DBT Skills for Teens
Mindfully’s online DBT® classes for teens in Ohio teach practical skills in emotion regulation, mindfulness, distress tolerance, and healthy relationships. DBT® Skills for teens will help them gain confidence and coping tools.
DBT skills for teens can transform their lives
The teen years are not easy. If your 8th-grade or high-schooler struggles with depression, suicidal thoughts, self-harming behavior, eating disorders, or poor coping mechanisms, DBT® Skills for Teens may be right for them.
During our weekly online DBT® Skills Classes for teens, we teach them to manage their emotions and develop healthier ways to cope with distress. Mindfully is one of Ohio’s leading providers of DBT® therapy, and we’ve been offering DBT® therapy to teens in the region for over 20 years.
Our DBT® Skills for Teens is an online group therapy designed to be used in conjunction with individual teen therapy, helping teens discover a life worth living.
Are you a medical or mental health professional?
Is Mindfully's DBT skills group for teens right for your highschooler?
Mindfully’s DBT® Skills Group for teens is designed for adolescents aged 14-18 who are working with a therapist and have completed at least five therapy sessions at Mindfully or elsewhere.
Mindfully’s DBT® program for teens is especially helpful for kids who struggle with emotional regulation, self-harming behaviors, suicidal thoughts, or unhelpful coping habits.
Mindfully applies a fully-adherent DBT® program for teens, which means that parents also need to participate in the weekly DBT Skills Group for Teens.
Why do parents also need to participate in the Teen DBT Skills Group?
In a fully adherent DBT® program for teens, parent participation is a key part of the treatment process. Teens learn and practice powerful emotion regulation and communication skills, and it’s important that parents understand these skills as well, so they can support their teen at home and reinforce what’s being learned in the group. That’s why we require each parent or guardian to participate in the online DBT® Skills class alongside their teen.
To maintain a manageable and effective focus, one parent attends at a time for a six-month period, allowing for meaningful involvement without overwhelming the family. This process is proven to create lasting change and strengthen the parent-teen relationship.
Details about Mindfully's DBT Skills Group for teens
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📍 Online DBT Skills Class for Teens can be joined from anywhere in Ohio. Mindfully will provide a secure link to our easy-to-use video conferencing platform. Participants just need reliable access to WiFi and a private, quiet space.
💕 Each parent or legal guardian would join their teen in the weekly online session for six months, one at a time. The full program lasts one year.
💵 We accept most major insurance and Medicaid. For individuals without insurance coverage or those who prefer direct payment, the cost is $50 per parent and child per session.
FAQs about Mindfully's DBT Skills Group for Teens
What is DBT® therapy?
Developed by Marsha Linehan , PhD. in the early 1990’s, DBT® (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) has become an evidence-based treatment and the treatment of choice for those who suffer from chronic suicidal behaviors and Borderline Personality Disorder. Over the course of time, DBT has been researched and found to be empirically demonstrated through 9 randomized-control trial (RCT’s) to treat the following conditions:
1. Suicidal and Parasuicidal Behaviors
2. Borderline Personality Disorders
3. Substance Abuse Related Disorders
4. Binge Eating Disorder
5. Bulimia Eating Disorder
How does DBT® therapy differ from traditional therapy for teens?
DBT®, or Dialectical Behavior Therapy®, is a structured, skills-based approach that goes beyond traditional talk therapy, focusing more on behavior and less on feelings. DBT® for teens teaches them concrete skills to help them manage intense emotions, reduce impulsive behaviors, and improve relationships. In a DBT® program for teens, adolescents learn practical tools such as mindfulness, emotion regulation, and effective communication, which they can apply immediately in their daily lives.
What will be taught during Teen DBT® Skills class?
Teen DBT skills class are provided in an online group format and meet once a week, using our HIPAA-compliant teletherapy software. The DBT skills class for teens is conducted in a psycho-educational format. Parents (or legal guardians) and their teens will learn Core Mindfulness Skills, Distress Tolerance Skills, Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills, and Emotional Regulation Skills. The function of skills training is to “enhance the teen’s capabilities to change.”
Why does the teen need to be seeing a therapist in order to be able to join the online DBT® Skills Class for Teens?
At Mindfully, our DBT® Skills classes are part of a fully-adherent DBT® program, which means they’re designed to work hand-in-hand with individual therapy. To get the most out of the DBT Skills group, participants are required to also attend weekly one-on-one therapy. That’s because individual therapy helps you apply the DBT® skills to your own life in real time, giving you the support and guidance needed to make lasting change.
Does the teen therapist need to be a "DBT® therapist" or even a Mindfully therapist?
No, you do not need to see a DBT® therapist. Your teen can be seeing a Mindfully therapist or an external clinician. Regardless of whether your teen’s therapist is a Mindfully counselor or not, we will ask you for a Release of Information (ROI) document.
The ROI form authorizes your teen’s therapist to share specific information with the Teen DBT® Skills group facilitator.
This process helps ensure that your teen’s confidentiality is protected and that information is only shared with your informed consent.
Why does the parent (or legal guardian) also need to participate in the DBT® Skills Class for Teens?
In Mindfully’s comprehensive DBT program for teens, parent involvement plays an essential role in the healing process. As teens develop new skills to manage emotions and communicate more effectively, it’s equally important for parents to learn these tools too. When parents understand what their teen is practicing, they can offer support and encouragement at home, helping those skills stick. That’s why we ask each parent or guardian to attend the DBT skills group with their teen. The groups are online, so participation is more convenient in the event that the parent is not living with the teen.
To maintain balance, one parent participates at a time for six months.
This shared experience fosters stronger connections and brings about lasting change for the entire family.
What is the process to join the Teen DBT® Skills Group?
When you first contact our Intake staff, after collecting your insurance information, they will schedule both you and your teen to meet individually with one of Mindfully’s DBT® therapists. You will each complete a DBT® Assessment. This assessment is typically covered by most insurance and Medicaid plans. The Assessment will also orient you and your teen to the DBT® Skills Groups. You will also be sent paperwork to complete, including a Release of Information form. The Mindfully DBT® Therapist will assign you and your teen to one of the online groups.
The other parent will eventually also need to complete a DBT Assessment. However, this can be done just before they join the group, at the six-month mark.
Why Teen DBT® Skills Group might not be right for your teen?
DBT® group therapy is a great space to build skills in an interactive environment with other people who are in similar situations to your teen. However, Teen DBT® Skills classes are not the right fit for everyone. If your teen is not currently seeing a therapist, this Teen DBT® group therapy program may not be appropriate for them.
We can help! At Mindfully, we also offer expert adolescent therapy. After attending at least five sessions with their therapist, the counselor can refer your teen to join these DBT® Skills Groups.
Help your teen discover a life worth living.
Enroll them in Teen DBT Skills Groups today.
What To Expect from Teen DBT Groups
One parent (or legal guardian) and the teen will be scheduled for separate assessments with two of our DBT® therapists. These assessments typically take 1 hour and are usually covered by insurance, Medicaid, and Medicare.
If your teen is considered a good fit for the program, the parent and teen will be assigned to one of the online DBT® Skills groups. The groups meet virtually using our HIPAA-compliant teletherapy conferencing tool.
If you and your teen commit to these classes, your teen will develop new skills, connect with others, and enjoy a supportive and transformative experience.
