DBT-Informed Treatment

North Texas DBT Associates is now offering DBT-informed (group-only) services for appropriate clients.

Skills-group-only care is not evidence-based in all cases, so a full intake and assessment comes first to make sure the placement is right. For adults it suits, we offer our DBT skills group, led by expertly trained DBT professionals, to build emotion regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness and interpersonal effectiveness skills, by telehealth across Texas.

We are ethically required to provide evidence-based care. Clients struggling with current life-threatening behaviors like suicide ideation, self-harm, or physical aggression will be referred to the comprehensive DBT program

Comprehensive DBT and DBT-informed care

Comprehensive DBT has four parts that work together: weekly individual DBT therapy, the weekly skills training group, phone coaching between sessions, and a consultation team for the therapists. The DBT-Linehan Board of Certification says that a program missing any of these is not comprehensive DBT [1].

DBT-informed care uses some of those parts but not all of them. In our DBT-informed placement, you attend the skills training group without individual DBT therapy or phone coaching.

What the research says about skills training on its own

• A systematic review of 17 trials found preliminary evidence that DBT skills training alone can help with a range of problems, but said the studies were not strong enough for firm conclusions [2].
• In a pilot trial of 44 adults with anxiety or depression and high emotion dysregulation, 16 weeks of DBT skills training reduced emotion dysregulation and anxiety more than a support group, though not depression [3].
• In a trial of 121 adults with ADHD, a 14-week DBT-based skills group improved ADHD symptoms, executive functioning and quality of life compared with usual care, and the gains held at six months [4].
• In Linehan’s 2015 component trial, all three versions of treatment reduced suicide attempts, but standard DBT had lower dropout and less use of crisis services than individual therapy without the skills group [5].

The strongest evidence, including the trials with people at high risk of suicide, is for Comprehensive DBT [6]. That is why placement depends on your assessment.

Why an intake comes first

The intake is where we work out which level of care fits you. You meet with one of our clinicians for a full intake and assessment. To arrange one, call (817) 214-7200 or contact us.

DBT-informed, group-only care may be considered when your assessment shows you would benefit from DBT skills and do not need the added support of individual DBT therapy and phone coaching. If your assessment points to Comprehensive DBT, we will tell you why and talk through the options with you.

How to start

1. Contact us. Call (817) 214-7200, email info@ntxdbt.com, or use our contact form.
2. Intake and assessment. Meet with one of our clinicians to decide on the right level of care.
3. Start treatment. Begin Comprehensive DBT, or join the skills group if a DBT-informed placement is the right fit.

Find out if DBT is right for you

The way to know which level of care fits is to talk it through with us. Call (817) 214-7200 or send us a message, and we will arrange a full intake and assessment with one of our clinicians.

Frequently asked questions

Is DBT-informed treatment the same as DBT?

No. Comprehensive DBT includes all four parts. DBT-informed treatment uses the skills group without individual DBT therapy or phone coaching.

How is the skills group held?

By telehealth, for adults anywhere in Texas.

What does it cost?

Current fees, including group therapy and intake fees, are on our fees page.

Related reading

• What is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)? and the research behind it
• Why adherence and fidelity matter in Comprehensive DBT treatment
• Comprehensive DBT for suicidal ideation
• Meet our clinicians
• Our fees, including group therapy and intake fees
• All therapy services and areas we serve

The four parts of Comprehensive DBT

• Individual DBT therapy
• DBT skills training group
• DBT phone coaching
• DBT consultation team

Go back to What is DBT?

Take the next step

Call (817) 214-7200 or email info@ntxdbt.com to request an intake.

In crisis? Call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, free and confidential at any hour. If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

Sources

1. DBT-Linehan Board of Certification. Misconceptions and DBT treatment: what’s being left out? https://dbt-lbc.org/2021/02/16/misconceptions-and-dbt-treatment-whats-being-left-out/
2. Valentine, S. E., et al. (2015). The use of dialectical behavior therapy skills training as stand-alone treatment: a systematic review of the treatment outcome literature. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 71(1), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22114
3. Neacsiu, A. D., et al. (2014). Dialectical behavior therapy skills for transdiagnostic emotion dysregulation: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 59, 40-51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2014.05.005
4. Halmøy, A., et al. (2022). Dialectical behavioral therapy-based group treatment versus treatment as usual for adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a multicenter randomized controlled trial. BMC Psychiatry, 22(1), 738. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-04356-6
5. Linehan, M. M., et al. (2015). Dialectical behavior therapy for high suicide risk in individuals with borderline personality disorder: a randomized clinical trial and component analysis. JAMA Psychiatry, 72(5), 475-482. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2014.3039
6. DeCou, C. R., Comtois, K. A., and Landes, S. J. (2019). Dialectical behavior therapy is effective for the treatment of suicidal behavior: a meta-analysis. Behavior Therapy, 50(1), 60-72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2018.03.009