DBT Family Session - Ground Rules
DBT Skills for Adolescents and FamiliesBefore we dive in though, I wanna give you Alex rules for family therapy sessions since this is really our first meeting since our initial appointment. Okay? So if you can see my handy dandy dry-erase board, the first thing I wanna remind you of, and these are some of the skills you've learned in skills group already. Number one, I want you to really be mindful. Meaning, I want you to observe and describe what you're thinking and feeling non-judgmentally. And if you have an urge to interrupt, notice the urge to interrupt.
It doesn't mean you have to act on the urge to interrupt. Okay? Notice the urge to be critical or judgmental and try to resist the urge and say, I'm feeling X. Okay? So let's work on our mindfulness elements that you've learned in DBT already. And we're building up those muscles, so it's okay. If you deviate from this, I'll gently point that out to you as the DBT Skills police.
Don't worry. I'm here to help. Number two. Well, questions about number one? So number two, the GIVE skills you haven't officially learned yet. Those are the interpersonal effect in the skills on how to keep a good relationship. And one of the elements of GIVE, the "V" is for Validation. Now you guys have learned a lot about validation and invalidation, and we've taught that in DBT so far.
But I wanna remind you to try to be gentle, that's what the "G" stands for. "I" stands for act interested. Eye contact, listening carefully. "V" is to validate the other person, like I recognize this is your feeling. I understand how you're thinking about this. Even if you disagree, because remember guys validation doesn't mean you agree with the person.
You mean I hear Emily that's how you feel and you guys could say, and I have a different perspective on it. That's okay.