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Middle School DBT Skills Group
A summer skills group designed for middle school students (rising 6th-8th graders) to build practical tools for managing emotions, handling stress, improving coping, and strengthening confidence in everyday life. Groups are interactive, supportive, and developmentally tailored for adolescents. Students may enroll in Part 1, Part 2, the Parent Session, or complete the full summer series.
Mondays | 6:30–7:30 PM
Wheaton Office
Part 1
Distress Tolerance
June 8 – June 29
Students will learn practical strategies for getting through difficult moments without making situations worse. Skills focus on managing stress, tolerating strong emotions, and responding more effectively during conflict, overwhelm, or impulsive urges.
Topics May Include:
Coping with intense emotions
Crisis survival skills
Self-soothing techniques
Mindfulness and grounding
Managing impulsive reactions
Building resilience during stressful situations
Parent Section
Parent Support & Psychoeducation Session
Between Part 1 and Part 2
This optional parent session is designed to help caregivers better understand the DBT skills their child is learning and how to support skill use at home. The session will include psychoeducation, practical parenting strategies, and opportunities for questions and discussion.
Focus Areas:
Understanding DBT skills and language
Supporting emotion regulation at home
Responding effectively during emotional moments
Encouraging skill practice and generalization
Improving communication and validation
Part 2
Emotion Regulation
July 13 – August 3
Students will build skills for understanding emotions, reducing emotional vulnerability, and responding more effectively to emotional experiences. The group emphasizes increasing emotional awareness while developing healthy coping and problem-solving strategies.
Topics May Include:
Understanding emotions and triggers
Identifying emotional patterns
Reducing emotional vulnerability
Healthy coping strategies
Increasing positive experiences
Managing difficult emotions effectively
We also provide individualized DBT support for parents to gain a deeper understanding of your teen's emotions and behaviors and learn effective communication and support strategies.
Take the first step towards empowering your teen! Contact us to learn more and schedule an initial consultation. Let's work together to help your teen thrive!