Consultation Agreements in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a form of psychotherapy that has been found to be effective for treating a variety of mental health conditions, including borderline personality disorder, mood disorders, and substance abuse. One important aspect of DBT is the use of consultation agreements, which are agreements made between the therapist and the patient about how they will work together in therapy.
Consultation agreements are an important part of DBT because they help establish clear expectations and boundaries for therapy. They also help ensure that both the therapist and the patient are on the same page about what will happen in therapy and how they will work together to achieve the patient`s goals.
There are several key components of consultation agreements in DBT. These include:
1. Goals: The therapist and the patient will work together to establish clear, specific goals for therapy. These goals should be focused on the patient`s areas of concern and should be achievable within a specific timeframe.
2. Frequency and length of sessions: The therapist and the patient will agree on how often they will meet and for how long. DBT typically involves weekly individual therapy sessions, as well as group therapy sessions and phone coaching as needed.
3. Phone coaching: DBT involves phone coaching, which means that the patient can call the therapist outside of scheduled therapy sessions if they are experiencing a crisis or need support. The consultation agreement will specify the conditions under which phone coaching is available.
4. Limitations and boundaries: The consultation agreement will also establish clear limitations and boundaries for therapy. For example, the therapist may specify that they will not provide therapy outside of scheduled sessions or that they will not provide medical advice.
5. Confidentiality: Finally, the consultation agreement will establish the limits of confidentiality in therapy. The therapist will explain what information will be kept confidential and under what circumstances they may need to break confidentiality, such as if the patient is at risk of harm to themselves or others.
Overall, consultation agreements are an important part of DBT because they help establish clear expectations and boundaries for therapy. They also help ensure that the therapist and patient are working together in a collaborative, goal-directed way. If you are considering DBT as a treatment option, be sure to discuss consultation agreements with your therapist to make sure that you are both on the same page about how you will work together.