DBTweens is a 12-week intensive outpatient tele-mental health treatment program for children ages 9-12 and their caregiver(s). We recognize that many tweens and their caregivers need more service per week than an individual therapy session, yet don’t require psychiatric hospitalization. DBTweens offers 9 hours per week of Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Children (DBT-C) treatment, supplemented by the Safe and Sound Protocol* (SSP). All services are provided through Zoom.
Our experienced staff is committed to offering an at home specialized treatment option to children and their caregivers in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont.
Our 12-week program is aimed at helping tweens and their caregivers learn how to deal with dangerous action urges or thoughts, improve awareness of their needs and emotions, better regulate emotions and moods, and express themselves more effectively when communicating with other people. At DBTweens the family is our client, and our program is developed to both assist tweens with skill development as well as coach parents and guardians to create safer, more validating environments for their child.
DBTweens offers a comprehensive DBT-C course of treatment plus extras. DBT was adapted for children 12 and under, and DBT-C includes specialized skills and treatment targets for this age group. The spirit of DBT, which combines acceptance and change strategies throughout the treatment model, remains the same.
Families are also offered the Safe and Sound listening program in order to help speed up the tween’s ability to regulate emotions and learn DBT skills. This program re-trains the nervous system, and is based on the polyvagal theory concepts introduced by Dr. Stephen Porges.
A typical week of participation in DBTweens includes services for tweens and caregivers on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday afternoons/evenings.
Our goal is to offer tweens and families the guidance and support they need to be successful in building lives worth living.
*For More information on the Safe and Sound Protocol visit this website and/or download this PDF.