DBT Facilitators - Picture this.

Every client in the group holds a paper copy of Distress Tolerance Handout 11 from the infamous DBT Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets manual. Each group member is taking turns reading about Radical Acceptance. As you begin to expand on why it is important to accept reality, you notice clients nodding off, one by one. To engage the group, you ask, “Is anyone willing to share a reality they are currently fighting?” Nobody answers. You provide a personal example about how you did not want to radically accept that you stained your shirt this morning when you spilled your freshly made blueberry smoothie. You ask the group what this example brings up for them. Silence. You then ask if anyone has questions. A client speaks up: “Can I use the bathroom?”

You’re Feeling Stuck.

You’re feeling dissatisfied with the way clients are responding to how you are teaching DBT skills. There seems to be dysregulation everywhere, which either looks likes clients getting anxious and activated or completely shutting down. You get feedback from group members that the topics are “boring” or that it is difficult to grasp the concepts you're teaching. The diverse learning styles you encounter add another layer of complexity, and it feels difficult to foster a cohesive group atmosphere where clients feel safe and supported.