Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

       DBT or Dialectical Behavioural Therapy is a form of an acceptance based behavioral therapy. Four sets of skills are taught in DBT that include: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. This blog will focus on the skill of mindfulness.

Mindfulness is being aware non-judgmentally of the present moment. Mindfulness is important as it helps to create awareness in the present moment when we are having an urge to act impulsively by helping us pause between the urge and acting on the urge. Mindfulness helps with decision making.

Practicing the skill of mindfulness includes the steps of: observing, describing, and participating.

With observing we practice this by noticing what is happening in our environment and within ourselves. We can observe also our thoughts and emotions. We can practice this with activities like eating or listening to music.

With the step of describing, we basically describe what we are observing. When describing, we describe only with facts and describe what we observe with our five senses. This step of describing can help slow things down and slow down our emotions.

Finally, the step of participating means to put yourself into the present moment. You can be in the present moment with any activities you do such as cooking, cleaning, or playing sports. When participating and in the present moment, you’re focused on the one activity at that moment.

DBT is one of many therapeutic approaches that might be explored in a counselling setting. If you’re interested in learning more, talk to your counsellor/therapist/psychologist, or check out some the resources in the references below.

The more you know, the better!

References

Eich, J. (2015). Dialectical behavior therapy skills training with adolescents : a practical workbook for therapists, teens & parents.

Linehan, M [Marsha Linehan]. (2017, April 14). How She Came to Develop Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bULL3sSc_-I

Rathus, Miller, Miller, Alec L, & ebrary, Inc. (2015). DBT skills manual for adolescents.

Shaller. E [Esme Shaller]. (2015, September 20). What is Dialectical Behavior      Therapy for Adolescents (DBT)? [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Stz–d17ID4

 

Blog Post by Clinical Social Worker, Gary Mah

 

The Unnerving Force: Permission to Feel

Eating Disorders Edition 

What would happen if you gave yourself permission to feel?

Imagine: Pressing pause on the busyness, facing the avoidance, slowing down for a moment, acknowledging the overwhelm and uneasiness…as your body senses freedom to release what it truly feels. Do you listen?

Remember: When was the first time that you can recall sharing your true, authentic feelings to someone that you trusted, confiding in them … mustering the courage to share your vulnerabilities … and their reaction was … uncalled for? Perhaps they rejected your expression with denial, anger, or ignorance toward your confession. When was the first time you internalized that your feelings were not valid and that it was easier to shut off uncomfortable emotions rather than to feel and express them?

Reflect: Each of us has a tapestry of lived experiences that have shaped how we tolerate or suppress emotional outcomes. For years, many of us have been conditioned to deny our feelings – specifically speaking – feelings that evoke distress when considering our bodies. Perhaps we have felt overwhelmed by our own emotions and expectations of our bodies … and after a long period of time the complexities of our feelings can project catastrophe and even chaos as we consider the unveiling. To begin articulating such bodily sensations feels utterly confusing. Obsessive or compulsive thoughts may precede intense physical responses to our emotional discourse … numbness, disgust, dissociation, or shame. Many of us cope with such discomfort through the illusionary lens of satisfaction by controlling food or exercise. With eating disorders, emotional highs and lows can become a rollercoaster, sweeping us off the floor and throwing our heads back in self-disciplined delight, to the next minute plummeting into an intrusive hole of self-hatred. When experiencing an eating disorder, it can feel that you have control at last, that a structured regime creates a sense of ease, while simultaneously disconnecting our bodies natural rhythms from the parts of our brain that manage rational thinking.

Imagine: Having a phobia, something you fear, and Every. Single. Day. facing that fear, multiple times a day, fixating about that fear, ruminating on mental exits, yet you can never completely get away. Struggling with an eating disorder, can feel something like this. We may deny our emotional wounds and think only that this acquired sense of control will help us feel in balance or create relief. We may be aware of the harm occurring to our bodies, but the release of tension through restriction overpowers logical reasoning to stop. And so we hide. Stay silent in the fight until our bodies start speaking for us.

Remember: It is important to know that anyone who experiences an eating disorder feels reality differently. Their reasons, story, and symptoms will sometimes differ drastically and often overlap. This may take the form of food avoidance, obsessive-compulsive eating habits, food anxiety, social anxiety or phobia, Anorexia Nervosa, ATypical Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia, Binge-Eating Disorder, Body Dysmorphia, restrictive eating, excessive exercising or dieting, as well as issues regarding self-worth, body image, self-harm or suicidal ideations. If you are experiencing characteristics of an eating disorder, OR you are curious about steps to take in allowing yourself to feel whole-heartedly as a human being; unpacking the physical sensations connected to your lived experiences and the emotions that run deep; questioning and facing the behaviour that makes you feel stuck – reach out, we can help!

Reflect: What could happen if we (re)discovered and (re)established one part of us, a singular personal narrative, one moment in our day to say: “I give you permission to feel your feelings”. To go on narrating, “The next time I experience a wave of embarrassment, fear, sadness, or the next time I am upset, but don’t know why, I can stop whatever I am doing and allow myself to feel my feelings”. I can validate them and say, “Yes, I am angry, sad, etc.” “This is how it feels…” What would happen if you slowly, but surely learned steps to reclaim parts of your body, the feelings, and thoughts that attach to those parts? Remember, that whatever you are feeling is a part of your wholeness as a human being, be brave to experience it fully.

Blog Post by Canadian Certified Counsellor, Cayle Fiala

 

Summer Fun

 Summer is here and there are so many fun things to do around Regina! Family activities can be a great way to create positive interactions, improve communication and cooperation, build confidence, make memories, and help with physical and emotional regulation. So, whether you’re a parent whose kids are already bored or you’re looking to explore new activities with the family, here is a list of some of our local, kid-friendly spots to check out this summer!

Fun in the sun

Check out the new Wascana Pool in the park! Just be sure to read the daily schedule to find out about free swim, preschool hours, and other important information before you go.

Want to get out of the city? Head to Regina Beach! A beach umbrella or shade tent is always a great idea to take along with you if you can.

Need something a little simpler with little ones? Check out one of our city’s many splash parks and spray pads.

Feeling active?

Take a walk, run, or boat tour, around Wascana Lake! If you’re there on a Thursday in July & August there are fun activities held in various locations in the park from 5-8pm.

Can’t do activities during bedtime? Wascana Junior Explorers is a free program offered Saturday mornings. Just make sure to go online to find out the details and register in order to secure your child(ren)’s spot!

Wascana Trails (Wascana Valley Natural Area Recreation Site) is a local favourite for a beautiful hike…just take your bug spray and wear high socks (it is still tick season after all).

White Butte Trails offers maintained trails and a chance to escape into nature while only being about 15 minutes outside of the city.

If it’s a little too hot (or windy) outside, head over to Get Air indoor trampoline park! This is a great spot for big and little kids (designated toddler area). But be sure to check out the website or call ahead as there are dates/times that are designated for little ones only!

If you’re feeling more adventurous, try Sky Park for go-carting, zip lining, or mini golf!

Got an animal lover at home?

Cedar Creek Gardens petting zoo is open (and free) all summer so you can interact with goats, pigs, horses, and more, just two miles south of Regina! They also have a beautiful shop and greenhouse to explore.

FenekFarms is another great farm, only 10 minutes outside of Regina complete with a petting zoo, hay rides, private tours, and more!

Looking to learn?

There’s no better place to learn and have fun than the Saskatchewan Science Center! Perfectly located in the park, with the coolest outdoor playground, and local bistro and café (Skye) nestled right in the middle. Bonus- it has the IMAX theaters!

The Royal Saskatchewan Museum is another fun and free (donation only) experience designed for people of all ages to learn about the world and our very own provinces history.

Another local classic? The Mackenzie Art Gallery. Filled with exhibits, classes, workshops, and studio Sundays.

A new and summer limited Regina feature- Beyond Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience is now being held at the Viterra International Trade Centre.

Other awesome experiences!

Escape Rooms: Regina now has multiple locations

Farmers Market: Held every Wednesday and Friday morning
Libraries: books, audiobooks, videogames, programs, events, and performances

Leisure Centres: and filled with activities like swimming pools & fitness rooms

Playgrounds and outdoor pools: Regina is home to many wonderful parks (like Candycane) and outdoor pools all around the city

I have it on good authority (local Mom’s) that the recommendations on this list are guaranteed good times!

Have fun!

 

Blog Post by Registered Psychologist, Megan Adams Lebell

 

Understanding Willingness

Working with unpleasant feelings is tough. When we take a close look at unpleasant feelings, we often find that they are telling us something about ourselves, and what matters to us. Learning to name and observe unpleasant feelings can allow us to make a choice about how we want to deal with them. Basically, there are two options:
1. Be unwilling to have the feelings. Try to get rid of them.
2. Be willing to have the feelings. Let them come and go-especially when this allows you to do something that’s important to you. For example, you might be willing to experience fear in order to make a presentation in class or ask someone out on a date.

Which option you choose is up to you.

Sometimes you cannot avoid difficult feelings without also giving up doing things that are important to you. To illustrate this point, take a moment to consider the following four willingness questions:

To strive for success, you risk all the following:
Feeling like a failure sometimes
Feeling sad about losing
Feeling stupid
Feeling disappointed

Are you willing to strive for success anyway?

To search for love, you risk all of the following:
Feeling rejected
Feeling lonely
Feeling insecure
Feeling vulnerable

Are you willing to search for love anyway?

To be a friend, you risk all of the following:
Feeling let down
Feeling disappointed
Feeling embarrassed when you do something you didn’t mean to
Getting your feelings hurt

Are you willing to be a friend anyway?

To have an adventure, you risk all of the following:
Feeling disappointed that it wasn’t as good as you had hoped
Feeling out of control sometimes
Feeling sad when the adventure ends
Learning unpleasant things about life, like dealing with unexpected difficulties

Are you willing to have an adventure anyway?

Each time you answer yes to questions like this, you give yourself the chance to expand your life and discover new things. Each time you answer no and try not to have certain feelings, you restrict yourself. We all have things in our lives that we would like to do but find a bit difficult. When feeling stuck, try using the willingness formula below.
I am willing to have __________ (fear, insecurity, sadness, anger and so on) in order to __________ (do something you care about).

 

Source: Ciarrocchi, J., Hayes, L., & Bailey, A. (2012). Get out of your mind and into your life for teens: a guide to living an extraordinary life. New Harbinger Publications Inc.

 

Blog Post by Registered Psychologist, Kerri Hill

Screen Time and Language Development: Does it Matter?

As life is busy and parents need to keep their children occupied while they complete important daily living tasks, it is easy to turn to screen time as a solution. Screen time is increasingly easy to access, and new content keeps children engaged. The discussion of screen time and its effect on early child development has been going on for decades and, now that it is so accessible, is a common topic that comes up during speech and language sessions with little ones.

When discussing this topic, two key words come into play: quantity (how much screen time) and quality (what the child is watching). Overall, more screen time (including background television) is associated with lower language skills in children. Screen time, when viewed alone, takes away time from building interactional skills with parents and others which is important in enhancing children’s language skills. On the other hand, better quality of screen time (educational programs or viewing with a parent or other communication partner) can have a positive impact on language skills. With that said, benefits of screen time are likely to occur in later childhood as they can gain information during educational shows and talk about them while there is no benefit in earlier childhood.

So, can my child have screen time?

• If your child is under 18 months of age, it is not recommended. The pediatric guidelines recommend that there is no screen exposure before 18 months of age.
• After 18 months of age, yes, but limit the quantity of exposure (one hour or less per day is recommended for children aged 2-5)

What can I do to make screen time have a positive effect on language skills?

• Educational programs- put on something educational that labels objects, pauses to allow for interaction from your child, and models age-appropriate vocabulary.
• Co-view– watch the program with your child and label objects, ask questions, and pause to allow for discussion.
• Pause the program– show your child the concept in real life, so they can build real connections while watching the program. Ask what happened and what might happen next to increase comprehension and language acquisition.
• Interaction– any interaction with the child while having screen exposure is the best way for screen time to have a positive effect on their language skills. Children aged 2-5 learn expressive language skills best from their interactions with adults.

In conclusion, children can have access to screen time and can even benefit when quantity and quality are taken into consideration. Better quality screen exposure is associated with language skills, but too much screen time, too early, is associated with lower language skills. Quality screen time can promote language skills, but it should still be used in moderation.

References

Madigan, S., McArthur, B. R., Anhorn, C., Eirich, R., & Christakis, D. A. (2020). Associations Between Screen Use and Child Language Skills: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatrics, 174(7), 665-675. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.0327.

Ponti, M. (2022). Screen time and preschool children: Promoting health and development in a digital world. Position Statement: Canadian Pediatric Society. Retrieved online at: https://cps.ca/en/documents/position/screen-time-and-preschool-children

 

Blog Post by Speech-Language Pathologist, Kristen Lipp