I am conducting Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) skills training classes that are run on a 12 week curriculum. DBT is an evidence-based treatment that has been shown to be effective in treating borderline personality disorder, depression, anxiety, mood disorders, impulse control, substance dependence, and self-harm behavior. The goal of this group is to increase well-being by helping clients learn to manage intense emotions, cope with challenging situations, and improve their relationships. New members must be currently in weekly individual therapy outside of this skills class. This group is 18+ and insurance is accepted!
Hosted by Halley McNeal
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, MSW, LICSW
Verified Verified
Group meets in Athens, AL 35613
Integrating creativity into healing is my passion. My goal as a therapist is to cultivate a safe space where you feel comfortable bringing your own passions and interests into the session. In therapy, I'll help you to heal from your hurts and meet your goals holistically. I have experience working with children, adolescents, and their families to process issues related to trauma, attachment, self-harm/suicidal ideation, depression, anxiety, anger management, divorce, grief, identity development, and life transitions.
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Bipolar Disorder Support Groups
What is the most successful approach to treating bipolar disorder?
Living with bipolar disorder can be challenging, and a number of therapies have been found effective in providing support to patients as they gain the skills to understand and manage the disorder. Family-focused therapy is often helpful for children and teens (the majority of cases develop before age 19); it aims to minimize mood cycling by improving family communication and reducing conflict. It also helps young people navigate the developmental challenges the disorder can create. Cognitive and behavioral therapy (CBT) and variants such as Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)help patients manage the thoughts and feelings that influence bipolar mood swings as well as develop specific behavioral strategies to counteract them.
What happens in therapy for bipolar disorder?
Because the patterns of mood switching and its triggers differ for each person and can change over time, mood tracking or monitoring becomes a basic way patients learn about the nature of their condition. One of the most common features of therapy is finding a workable method of mood monitoring, in which patients track their daily activities and rate their moods, then use the findings to adjust routines accordingly. Patients learn ways of handling the many stresses that arise in life so that they do not trigger mood swings.
What kinds of problems does therapy help with?
Like many other mental health disorders, BPD is heavily influenced by stress; therapy provides skills for coping with stressors of all kinds. Therapy is extremely important for helping individuals identify the situations that may trigger mood switching, so that mood swings can be prevented. Therapy may especially target recognition of the early stages of mood change so that they can be managed. In addition, therapy helps patients deal with the significant amount of turbulence the disorder can create in relationships and in work life.
What is the goal of therapy for bipolar disorder?
Therapy helps patients set up their lives to maintain stability so that their mood isn’t constantly threatened by daily events. Perhaps the first task of therapy is to educate people about the nature of the disorder. At the same time, a primary goal of therapy is to enhance adherence to drug treatment. Extended periods of mood stability can prompt patients to discontinue medication, triggering relapse, while the early phases of manic episodes can feel so energizing that patients stop medication, ushering in full-blown mania and the altered self-perception that can lead to destructive behaviors. Another major goal of therapy is to understand one’s mood patterns so as to minimize both the frequency and intensity of mood cycling.