An interview with: Jill Durby, LMFT :: Emotional Resiliency Program Manager

Interview

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR FRIENDS + FAMILY WHEN LEADING THE DBT SKILLS GROUP?

I’m excited to be leading the Friends and Family Support Group + Skills Group. One of the primary goals of it is to provide support to the family members. It’s, it’s a very difficult place to be when you have a loved one who is suffering in a lot of distress and is a client with us. So, you know, first and foremost, giving them a space that they feel comfortable sharing and are sitting alongside of other people that know what it feels like to be where they are right now. So that in and of itself is, is one of the biggest goals, is that they have that place. And the other expectation that I always tell them is that this is their time for their goals and for what’s difficult for them. There’s so much emphasis on the client and how they will, you know, achieve what they need to do and get back to living the life that they wanna live. I give them the space and time to think about what do they need, what’s difficult for them, what are they hoping to accomplish? And using DBT skills to help them, you know, consult with them, understanding what’s difficult, and then giving them the skills to manage it, regulate the difficult emotions, be more effective, not reinforce the things that are getting the client into trouble and things of that nature. So, so that’s really the, the formula for the group and, and what I hope they take away from it is just a sense of like, okay, a little more confidence in how I respond and how I can, you know, really navigate what’s a really difficult time and that they have that support and skillset too, to do that.