Dialectical Behaviour Therapy

Counsellors and teachers need to continually develop as people and professionals. On of the ways we do this is to undertake professional development. Inevitably, the professional development that I undertake also helps me on a personal level. 

The first lot of PD that I undertook this year, other than reading, was attending a day workshop in Rotorua. This workshop was sponsored by COMPASS and presented by Dr. Kirsten Davis who is a psychologist working with at-risk rangatahi (young people). The workshop was entitled "Managing Young People at Risk: Effective Assessment and Therapeutic Strategies for Suicidal and Self-Harm Behaviour". I know, heavy topic, right. But Kirsten delivered the topic in an informative, interactive, and humorous way. 

Kirsten began with the very depressing stats for Aotearoa New Zealand's youth suicide. Then she launched into the rest of her presentation about how to assess suicidal and self-harming behaviours that are happening or about to happen and how to help rangatahi manage intense emotional pain. Here in Aotearoa New Zealand I think we're not very good at noticing, naming, and managing emotions usefully. 

The main framework was DBT (Dialectical Behaviour Therapy). Kirsten gave us  a useful map to help clients analyse the chain of events that led to the emotions and subsequent behaviour and how to help clients problem solve what happened and what to do in the future. All very 'how to'. 

Kirsten gave some really useful tips for managing intense emotions e.g. using mindfulness for staying focused in the moment, STOP (Stop, Take a step back, observe, and proceed mindfully), 10 deep breaths or paced breathing and using temperature control by using bowls of ice cold water (not really useful in a school setting) or cold face masks (I keep counselling one in the fridge in the staffroom, labelled with hints of severe repercussions should anyone take it) to help with overwhelming emotional reactions in the moment. This last one I've used for myself and someone visiting my home and hey presto! it really works.

As a result of this workshop I purchased a book called DBT in Schools which is a programme designed with lesson plans, worksheets, and homework activities to  help learners notice, name, and manage emotions effectively.

If you don't know much about DBT click on the link What the heck is DBT?