THERAPIST's TARGETS FOR CLIENT'S IN STAGE 1
As the therapist helps the client eliminate and reduce problematic behaviors as well as learn new skills, these skills are reinforced in individual sessions and through inter-session contact (Vaughn, 2018).
Eliminate Life-Threatening Behaviors
Life-threatening behaviors includes suicidal thoughts, urges, and attempts, as well as self-harm. A behavior is life-threatening if it imminently threatens the client’s life (Linehan, 2015).
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Reduce Therapy-Interfering Behaviors
Therapy-interfering behavior is anything that gets in the way of the patient receiving therapy or makes it likely the treatment will end prior to completion (Linehan, 2015). Examples of these behaviors might include being late to sessions, missing sessions, not completing homework, failing to follow treatment recommendations, calling a therapist too frequently, or pushing or challenging the therapist limits (Vaughn, 2018).
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Reduce Quality-of-Life Interfering Behaviors
Quality-of-Life interfering behaviors are anything that interferes with the client creating their life worth living plan. Examples of this behavior include substance abuse, impulsive sexual behavior, impulsive spending, reckless activities or driving, and eating disorder behavior.
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Keep clients in the environment they are in
Therapist attempt to help the client use new skills in the environment they are in rather then sending them to a structured environment that does not exist in the outside world, such as a hospital or residential facility.
Increase Skills
through psycho-educational skills group, the client will learn how to self-validate, communicate effectively, ways in which they can regulate their emotions, how they can tolerate distress, and the formal practice of mindfulness. For example, Dr. Linehan (2019) recommends paced breathing as a holisitic anti-anxiety and emotion regulation technique for any client beginning DBT as well as continuous long-term use.
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