot of practice. It is good to practice the skills even if feeling well because then they will become more like second nature when you are in crisis and really need them. My group did not include individual time with the group T. But you could email her if needed.

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