“Teens are at a unique developmental point in struggling to discover their identity and understand their changing emotions,” explains Chelsea DeMaio, LCSW, Senior Primary Therapist at Princeton House’s Hamilton site. “Because their environmental stressors generally include interactions with parents, a family component to therapy is particularly important for this age group. The middle path skill module addresses parent/teen conflict and the common dialectical dilemmas they face.”
The middle path module strives to help both parents and teens find understanding and balance in situations such as differentiating between typical vs. atypical adolescent behavior. It acknowledges acceptance, builds an understanding of negative reactions, reinforces the positive, and develops an effective skill set in teens while helping parents determine what will be motivating for their adolescents.
DeMaio offers these examples of effective strategies for behavioral health professionals working with teens and their parents:
FOR TEENS
- Focus on emotional intelligence. With a biological tendency toward impulsivity, teens need additional help in recognizing specific emotions and how they are connected to behaviors. Mindfulness exercises are particularly effective for building emotional intelligence.
- Work on skills coaching and cope-ahead plans. Help teens identify which DBT tools work best for them—with options ranging from music to paced breathing—and encourage their use in moments of dysregulation. Involving parents in cope-ahead plans can result in better outcomes.
FOR PARENTS
- Focus on validation. While they don’t have to agree with ineffective teen behaviors, it’s important for parents to approach situations from a place of understanding and validation about the feelings or situation that led to the behavior without validating the behavior itself.
- Use dialectical statements. Encourage the use of “and” rather than “but.” For example, if a teen is skipping school, a parent might say, “I can see how stressful it is, and it’s really important that you get to school today. What do you need to help get you out the door?”
Princeton House places a strong focus on DBT strategies in its outpatient Adolescent Program, geared to teens ages 13 to 17 and available at Princeton, Hamilton, North Brunswick, and Moorestown. In addition, the Children’s Program at Hamilton, North Brunswick, and Moorestown incorporates DBT skills adapted for children ages 6 to 12.
Teaching the TeachersThis fall, Princeton House Behavioral Health child and adolescent therapists are providing free, one-hour DBT presentations at schools throughout the region to augment school professional development efforts. These interactive, educational sessions are designed to teach school professionals—including psychologists, counselors, administrators, and teachers—how to effectively use DBT strategies with their students. |
For more information about the Adolescent Program, visit princetonhouse.org/teens or call 888.437.1610.
Article as seen in the Fall 2019 issue of Princeton House Behavioral Health Today.
