How to Start DBT Treatment
Step 1: Make an Initial Reservation
The following sub-steps should be taken before starting clinical treatment.
(1) Parent or guardian gives us a call and leaves us with basic information about their child and contact information;
(2) One of our clinicians calls back and explains briefly about our clinical treatment services. Given that the parent or guardian has had enough time to think and agrees with the terms of the psychological services we offer;
(3) You may book for an initial diagnostic interview (2-hour long) prior to proceeding with clinical treatment.
Step 2: Preliminary Assessment and Administrative Procedures
Upon completing Step 1,
(4) A deposit must be paid in full, so that an online account and chart can be created through which online sessions and messages are securely delivered. Several forms must be submitted online, including personal information, consent form, and questionnaire, and additional documents may be requested, if necessary. Upon completion of these preliminary procedures, an online confirmation message will be sent out, and from this on, almost all administrative-related communications will securely take place on our online platform.
(5) Before conducting the initial diagnostic interview, the primary clinician analyzes the client’s personal information and questionnaire responses to provide an accurate diagnosis on his or her current psychological state.
Step 3: Initial Diagnostic Interview
The primary clinician proceeds with the initial diagnostic immediately after completion of the first two steps. pre-analyzing the client’s current psychological state. The interview is a critical step where the clinician can pre-analyze the client’s current psychological state and make an initial diagnosis. It is strongly recommended that the interview is done in person; however, if the client lives overseas or is unable to visit the clinic for various reasons, it may proceed online. Also, depending on the severity of the client’s psychological state, he or she will be asked to accompany a guardian.
Since 2003, we have observed similar, if not the same, treatment effects from clients whose cases were mild both when our services were delivered online and in person. This observation is consistent with the findings of the American Psychological Association’s research on telepsychology. Additionally, our clients receive our services online without worrying about security issues as we use Microsoft programs that are sensitive to protecting personal information and maintaining security.
The Comprehensive Psychological Evaluation provided to children and adolescents is an essential process to accurately identify the core factors of their symptoms. Because there may be a variety of factors that might have contributed to developing these symptoms – including but not limited to, biological causes and relationships with parents, siblings, and friends – identifying the exact factors for their difficulties must occur prior to proceeding with clinical treatment. The psychotherapists at the Center for International Psychological Services prioritizes treatment goals, develops an initial treatment plan, and provides feedback to the parents and guardians after this interview process.
This process is equally important for clinicians to provide effective clinical treatment for adult clients whose forms of struggles vary by different stages in their lives. Their struggles include problems with emotion regulation or traumas that were existent since their adolescent period, emotional dysregulation due to anxious or depressive feelings aroused in work environments or interpersonal relationships, eating disorders, or obsessive behaviors. Through the initial diagnostic interview, clinicians can have a holistic picture of the emotional cycle clients go through, identify the core causes that trigger pains and agony in them as well as suggest and plan for the most scientific and effective treatment method that may help reduce their symptoms.
Step 4: Make a Reservation for DBT Treatment
If the client agrees to proceed with receiving our psychological services after the clinician feedback on the initial diagnostic interview results, he or she may schedule for the first clinical treatment session. All clinical treatment sessions must be booked with a full payment, and, on average, each session is held once a week for 50 minutes.
Step 5: Start DBT Treatment
All administrative steps must be taken before the day of session and the client is recommended to arrive at the clinic at least 5 minutes before the session begins. In case the session is held online, then the client is asked to get ready 5 minutes before the session begins.
