DBT for Adolescents and Caregivers
We offer a comprehensive Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) program specifically designed for adolescents aged 15 to 18 who are struggling with intense emotions, self-harm, suicidal thoughts or behaviours and difficulty coping with everyday stressors.
This evidence-based program is grounded in the DBT model adapted by Rathus and Miller (2014), which has been shown to significantly reduce both suicidal and non-suicidal self-injury, while improving emotional regulation, interpersonal functioning and overall quality of life for adolescents and their families.
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The program runs for approximately six months and requires the active involvement of at least one parent or caregiver throughout. This collaborative approach recognises the essential role of family in supporting a young person’s recovery and strengthening their use of DBT skills at home.
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For Adolescents the program includes:
Weekly group skills training
Weekly individual therapy
Between-session phone coaching
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For Parents or Caregivers the program includes:
Weekly group skills training (attended together with the adolescent)
Access to phone coaching for skills support
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Our goal is to equip both adolescents and their families with the tools they need to navigate emotional challenges, build stronger relationships, and move toward lives that feel more balanced, connected and meaningful.
Group Skills Training
Adolescents and their caregivers attend weekly Group Skills Training sessions together, delivered in 8-week blocks throughout the program. These sessions are focused solely on building and strengthening practical skills—this is not a process or therapy group.
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Together you will learn and practice core DBT skills in the following areas:
Mindfulness – Developing the ability to stay present and aware without judgment
Distress Tolerance – Learning crisis survival strategies to manage intense emotions and avoid impulsive reactions
Interpersonal Effectiveness – Communicating clearly, setting boundaries and maintaining healthy relationships
Walking the Middle Path – Strengthening family communication, increasing flexibility and finding balance between opposing perspectives
Emotion Regulation – Understanding emotions, reducing emotional vulnerability and learning how to shift intense emotional states
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This structured, skills-based approach empowers both adolescents and their caregivers with tools to navigate everyday challenges, manage emotions more effectively and foster stronger, more supportive relationships at home and beyond.
Individual
Therapy
Each adolescent in the program is matched with a dedicated DBT therapist for weekly one-hour sessions. These sessions provide a confidential space to explore challenges, set meaningful goals and apply the skills learned in group to real-life situations.
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Individual therapy helps personalise the DBT experience, allowing the therapist to tailor support to the adolescent’s unique needs, strengths, and circumstances. The therapist works collaboratively with the adolescent to reduce problem behaviours, build effective coping strategies and move toward a life that feels more stable, connected and fulfilling.
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Phone Coaching
Adolescents have access to phone coaching through their individual therapist, providing them with real-time support to apply DBT skills in challenging moments.
Caregivers have access to phone coaching through their group therapists, ensuring they receive guidance and reinforcement in supporting their adolescent’s progress.
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Rather than offering additional therapy, phone coaching provides timely guidance to help you use the strategies you’re learning in your daily life, when it matters most. It’s a practical tool to support your progress and keep you moving toward your goals.
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