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. 

  • PLEASE NOTE: We no longer offer Zoom-based classes for teens 
  • ALL TEEN CLASSES ARE FULL UNTIL AUGUST

For Teens (ages 13-18) and Families: 

  • Mondays CLOSED (Orinda) from 6:15 to 7:45 pm: Karen Erickson, MFT & Catherine Callaway, MA (start date:5/8/23 )
  • Tuesdays CLOSED (Orinda) from 6:15-7:45 pm: Stephanie Haft, MA & Esther Howe, MA (start date: 4/18/23)
  • Tuesdays CLOSED: (Oakland) from 5:00-6:30 pm: Hilary Ferris White, LCSW (start date: 5/2/23)
  • Wednesdays CLOSED (Orinda) from 6:15-7:45 pm: Erika Swanson, PhD & Sinclaire O’Grady, MA (start date: 5/17/23)

For Younger Teens (ages 11-13) and Families: 

  • Wednesdays CLOSED (Oakland) from 5:00-6:30 pm: Hilary Ferris White, LCSW (start date: 4/26/23)

In-person skills classes are currently available for COVID19 vaccinated participants, with proof of vaccination record. As of March 30th, we will no longer require masks in class. This is subject to change at any time. 

Parent-only Skills Classes

  • Thursdays (Zoom) from 5:30-7:00 pm with Karen Erickson, LMFT (start date: 5/4/23)

Updated 3/29/23