Young Adult Standard DBT Program
Specifically designed to meet the unique needs and preferences of individuals in the transformative stage of development between ages 18 to 24
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an evidence based therapy that integrates change based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with acceptance-based mindfullness.
Within our Standard DBT Program, the Young Adult track is designed for young adults (18 to 24 years old) and recognizes that an increased need for independence is sometimes accompanied by a lack of skills to effectively make the transition.
We use a non-judgmental and behavioral approach to target those behaviors that are life threatening or negatively impact a person’s quality of life.
We recommend that family members who are willing to participate in their young adult’s treatment do so by taking advantage of our Family & Friends education and support resources.
Teaching skills to transition to adulthood effectively
Other types of appointments may also be indicated, depending on the client and family’s specific needs. These may include:
Quarterly Family and Friends In-service
What's Included:
individual therapy
Weekly sessions with a DBT trained therapist typically follow a structured format, although the specific content and focus may vary depending on the client’s needs and treatment goals. Clients complete a daily diary card, review this with the provider and discuss the current challenges, emotions and behaviors from the week prior.
Throughout the session, the therapist maintains a nonjudgemental stance, validating the client’s experiences and emotions while encouraging change and growth.
group therapy
In group sessions, led by a DBT trained therapist, clients learn specific skills based on four modules: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. These sessions are structured using an academic-style setup, which serves to create a supportive and educational environment and is formatted to facilitate the learning and application of effective coping skills, while offering peer connection.
coaching
Clients have access to their therapist for brief phone coaching between sessions, especially during times when they need support applying skills in real-life situations.
What is DBT?
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) was developed specifically to treat Borderline Personality Disorder, a mental disorder that is diagnosed in people who struggle to regulate their emotions, behaviors, sense of self, relational behaviors and cognitions.
Stage 1 Skills Modules:
01 Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the practice of non-judgmentally focusing and refocusing your mind to the present moment, controlling your attention and bringing awareness back to your present experience.
Through learning and applying mindfulness, it helps us regulate emotions, tolerate distress and improve our relationships.
02 Distress Tolerance
Emotional stress isn’t easy to deal with, especially for those individuals with a history of trauma. Sometimes, the individuals response can unintentionally make a difficult situation worse.
Inability to manage this emotional stress can worsen during a crisis, when people feel helpless and out of control. A person’s ability to manage an emotional incident without becoming overwhelmed is called distress tolerance.
The skill of handling big, difficult emotions can help a person regulate more effectively (and quickly) when presented with emotional stressors.
03 Interpersonal Effectiveness
Interpersonal Effectiveness skills are designed to help you get your needs met in relationships while being respectful to yourself and others. This module teaches you the skills to clearly ask for what you need or say no to unwanted requests.
04 Emotional Regulation
Emotions are important. They help us to better understand our environment and our experience. Emotions occur as a response to a prompting event, which can be a sight, sound, smell, thought or external event. Regulating our emotions means naming and understanding the specific emotion, lessening the frequency of unpleasant emotions, changing unwanted emotions, increasing our resilience to emotions and decreasing emotional suffering.
DBT Trained Therapists
We are currently one of the only private practices in central Ohio that offers Standard DBT treatment that is adherent to the model developed and extensively researched by Marsha Linehan, PhD, and accepts insurance. All of our DBT therapists have been intensively trained by Behavioral Tech Institute or Treatment Implementation Collaborative (TIC). CCG is proud to have the longest running dialectical behavior therapy consultation team in Central Ohio.
Danuta van Beystervelt, LPCC-S
Danuta is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor. She is intensively training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), in levels I and II of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). She works with adults and is able to establish strong and easy rapport with her clients. She has experience with and is comfortable treating people from a variety of lifestyles and cultural backgrounds.
Cheryl Hamilton, LPCC
SPECIALTIES — Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), depression, anxiety, trauma, DBT for friends and family, consultation
Cheryl is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with a diverse background spanning private practice, Community Mental Health, Juvenile Probation, and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP). Over nearly two decades, she has refined her expertise Specializing in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and undergoing extensive training and consultation to provide top-tier treatment. Additionally, she integrates EMDR and Somatic modalities, particularly in treating trauma. Her approach involves teaching individuals how to integrate information effectively through acquiring new skills, engaging in novel experiences, and exploring concepts from fresh perspectives. Her therapeutic style is light, genuine, witty, authentic, validating, direct and non-judgmental.
Amanda Turner, LPC, NCC
SPECIALTIES — Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), trauma, anxiety, depression, PTSD, life stressors, family and relationship tension, gender/sexual identity, and adjustments
Amanda is a Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor. Her passion is working with children, adolescents, and women who have experienced trauma and are trying to find hope, healing, and wholeness. She provides compassion, empathy, and a safe space to cultivate a collaborative therapeutic relationship with her clients. Amanda believes in the person-centered approach, looking at the whole person, and meeting the client where they are in their healing process. She takes a Strengths-Based approach and utilizes skills and techniques from Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Polyvagal Theory.
Nick Gomulinski, LISW-S
SPECIALTIES — Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), depression, life stressors, adverse childhood experiences & trauma, addictions, anxiety
Nick is a Licensed Independent Social Worker with a Supervision designation. Nick began post-graduate work with adolescents and their families in the community, then he moved to treat adult males in a correctional setting and worked separately with individuals in a crisis center. Nick is experienced in working with adolescents, adults and families. Nick is a part of Standard Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) treatment and consultation. He feels the positive connection and constructive feedback between client and therapist is the foundation to successful treatment. To foster this, Nick leans on DBT, Family Systems, and components of Play Therapy.
Natalie Doughty, LPCC-S
SPECIALTIES — Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), depression, anxiety, adjustment issues, parent child and family conflicts, self esteem and self worth difficulties, trauma, PTSD
Natalie is a licensed independent counselor with 28 years experience in the mental health field. Natalie enjoys working with all age groups and populations, and provides a safe environment to facilitate a therapeutic relationship. She believes this relationship is essential and everyone is a person of worth. In her sessions she meets her clients where they are at in their journey and assists them in their healing process. She uses evidence based strategies from Cognitive Behavioral therapy along with polyvagal. She fell in love with Dialectical Behavior therapy in 2009 and has been applying skills in her sessions since then.
DBT Family & Friends Classes
Originally developed for family and friends of individuals in our DBT program, we have enhanced our program to include classes, small group sessions, and personalized coaching. Our expanded curriculum aims to provide additional support for loved ones seeking to deepen their understanding, strengthen connections, and effectively support individuals struggling with BPD or other emotion dysregulation challenges.
Getting Started With Therapy
Whether you’re making a referral or you are ready to become a client yourself, we’ll help you to get started.
Because everyone’s situations and needs are different, we customize the onboarding of each new client. We’ll have you fill out a brief online form and we’ll reach out to get you or your referral client informed and scheduled for the first session.
