Focused DBT Interventions for Adolescent Self-Injurious Behavior
Date: November 7, 2024
Presented by: Inna Nikitina
Didactics prepared by: Linda Schmidt – ECHO Project Facilitator in Ukraine, Child, Adolescent and Adult Psychiatrist at Oregon Health & Science University, Oregon, USA.
The ECHO session brought together professionals from various fields interested in supporting adolescents who are experiencing self-injurious behavior. The event emphasized the importance of an integrated approach to working with youth, encompassing not only psychological support, but also social and educational resources to create a safe environment where adolescents can learn coping techniques. The results of the session confirmed that an approach based on dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) is effective in helping to strengthen emotional resilience and prevent negative consequences.
Experienced professors from Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) shared didactic methods that help professionals teach adolescents alternative ways of expressing emotions, such as meditation, emotional self-reflection, and mindfulness techniques.