A practitioner’s guide to treating challenging behavior problems

Britt H. Rathbone ACSW, LCSW-C and Pat Harvey ACSW, LCSW-C

Drawing on proven-effective Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), this is the first reader-friendly, easily accessible DBT book, specifically targeted to mental health professionals working with adolescents.   This book includes practical handouts and exercises that can be used in individual therapy sessions, skills training groups, school settings, and work with parents and caregivers.

 Adolescents are more likely, than any other age group, to engage in behaviors that contribute to injuries, violence, unintended pregnancies, sexually-transmitted diseases, and reckless alcohol, tobacco and drug use.  At-risk adolescents may also exhibit moodiness, aggression and even self-injury.  While parents, teachers and clinicians become frustrated, the adolescents may believe change is impossible.

The DBT skills outlined in this book are evidence-based, and have been clinically proven to help build emotion regulation skills, useful for all ages, but especially for at-risk adolescents experiencing depression, anxiety, anger and the myriad behaviors resulting from these emotions. 

Paperback; 272 pages