CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PROGRAM (CAP)
A Unique Dialectical Behavior Therapy Program for Young Women
DBT Program Brochure (pdf) |
Janna Hobbs, LICSW, Director of Clinical Services
Michael Hollander, PhD, Director of Training
Cynthia Kaplan, PhD, Administrative Director of Child and Adolescent Services
This is a premier, self-funded, residential program, created for treatment resistant females, ages 13-19, who require intensive psychiatric care for a minimum of 28 days. For more information please call 877.967.7233 or 617.855.2804 or email adolescentdbt@mclean.harvard.edu.
An Effective Treatment Model
Adolescents with persistent and pervasive emotional dysregulation, who have not been amenable to previous treatment efforts, can often benefit from intense Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). DBT treatment was initially developed to treat the suicidality associated with Borderline Personality Disorder in adults. It has proven; however, to have additional mental health benefits for the adolescent population as well as for a variety of diagnoses. For example, it is useful in treating psychiatric disorders such as complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), mood and anxiety disorders as well as substance abuse disorders. Often adolescents that meet the above descriptions present with complex clinical profiles that can be complicated further by significant peer and family conflicts.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy Program |
The DBT treatment components include individual DBT therapy, group skills-based therapy, individual skills coaching and family therapy, with an emphasis on parental skills development. Additional treatment components of the program consist of case management, psychopharmacology evaluation and treatment along with milieu therapy and recreational therapies. Click here to view a typical day's schedule.
About Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
BPD can be diagnosed in adolescents when symptoms are persistent and pervasive beyond a year's time. While by nature, the personality of adolescents is still developing, the diagnosis of BPD can be made with great care and on the basis of a thorough history and evaluation of the adolescent's thinking style, emotional coping patterns and interpersonal mode of functioning.
Click here for more information on BPD.
Highly Trained and Compassionate Staff
The program staff has worked with adolescents experiencing the symptoms of BPD, in addition to a range of other diagnoses, for many years and they have significant experience in the clinical application of Dialectical Behavior Therapy. All patients will be seen initially by a highly specialized clinician in consultation with the medical director who is a child and adolescent psychiatrist recognized for his work in the treatment of BPD and other complex adolescent psychiatric disorders. Specialty consultations are available in the areas of dialectical behavior therapy, eating disorders, neurology, trauma, child psychiatry and attention deficit disorder. Following the consultation, an assigned multidisciplinary team will assess all aspects of the adolescent's care and an individualized treatment plan will be developed.
In-depth Assessment and Evaluation
The evaluation includes both short- and long-term treatment options related to medication, preferred therapy modalities, specifics of family interventions, transitional care planning and formulation of educational recommendations.
Length of Stay
To conduct the evaluation and implement the treatment, a minimum length of stay of four weeks is required. During this time, the team works closely with the adolescent and their family to develop a collaborative aftercare plan.
Contact information
For more information, call 877.967.7233 or email adolescentDBT@mclean.harvard.edu