To start a DBT group, there are a few things
that you will need.
Depending on how your group is run, you will
need between one and a half to two and a half
hours of time.
You will need a leader and a co-leader.
You will 15 to 30 minutes to orient new members
if they are joining group in the middle of
a module.
You will need consent and referral forms from
each member’s individual therapist or the
clinician who is their primary contact.
You will need the referring provider’s contact
information.
And you will need to pick a schedule.
The tools that you’ll need are the DBT Skills
Leaders Manual, 2nd Edition and the DBT Skills
Training Handouts and Worksheets, the 2nd Edition.
These are the spiral bound handouts that you
can also find online at no charge and can
print out to distribute to group members.
You will need fidgets and those are things
that group members can play with such as clay
or small balls, ice packs, a white board,
copies of handouts for all group members,
something to serve as a mindfulness bell and
materials and videos for specific activities.
The only absolute exclusion criterion for
group members to be admitted is that group
members must be able to control their hostility
toward others in group.
The rules of group are as follows.
The only way to be out of skills trainings
is to miss four in a row or to come to the
end of the contracted agreement.
So it is not possible according to DBT to
be out of skills group unless four in a row
are missed.
In order for a member to come back into skills
group is dependent upon the group leader,
the rules of the facility and the group schedule
that you’re running.
Rule number two, group members support each other.
Number three, group members contact the leaders
if they will be late or absent.
Number four, group members don’t tempt each
other and this involves discussions about
self-harm, impulsive activities, drug use,
alcohol use, discussions that might be, as
it’s referred to, triggering.
Number five, group members do not form confidential
or sexual relationships.
If someone is involved in a sexual relationship
with another group member, then one of the
two group members should be referred to another
group.
Rule number 6, group members with severe disorders
or who are suicidal are also in individual
therapy.
They have a primary contact.
And finally, number seven, group members must
act sober.
This is a change from a previous rule that
group members must not use alcohol or drugs
prior to coming to group and it was changed
to group members must act or must behave in
a sober fashion.
Key points for module 2 video 1.
DBT skills group has a leader and a co-leader.
The group lasts between an hour and a half
to two and a half hours.
Members are not allowed who cannot control
open hostility toward others.
There are seven DBT group rules including:
Missing four sessions in a row means the member
is out of group.
Group members support each other, contact
the leader if they are late or absent, do not
tempt one another and do not form confidential
or sexual relationships with one another.
Group members must have an individual therapist
if they are suicidal or have severe disorders
and group members come to group and act sober.