Hillside Programs: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

PROGRAMS
Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Hillside is known for continuously implementing the most effective therapies and tools available to help the young people in our care. Thanks to generous grants from the Jesse Parker Williams Foundation, we have been able to train our staff in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and continue with training updates since 2005.

For many years, therapists struggled to find an effective treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). A potential answer emerged in 1993 when Marsha Linehan, PhD and her research team at Behavioral Tech, LLC began to develop a new approach called DBT.

DBT is a unique, specialized form of cognitive behavioral therapy that was originally developed to treat young adult females who were chronically suicidal, self-injuring, and exhibiting symptoms of BPD. It is now effectively used to treat children and adolescents who experience:

Problems with anger

Chaotic relationships

Frequent mood swings

Intense fears of abandonment

Impulsive behavior

Inadequate sense of self

Recurrent suicidal or self-injurious behavior

Family problems or conflicts

Poor boundaries

DBT is based on the assumption that the negative and self-destructive behaviors exhibited by those with BPD are learned patterns for dealing with negative emotions. BPD individuals are highly sensitive to emotional stimuli, respond very intensely to these stimuli, and are slow to return to emotional stability.

The goal in using DBT is to:

Decrease self-injurious behaviors

Decrease behaviors like substance abuse and interpersonal conflicts that interfere with quality of life

Decrease disruptive behaviors that interfere with therapy

Increase skills for coping with conflict and painful emotions

In November 2005, Hillside began using DBT in all programs with girls and boys and their families or caretakers. Families of the children in residential treatment, foster families, and families in the Community Intervention Program can learn skills along with their children. Parents learn the DBT modules and how to coach their youngster on using the skills at home and in the community when they need them the most.

Since 2005, DBT certified trainers have held additional training sessions to review Hillside's work, refine our techniques and understanding, and expand our knowledge.

DBT is a very flexible therapy that is used effectively across our campus for a wide range of diagnoses in addition to BPD.

Hillside is the first child and adolescent treatment facility in Georgia and one of the first in the US to be fully trained in and conduct a comprehensive DBT program.

Animal Assisted DBT Programs

Hillside is proud to announce our new program continuum that is a blend of DBT and Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT). Specially trained licensed therapist work with various animals in the program to reach "hard to treat" or stagnant clients in ways traditional therapies do not.

Programs include:

Weekly AAT DBT Group

Individual Therapy

Family Therapy

DBT Outpatient Skills Training

Hillside DBT Outpatient Skills Training has been developed as a continuum of Hillside’s services for families who do not have a child admitted at Hillside. This is a weekly program conducted in a Multi Family Skills Group format.

*Also Hillside is now offering Animal Assisted DBT Programs.

This program is for:

Youth who have difficulty regulating emotions

Youth and their families willing to learn new skills together with a group of other families

Youth and their families actively engaged with an individual therapist who is familiar with DBT principles and skills

Youth who have regularly participated in individual therapy

Families who have established a relationship with an individual therapist who is willing to work in collaboration with Hillside DBT Outpatient Skills group as an adjunct treatment

To register, or for more information, please contact Admissions at 404-875-4551 ext 1017 or admissions@hside.org.

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gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation and marital or family status.