Our Teen DBT Program

  • Comprehensive DBT includes the following components: 
    • Weekly individual therapy for the teen
    • Parent coaching sessions: Ongoing frequency is determined after 2-3 initial parent sessions
    • Phone coaching 7 days/week for teens and parents
    • Weekly DBT Skills Class for teens and parents
    • Weekly consultation group for all therapists on the DBT team.
  • DBT Skills Class Only 
    • As an alternative to our Comprehensive DBT program, we open class enrollment to teens and parents who are meeting regularly with a mental health provider outside of Clearwater. We ask that this provider actively supports this adjunctive DBT intervention. All families interested in this option need to participate in a pre-enrollment 50-minute intake appointment with a lead skills class instructor. This intake costs $200 and covers materials for class. All classes cost $90/participant per week. For one participant the cost is $540 to attend one 6-week module.  Payment is due at the time of enrollment. We do not contract with insurance companies. We will provide participants with an invoice at the end of each module to submit for an out-of-network reimbursement.

Overview of DBT Skills Classes: 

  • Skills classes for teens and their parents are formatted as a family intervention. The teen and one parent takes the class together as equal participants in the learning environment. The ratio in class is balanced equally between parents and teens. Co-parents can enroll in one of our weekly parent-only skills training classes. Classes meet weekly in a group setting with other families. The curriculum is divided into four 6-week modules. It is strongly encouraged that families complete the entire 24-week curriculum at least once, consistent with clinical research recommendations for optimal results. The four modules are briefly summarized below:
    • Distress Tolerance: Crisis coping skills for high emotional distress
    • Emotion Regulation: Skills to increase emotional resilience, effective problem solving, and exposure techniques
    • Interpersonal Effectiveness: Increasing relationship effectiveness, self-advocacy, and skillful requesting
    • Middle Path: Skills to improve understanding, validation and communication within the family.
      • Core DBT Mindfulness Skills are woven into each module

Our DBT Skills classes fill up very quickly. If you interested in enrollment in an upcoming module, please submit an online inquiry right away. Our enrollment process (i.e., initial inquiry, paperwork completion, intake appointment, enrollment confirmation) can take up to 3 weeks. Please plan accordingly to provide enough time for all steps. 

DBT Skills Class Offerings

Orinda Clinic

  • DBT Skills Classes for parents and teens (13-17 years old)
    • Mondays from 6:15-7:45 pm
    • Tuesdays from 6:15-7:45 pm
    • Wednesdays from 6:15-7:45 pm
      • Next entry point: Interpersonal Effectivess – week of November 27th
  • DBT Skills Class for Parents on Zoom 
    • Thursdays from 5:30-7:00 pm
      • Next entry points:
        • Middle Path – October 12, 2023
        • Interpersonal Effectiveness – November 20, 2023

Oakland-based DBT Skills Classes are offered by our affiliate, Hilary Ferris White, LCSW 

*** For more information and registration, please visit Hilary’s business website: https://www.hilaryferriswhite.com

  • DBT Skills Classes for parents and teens (13-17 years old)
    • Tuesdays from 5:00-6:30 pm
    • Thursdays from 5:00-6:30 pm
      • Next entry point: Emotion Regulation – November 14th and 16th, 2023
  • DBT Skills Classes for parents and younger teens (11-12 years old)
    • Wednesdays from 4:30-6:00 pm
      • Next entry point: Emotion Regulation – November 15th 2023