Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) for Adolescents and Families

Who benefits from Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)?

DBT is for people who have trouble dealing with intense emotions and the behaviors spurred on by these emotions.  If  a person wants to learn to better manage, blance and/or express their emotions DBT is for them.

DBT group details

Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) skills group teaches one how to more effectively manage intense emotions, addictive behaviors and relationship challenges by teaching skills in these four areas: mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance.

Muti Family Adolescent DBT is a group for adolescents (ages 12 through 18 years) and their families.  Thus one adult caregiver is required to accompany the adolescent client at each group.

The group will begin in October of 2025 and will lasts 6 1/2 months. It will be virtual and held on Tuesday evenings from 6 to 8pm. (More information on this is coming!) This group will meet once a week.

The structure of the group is as follows; in the first half of the group the adults and teenagers will be separated (each with a facilitator) for mindfulness, homework review and discussion,  in the second part of the group, adolescents, adults and both facilitators will meet together to learn a new skill. Both adult caretakers and the adolescent will be learning.

We do have individual DBT therapists here for adolescents to help them integrate the skills into their daily lives. However, if your adolescent wishes to continue with their own, individual therapist that is fine.

To join the group use the email below to sign up for an intake/orientation session. This is a 1 hour,  virtual session (that is charged to your insurance) where you ask all your questions and  learn much more about our program.  Otherwise, feel free to reach out via email with any questions.

Some of the symptoms that people in DBT struggle with (but not limited to) are:

  • Moodiness

  • Impulsive risk taking

  • Chronic interpersonal conflict

  • Anger outbursts

  • Self-injurious behavior

  • Suicide attempts

  • Withdrawal from school, family, and social relationships

How does it work?

DBT consists of two parts.

1. A weekly emotional skills training class (group) for adolescents and a parent or caregiver where we focus on:

  • Mindfulness learning to relax and trust yourself.

  • Emotional regulation becoming more in control of your emotions.

  • Distress tolerance learning to cope with problems without creating more of a crisis.

  • Interpersonal effectiveness creating more rewarding relationships.

2. Weekly individual sessions for the adolescent only. These are available in person or virtually.  Traditionally DBT includes individual DBT therapy along with the group. In Individual DBT the Adolescent gets help applying the skills they learn in group. In addition, they also get in depth assessment about what gets in the way of using skills and how to resolve that. There are also interventions to help with tolerating your emotions, treating trauma, solving problems and more. Most of the clinical studies that show the effectiveness of DBT are based on clients utilizing the whole treatment; DBT group and individual DBT.

Nuts and bolts

  • This is a Virtual group.

  • All gender and sexual orientations, ethnicities, races, cultures and socio-economic classes are welcome into this group.

  • If you need an individual DBT therapist you can see one here, otherwise, you can continue seeing your own individual therapist.

  • One adult caregiver is required to accompany their adolescent each week

  • In the first half of the group, adolescents and adults are seperated.

  • In the secont half of the group adults and adolescents are in the group together.

  • The group is on Tuesday evenings from 6 to 8 pm.

  • Get an intake/orientation for more information. Contact us through email to sign up, see the bottom of page

If you are interested or have questions, please call or email.

Kristen Lund, M.S.W., L.I.C.S.W.

Email: avc@kristenlund.com
Phone: 612-245-4683

    Credentials

    • We are a state certified DBT clinic.

    • Kristen Lund, the owner of AVC, has been providing individual and group DBT for over 25 years.

    • We attend regular DBT consultations.