Intro To CBT & DBT SKILLS GROUP SESSIONS
COPING PATHWAYS
Group Therapy Program for Mood and Anxiety Support
Are you generally feeling low, stuck, or in a rut? Struggling to cope with constant worrying? Lacking social support and feeling alone in dealing with life?
Learn an introduction to CBT and DBT Skills in a safe and nonjudgmental environment with a 6-week group program! Both virtual and in-person formats will be offered. This program will be mostly psycho-educational but will include time for group reflection and discussion. Take-home handouts and worksheets will also be included in the group cost. To foster group connection, participants are asked to commit to all 6 weeks.
UPCOMING DATES
Ongoing
Please connect with us to have your name added to our waiting list for the next Group Therapy session.
In-person groups: Saturdays 2-3:30pm
COST: $450 + HST
What is CBT?
CBT stands for Cognitive-Behaviour therapy which is a present-focused and short-term approach to psychotherapy that can be helpful for a wide variety of mental health issues. It's based on the concept that thoughts, feelings, and actions can all become looped together and impact the other. When overwhelmed by something like depression or anxiety, altering thought patterns (cognitions) and changing behaviour can start an individual on a path to feeling better.
What is DBT?
DBT stands for Dialectical-Behaviour therapy, which originated as a treatment model for Borderline Personality Disorder but has since proven to be helpful for a wide variety of issues, including self-harm and suicidal ideation. Dialectics in DBT refers to the synthesis of opposites, which may occur when an individual struggles between extremes in their ways of thinking or feeling. In a formal DBT program there are four components/modules: Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness. According to Marsha Linehan, the creator of DBT, the ultimate goal of DBT is to build a life worth living.
Both CBT and DBT are psychoeducational approaches which teach individuals practical skills that can extend for years beyond therapy. The Coping Pathways 6-week program will include merely an introduction to these models. Some participants may also benefit from their own individual therapy to explore these concepts in more depth.
6-week Intro to CBT and DBT group therapy SESSIONS
WEEK ONE
Icebreakers and Introduction
WEEK TWO
CBT Introductions: What is CBT and how can it be helpful?
Discovering “Thinking Traps” and unhelpful beliefs/thinking styles, building self-awareness for areas to change.
WEEK THREE
CBT Interventions: Challenging Unhelpful Thinking.
Cognitive Restructuring Exercise: Fact Checking or Challenging Catastrophic Thinking.
WEEK FOUR
DBT Introductions: What is DBT and how can it be helpful?
This session will include an overview of the four modules: Mindfulness, Emotion Regulation, Distress Tolerance, and Interpersonal Effectiveness. The group can chose 1-2 modules they'd like to focus on in the fifth session.
WEEK FIVE
DBT Interventions: Learning Emotional Regulation and Distress Tolerance skills.
WEEK SIX
Maintaining Wellness: Life Balance and Self-Care
Review and Wrap-Up
Group Therapy at NRH
What is Group Therapy?
Group Therapy is a unique psychotherapy experience that allows people experiencing similar mental health or life challenges to come together and receive treatment at the same time. A psycho-educational group’s main focus is for participants to learn new information and that will assist with implementing new coping skills. The facilitator may incorporate various instructional pieces in the form of videos, images, and/or handouts and the group will include various icebreakers and activities, followed by time for sharing and reflection.
Benefits of Group Therapy
Group therapy can offer great benefits beyond individual therapy because it allows you to relate to others and build connections with other individuals who have endured the same difficulties. One way group therapy contrasts from individual therapy is the opportunity to listen more than talk. Another benefit to group therapy is the potential for hearing many different perspectives about the same issue. Group therapy is also a lot more cost-effective than individual sessions so can be a great option for individuals experiencing financial constraints.
Participation
While group members are encouraged to actively participate and share thoughts and feelings during the sessions, some individuals will be more comfortable talking than others and there will never be a requirement to speak if isn’t within someone’s comfort zone. Listening to others can also provide strong benefits.
Respect and Group Relationships
Everyone attending the group must remain respectful towards others at all times. It is important to remember that sometimes other people may have experiences and beliefs that differ from your own, but the group is a space of non-judgment.
Group members are strongly discouraged from meeting up with others and forming friendships or romantic relationships while the group is ongoing. This helps to maintain the group relationships as ones that are therapeutic rather than social. At the conclusion of the group, members are welcome to share their contact information with others if they wish for social purposes.
