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Getting started

Our intake process

DBT assessment

The first step in our intake process is to book in for a DBT intake assessment (also known as an initial session).

 

All prospective clients who wish to undertake DBT at The Glow Centre must attend an intake appointment before proceeding. Our intake assessment is conducted to determine your suitability for the program we offer here at The Glow Centre.

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During the 50-60 minute session, one of our DBT therapists will obtain information about your presenting concerns, history, and goals for treatment; gets to know you, and develops a proposed treatment plan collaboratively with you.

How we determine suitability

Undertaking an assessment does not guarantee entry into our program, as acceptance is based on a number of factors that will be discussed with you during your assessment, some of which include:

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  • your ability to commit to all parts of The Glow Centre's DBT program;

  • the results of your assessment after the DBT team consults;

  • no high risk / life threatening behaviours;

  • our availability for new participants;

  • your ability to meet the costs associated with the program;

  • your availability.

 

Your assessment will be presented to the DBT consult team. A member of the DBT team will then contact you to advise if you have been deemed suitable for The Glow Centre DBT program, and if so, discuss the next steps (commencing pre-commitment sessions with an individual therapist, the next skills group module date for you to commence groups, etc).

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All of our DBT therapists are highly qualified and you will be allocated to a therapist based on factors such as your individual needs, your availability for attending appointments, therapist caseload and availability, etc.

 

If you are assessed as suitable and accepted into our DBT program, you will then be taken through the pre-commitment stage of DBT.

Pre-commitment

The pre-commitment stage of DBT is designed to give you the best possible chance of success within the DBT program. It is a standard and crucial part of comprehensive DBT.

 

Pre-commitment consists of a minimum of 3 individual sessions with your allocated DBT therapist. The following will be covered during these sessions:

 

  • The biosocial model of emotion dysregulation

  • The modes and functions of a DBT program

  • DBT participant agreements

  • DBT therapist agreements

  • Getting to know your individual therapist and allocation of a back-up therapist

  • Individual goal setting

  • Developing a crisis management plan

  • Developing a diary card.

DBT agreements - participant

DBT participant agreements are based on the standard guidelines for DBT skills training.

 

They include (but are not limited to):

 

  • Time limit agreement - agreement to commit to 6 modules of DBT (a standard dose)

  • Attendance agreement - agreement to attend all scheduled individual and group sessions; to arrive on time; to come prepared; to advise in advance of lateness or absence; missing 4 sessions in a row = vacation from DBT or exit from the program

  • 24-hour agreement - no access to individual therapy, skills group or phone coaching if suicidal behaviour or self-harm in the past 24 hours

  • Clean and sober agreement - agreement not to attend sessions under the influence of drugs or alcohol

  • Participation agreement - agreement to work on reducing target behaviours in the order of priority set out in the DBT target hierarchy

DBT agreements - therapist

DBT therapist agreements are designed to help our therapists deliver DBT to a high standard, and to demonstrate commitment to DBT equal to the commitment we ask of our participants.

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These include:

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  • Competency agreement - your therapist will make every reasonable effort to do DBT competently

  • Ethical agreement - your therapist will adhere to their ethical guidelines when delivering DBT

  • Respect for participant agreement - your therapist will treat you with respect

  • Consultation agreement - your therapist will seek consultation from other DBT therapists when required

  • Attendance agreement - your therapist will attend all scheduled sessions; will come prepared; will advise in advance of lateness or absence.

Upon completion of the pre-commitment stage

Once all pre-commitment tasks are completed, your therapist and yourself will likely be satisfied that you are ready to begin DBT. You will then be offered a place in our program. Our DBT program is offered in 2 streams.

 

Pre-commitment generally takes 3 sessions, however in some cases

pre-commitment may be delivered over a longer period (ie more than 3 sessions).

 

Reasons for extending pre-commitment may include (but are not limited to):

non-completion of homework, non-completion of other pre-commitment tasks, or difficulty demonstrating commitment to DBT agreements.

 

Your DBT therapist will discuss if an extension of pre-commitment is required with you.

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