ONLINE GROUP
TUESDAYS 1:00PM to 2:30PM WITH DR. ANDREA MEDARIS & JENNIFER HALL TAYLOR, LMFT-C
The Relationship Toolbox: DBT for Couples is a specialized DBT group that is geared towards romantic partners taking the course together in order to improve communication, reduce relational distress, and improve each partner’s ability to tolerate and regulate emotion. It is similar in content to a traditional DBT skills group, but contains additional relational skills and ways to apply skills in relationship.
DBT groups are a structured skills training program that progresses through four content modules. The first is a core mindfulness module, which is brief and returned to between each of the other modules. The focus of this module is increasing nonjudgmental awareness of the present moment. The other modules are emotion regulation (i.e., promoting emotional awareness and developing effective ways to manage difficult emotions), interpersonal effectiveness (i.e., building and maintaining satisfying relationships), and distress tolerance (i.e., strategies to deal with crisis situations and the intense emotions that accompany them). It takes about 7 months to complete all four modules.
Who is this group for?: Our skills group is intended for clients currently meeting regularly with a couple therapist who could benefit from supplemental emotion regulation and interpersonal skills training. Clients may each have an individual therapist instead of or in addition to couple therapy. Neither the couple nor the individual therapist has to be a DBT therapist.
When: This group will meet Tuesday afternoons from 1:00PM to 2:30PM.
Where: Virtual meetings via our HIPAA compliant Zoom platform.
Fees: $75 per session. Sliding scale fee appointments are available for individuals with a demonstrated need.
Insurance: In-network insurance is accepted for Harvard Pilgrim/P32, United Healthcare, Anthem BC/BS, US Family Healthplans and Maine Health AETNA and Community Health Options. We provide out of network forms for partial reimbursement.
Pre-group meeting: You will attend a 50-minute-long virtual or in-person intake meeting with Dr. Andrea Medaris, the group facilitator. Current clients of PSM will only need to meet for a 30-minute-long meeting.
FAQ
Do both partners in a relationship need to join the group?
The Relationship Toolbox is designed to be a learning experience for partners to undergo together, and as such both partners must join the group at the same time and remain in the group together. One partner may miss a maximum of 2 subsequent sessions before both partners will be asked to depart the group and return at the beginning of the next module, so that both are acquiring and practicing the skills together.
What is the format of the group?
The group meets weekly for 1.5 hours over the course of about seven months. The first part of the group is spent reviewing homework and giving and receiving feedback. The second part of the group is devoted to learning new skills through didactic learning and discussion. New group members can start at the beginning of any module. The group requires active participation from all members, including completing weekly homework.
Should I join the couple group or an individual DBT skills group?
The couple version of the curriculum is specifically geared toward couples who experience relational distress or find it hard to regulate emotion together. It contains additional content about relational skills and incorporates concepts from Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy. The couple curriculum goes slightly less in-depth with mindfulness and distress tolerance skills, so individuals who experience a lot of suicidal ideation and/or self-harm may benefit more from an individual skills group.