DBT Conference Fun!By Kerrie Toole, LICSW, DBT-LBC Certified Clinician, Executive Director
In November, I attended the 28th Annual International Society for the Improvement and Teaching of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (ISITDBT) Conference and Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Conference. This year’s combined ISITDBT and ABCT conferences were held in the birthplace of DBT, Seattle, Washington, and also coincided with the 30th anniversary of the publication of Dr. Marsha M. Linehan’s groundbreaking treatment textbook. While Marsha herself has retired out of the public eye, a number of her early team members were present at the Conference and shared their wisdom, alongside researchers and practitioners who are on the cutting edge of exploring aspects of BPD and the benefits of using DBT to treat this and many other conditions. Dr. Sheila Crowell presented the Keynote Address for the ISITDBT conference, regarding Emotion Dysregulation factors across the lifetime, and the impact of providing DBT interventions to pregnant mothers to improve emotion regulation skills and the intergenerational transmission of stressors. A Research Lighting Round followed, with four groundbreaking studies regarding varied topics of utilizing apps and programs to enhance practice and skill usage between sessions, utilizing DBT in schools, skill building to help clients integrate skills beyond short-intensive treatment episodes, and ways to reduce risk of emotion dysregulation in early life experiences. Two break-out sessions of clinical workshops followed, as well as a presentation to the full conference by Christina Moon, a Zen Priest, regarding the racial and historical context of Zen and Buddhism and considerations for DBT practitioners. An update on DBT research in the past year was presented by Dr. Melanie Harned, the developer of the DBT-PE treatment protocol for PTSD. Dr. Harned reviewed research that showed promising results as well as mixed results with adolescents, which shows important guidelines about how much “dosage” of DBT and who is teaching DBT skills is effective with this population. The main takeaway is that, unsurprisingly, the longer the intervention over time, the better the outcomes. Due to the hybrid nature of this year’s conference (and conferences to come!), Castlebrook had the greatest number of therapists in attendance! There was lots of excitement from Castlebrook therapists about being inspired by the presenters, ideas about new directions in DBT, and new ways to support our clients. I also got to participate in the ABCT Conference on Friday through Sunday, with many panels, mini workshops, and research symposia directly pertaining to DBT, BPD, and emotion dysregulation. These presentations have given me inspiration to bring back to the Castlebrook DBT Teams to streamline and enhance our DBT Coaching and Consultation Teams, and explore therapist stylistic strategies to engage clients and their families. This year, I noticed an increased focus on ways to engage and train up Parents and Caregivers of adolescent and young adult clients, and I spent a lot of time talking with the foremost experts in this area about aspects of our respective Parent Programs. In addition to all the revolutionary research and program development shared by presenters, much fun was had connecting with DBT experts and practitioners from across the country and nerd out together. I was even invited by my friends at the “All Therapists Are Jerks, And…” podcast to talk with them about our experiences at the conference, and you can listen to those episodes here. As I love to say, this annual conference is my version of Comic-Con! Mental Health Trailblazers: Who Are Our Favorites in the Field?Lauren Chapin, LICSW
We all derive inspiration from somewhere or someone! Earlier this month, Castlebrook clinicians were asked to reflect on who their favorite, notable person was in the mental health field. Whether it be for their contributions, their inspiring work and dedication, or their overall persona, it’s uplifting to have a role model who has paved the way for us and helps to inspire our own growth. Dominee Calderon Dominee is a lesser known figure in the mental health world who contributes to the field largely through her resource website, Self-Love Rainbow, where you can find a plethora of helpful articles, print-outs, and worksheets that emphasize self-care and mental health. Cynthia Williams, LMHC, noted that “she combines self-disclosure and media design with self-help and professional tools, and I love it…it's all colorful, personable, fun, creative, and easy-ish stuff to help people become closer to themselves and their relationship with love and care. She paves the way for vulnerability with oneself and offers self-growth opportunities that aren't big, bold, and harsh but gentle, loving, compassionate, and fun. She also paves the way for a new generation of self-help and mental health education.” Gloria Lucas Gloria founded Nalgona Positivity Pride, an organization focused on eating disorder education, body positivity, and resources for Black Indigenous communities of color. According to her website, Gloria discusses the necessity for expanding eating disorder models to include these marginalized communities and utilizes grassroots activism, media, and public speaking to bring visibility and awareness to the needs of these groups. Kaitlyn Hall, LMHC, stated that Gloria is “single-handedly spearheading a movement towards harm reduction approaches to eating disorder treatment. She was the keynote at my conference last year and it was amazing to see someone with lived experience versus clinical background speak about what needs to change in the treatment of eating disorders.” Brené Brown Brené Brown is a household name in mental health circles and for good reason! She is an author, lecturer, and researcher who, by her own description, “spent the past two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy.” Brené fiercely faces even the toughest emotions and encourages people to look inside themselves to move through what is uncomfortable in order to build a stronger, more courageous life, as exemplified by her motto, “courage over comfort.” Her website is also full of free worksheet downloads and book supplements. Both Kirsten Gleason, LCSW and Cynthia Williams, LMHC, are big fans! Marsha Linehan Marsha Linehan has also been a force in the mental health field for decades. Through her development of Dialectical Behavior Therapy, she has helped tens of thousands of people cultivate emotional regulation, self-validation, mindfulness skills, positive behavior change, and so much more. Kerrie Toole, LICSW, is a DBT-Linehan Board of Certification Certified Clinician and remarked that “her contribution to the field, after living her own struggles with mental health, has changed the face of therapy and has built such compassion for people experiencing deep suffering. I don't just follow her treatment protocol at work, I also live the foundational concepts in my own daily life.” Teresa Kelly, LICSW, also points to Marsha Linehan as a favorite. Alegra Kastens Alegra is an obsessive-compulsive disorder specialist who utilizes social media to spread awareness of the disorder, its proper treatment, common misconceptions, and to build community. Alegra is open about her OCD diagnosis and isn’t afraid to lay bare her own struggles which allows others to feel comfortable doing the same. Lauren Chapin, LICSW, stated that “she is a powerhouse of information on OCD and related disorders. While she might not be well-known in the field (yet), she does incredible work on public awareness campaigns, creating accessible, informational content, and destigmatization. No, OCD is not an adjective.” Out of The Darkness Walk 2023By Niamh Smithers, M.A.,
Change is hard and change is inevitable. Transitioning out of high school and into college or careers is an often chaotic time. Emotions are complicated and hard to navigate, relationships and friendships are constantly shifting, and finding yourself can become overwhelming. Having mental health support can make a huge difference in processing these changes and improving quality of life and mental health overall. In my sophomore year of college, I found myself living alone in a dorm, too easily isolating myself from friends or social events. It was during this time that I decided to join Active Minds, a campus club that aims to educate and fight the stigma around mental health struggles. By my senior year, I was Vice President and Resource Liaison for the club, which allowed me to help connect students with the right mental health resources on or outside of campus. I also had the privilege of helping to organize the campus Out of the Darkness (OOTD) Walk for two years in a row. Since graduating in 2019, I have continued to created art and merchandise to raise money and awareness for suicide and suicide prevention, even when I could not be present for OOTD walks. Through my experience with Active Minds and previous OOTD walks, volunteering at a suicide hotline, and working in crisis intervention, I have become well versed in the world of suicide, suicidal ideation, and suicide prevention. Here are some of the most recent statistics:
When discussing this sensitive topic, it is important to consider the language we use. The way in which we talk about suicide can have a drastic impact on how other people around us view, approach, or talk about it too. For example, language like “commit” suicide can imply the person is a criminal and did something immoral. While no suicide should be taken lightly, shifting to using the phrase “died by suicide” can allow others to see the occurrance more clearly for what it was–a person who was deeply struggling and felt that ending their life was the only way to relieve that pain. Additionally, encouraging friends and family to steer away from casual phrases of, “I want to kill myself” when discussing an upcoming exam or their favorite sports team losing, can allow people who are truly struggling to be taken more seriously when the topic of suicide is brought up. Another aspect I have learned is that although there are certain groups of people more heavily impacted by suicide, it can affect just about anyone from any age, gender, religion, culture, or background. The Out of the Darkness walk is a reminder that even if suicide has touched or impacted your life, showing up in support of suicide prevention speaks volumes without having to say a word. I was thrilled to be able to join the Castlebrook Counseling Team in person for this year’s Metrowest OOTD Walk. It quickly brought me back to the excitement, the emotion, and the connection I felt in the campus walks I had participated in earlier years. No matter how suicide has touched people’s lives, everyone shows up with positivity and hope–something I believe this world desperately needs more of. Unspoken support comes in the form of a sea of people all walking for suicide awareness and prevention, color coded beads to signify how suicide has touched one’s life, and several sponsor tables offering information and resources for mental health support. Out of the Darkness walks will always have a special place in my heart and it was an honor to walk with Castlebrook’s team. I am looking forward to future walks with this incredible group of people! Getting involved in your local OOTD Walk or other suicide prevention events can be a great way to stay connected and know you are not alone–as cliche as that sounds sometimes. If you or someone you love is struggling with mental health and/or suicidal ideation, don’t heistate to reach out to your local mental health services, connect with a therapist, or dial 988 for extra support. |
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Castlebrook Counseling Services, Inc. is a group of private practice clinicians with a shared goal of strengthening our community by providing therapy and clinical support designed for children, adults, and families to successfully meet life’s challenges.