Introducing an Exciting Collaboration: Path Start and Glenbrook Practice Unite for Comprehensive Support!
We are thrilled to announce a dynamic partnership that brings together two powerhouses dedicated to empowering individuals in their life journeys. Path Start and Glenbrook Practice are joining forces, combining their expertise and resources to offer clients a holistic approach to personal growth, development, and mental well-being.
Glenbrook Practice's core belief in "Growth through awareness" perfectly aligns with Path Start's mission to guide individuals into their future with clarity and purpose. In this long-term collaboration, we aim to explore how our institutions can complement each other, providing clients with the most comprehensive assistance in navigating the complexities of life.
Glenbrook's Philosophy: "Growth Through Awareness"
"Growth through awareness" is a principle that underscores the significance of self-awareness and insight in fostering personal development. At Glenbrook Practice, it means recognizing the value of understanding oneself deeply – emotions, thoughts, and behaviours – to facilitate positive changes and progress. This principle is seamlessly integrated into their approach, especially through Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills.
DBT Skills and Growth Through Awareness
Glenbrook Practice's DBT skills training takes this principle to a new level by providing individuals, particularly teens, with a toolbox of skills that enhance their self-awareness, emotional regulation, and interpersonal relationships. Through mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and distress tolerance techniques, DBT empowers individuals to navigate life's challenges and embrace growth through heightened awareness.
In this collaboration, Path Start and Glenbrook Practice unite to illuminate pathways towards personal evolution. We invite you to explore our partnership's unique offerings, where expertise and experience converge to create a brighter, more informed future for all.
Stay tuned as we delve deeper into how "Growth through awareness" and Path Start's guidance can empower you on your life journey.
NOW LET’S DIVE IN…
Glenbrook believes in “Growth through awareness” can you elaborate a bit more on what that means to your practice and Clients?
"Growth through awareness" is a principle that highlights the importance of self-awareness and insight in fostering personal growth and development. In the context of Glenbrook's practice and clients, it means that they believe that individuals can experience positive changes and progress by gaining a deeper understanding of themselves, their emotions, thoughts, and behaviours by way of DBT skills.
To elaborate, here's how "growth through awareness" can be applied in practice:
1. Self-Reflection: Clients are encouraged to engage in self-reflection and introspection. By examining their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours, they can gain insights into patterns, triggers, and underlying motivations. This self-awareness helps them identify areas for growth and change.
2. Emotional Intelligence: Developing emotional intelligence is a crucial aspect of growth through awareness. Clients learn to recognise and understand their emotions, as well as the impact these emotions have on their thoughts and actions. By increasing emotional awareness, individuals can better manage their emotions and make more informed choices.
3. Identifying Limiting Beliefs: Awareness allows individuals to identify and challenge limiting beliefs or negative self-perceptions that may be hindering personal growth. By recognising and reframing these beliefs, clients can cultivate a more positive and empowering mindset, fostering personal development.
4. Behavioural Patterns: Awareness of one's behavioural patterns enables clients to recognise harmful or unhelpful habits and make conscious changes. It involves understanding the triggers, rewards, and consequences associated with specific behaviours, ultimately empowering individuals to adopt healthier, more adaptive ways of engaging with the world with DBT skills.
What is DBT therapy in summary and why DBT Skills works well for teens?
DBT, or Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, is a comprehensive and evidence-based therapy approach that combines elements of cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) with concepts from dialectics and mindfulness. It was originally developed by psychologist Dr. Marsha M. Linehan to treat individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) but has since been adapted to address a wide range of mental health issues.
Please note that all our programmes are skills-based and not a therapy programme. We use the skills component of DBT.
In summary, our Step-upp DBT Skills programme aims to help individuals develop skills to manage their emotions, improve interpersonal relationships, and enhance their overall quality of life.
It focuses on four key areas:
1. Mindfulness: DBT skills emphasise the practice of mindfulness, which involves paying attention to the present moment without judgment. Mindfulness skills help individuals become more aware of their thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations, enabling them to respond to situations in a more intentional and effective manner.
2. Emotional Regulation: Many individuals, including teens, struggle with intense and overwhelming emotions. DBT skills teaches skills to identify and regulate emotions, helping teens develop healthier coping strategies and prevent impulsive or self-destructive behaviours.
3. Interpersonal Effectiveness: Adolescence is a time of significant social and interpersonal challenges. DBT skills helps teens develop assertiveness, communication, and boundary-setting skills, enabling them to form and maintain healthy relationships, resolve conflicts, and navigate social situations effectively.
4. Distress Tolerance: DBT skills recognises that life is filled with distressing situations that cannot always be immediately changed. It teaches teens skills to tolerate distress, cope with crises, and find healthy ways to manage emotional pain without engaging in harmful behaviours.
DBT skills is particularly well-suited for teens due to several reasons:
1. Validation: DBT facilitators provide a validating and non-judgmental environment, which is crucial for teens who may be experiencing intense emotions and struggling with self-acceptance.
2. Skill-Building: DBT offers practical, concrete skills that teens can learn and apply in their daily lives. These skills are taught in a structured manner, providing teens with tools to manage their emotions, navigate relationships, and cope with challenges they face.
3. Developmentally Appropriate: DBT recognises the unique developmental stage of adolescence and tailors its approach accordingly. It addresses the specific challenges and issues faced by teens, such as identity formation, peer relationships, and emotional regulation, making it relatable and relevant to their experiences.
Overall, DBT skills works well for teens because it provides them with practical skills, validation, and support to navigate the complex emotional and social challenges of adolescence. By empowering teens to manage their emotions, improve relationships, and effectively cope with distress, DBT skills helps them build resilience, enhance their emotional well-being, and thrive during this critical stage of development.
What kind of results can one “achieve” through DBT skills? OR what results are you seeing through DBT skills?
Through the practice and application of DBT skills taught in our Step-upp programme for teens, individuals can achieve several positive outcomes:
1. Improved Emotional Regulation: DBT skills equips individuals with strategies to identify, understand, and regulate their emotions effectively. They learn to manage intense emotions, reduce emotional reactivity, and develop a greater sense of emotional stability.
2. Enhanced Interpersonal Relationships: DBT skills focuses on improving interpersonal effectiveness, helping individuals develop healthy communication skills, assertiveness, and the ability to set boundaries. This leads to more fulfilling and satisfying relationships with family, friends, and peers.
3. Reduced Self-Destructive Behaviours: DBT skills targets behaviours that are harmful or self-destructive, such as self-harm, suicidal ideation, or substance abuse. By providing alternative coping mechanisms and distress tolerance skills, DBT skills helps individuals reduce and eventually eliminate these destructive behaviours.
4. Increased Mindfulness and Present-Moment Awareness: By practicing mindfulness, individuals become more aware of their thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations in the present moment. This heightened awareness promotes self-reflection, reduces judgment, and enhances overall well-being.
5. Effective Coping with Distress: DBT skills equips individuals with specific coping skills to manage distressing situations, crises, and urges to engage in impulsive behaviours. They learn healthier ways to tolerate and navigate distress, leading to improved resilience and adaptive responses to challenging circumstances.
6. Enhanced Quality of Life: Ultimately, DBT skills aims to improve an individual's overall quality of life. By addressing emotional, relational, and behavioural difficulties, individuals can experience increased life satisfaction, improved functioning, and a greater sense of well-being.
It's important to note that the outcomes of DBT skills can vary from person to person, and the progress made depends on individual circumstances, commitment to skills training, However, the goal of DBT skills is to empower individuals to lead more fulfilling lives by acquiring and applying effective skills for emotional regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance.
How does Glenbrook support the relationship between teens and parents?
Glenbrook Practice recognises the importance of supporting the relationship between teens and parents. They aim to create a collaborative and supportive environment that involves both the teen and their parents or caregivers.
Here are some ways in which Glenbrook may support this relationship:
1. Family counselling: Glenbrook may offer family counselling sessions where the teen and their parents or caregivers participate together. Family counselling provides a safe space for open communication, understanding, and problem-solving. It helps address family dynamics, improve communication patterns, and strengthen relationships.
2. Glenbrook Practice offers a DBT for parents workshop (Parenting Dialectically)By providing psychoeducation to parents and caregivers about their teen's mental health challenges, developmental needs, and effective parenting strategies. This education helps parents gain a deeper understanding of their teen's experiences and equips them with tools to provide support, set boundaries, and promote their teen's well-being.
3. Parent Coaching: Glenbrook might offer parent coaching or guidance sessions to support parents in navigating the unique challenges of parenting a teenager. Parent coaching provides a platform for parents to discuss their concerns, receive guidance on managing specific issues, and learn effective strategies for communication, discipline, and fostering a positive parent-teen relationship. We offer a parent support group in Cape Town which runs once monthly.
4. Support and Resources: Glenbrook may provide resources, such as educational materials, workshops, or support groups, specifically designed for parents or caregivers. These resources offer additional support, guidance, and a sense of community for parents who are navigating the complexities of raising a teenager.
By supporting the relationship between teens and parents, Glenbrook recognises the significant impact that a healthy and supportive family environment can have on a teen's well-being and treatment outcomes. Through family counselling , psychoeducation, parent coaching, , and ongoing communication, Glenbrook strives to empower parents and caregivers to play an active role in their teen's process while fostering a positive and nurturing family environment.
How does DBT support teenagers in navigating and exploring their identity with greater ease?
The skills taught Step-upp, can support teenagers in navigating and exploring their identity with greater ease in several ways:
1. Self-Reflection and Mindfulness: DBT skills emphasises the practice of mindfulness, which involves non-judgmental awareness of the present moment. Through mindfulness exercises, teenagers can develop a deeper understanding of their thoughts, emotions, and values. This self-reflection fosters greater self-awareness, allowing teens to explore and define their identity more consciously.
2. Validation and Acceptance: DBT skills provides a validating and accepting environment. Teens are encouraged to explore and express their thoughts, beliefs, and values without judgment or criticism. This validation helps teens develop a stronger sense of self-acceptance and self-worth, enabling them to explore their identity with greater confidence and ease.
3. Emotional Regulation: DBT skills equips teenagers with skills to manage and regulate their emotions effectively. This emotional regulation helps teens navigate the ups and downs of exploring their identity, as they can better manage the emotional challenges that may arise during this process. By developing healthier coping strategies, teens can approach identity exploration with emotional stability and resilience.
4. Interpersonal Effectiveness: DBT skills focuses on improving communication and relationship skills. Teenagers learn how to express their needs, set boundaries, and engage in healthy relationships. These skills empower teens to navigate social interactions, seek support, and establish connections with others who share similar interests, values, or aspects of their identity.
5. Distress Tolerance: Exploring one's identity can be an intense and challenging process. DBT skills teaches distress tolerance skills to help teenagers effectively cope with the discomfort and uncertainty that may arise during this exploration. By building resilience and developing healthy ways of managing distress, teens can navigate identity-related difficulties with greater ease.
6. Value Clarification: DBT skills helps teenagers clarify their values, which are fundamental to shaping their identity. Through exercises and discussions, teens can identify what is truly important to them and align their choices and behaviours accordingly. This value-driven approach allows for a more authentic exploration of identity, as teens make decisions that align with their core beliefs and aspirations.
By providing tools for self-reflection, emotional regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance, and value clarification, DBT supports teenagers in navigating and exploring their identity with greater ease. It promotes self-awareness, self-acceptance, and resilience, enabling teens to navigate the complexities of identity formation and make choices that align with their true selves.
How do you feel post-school/career choice pressure affects the mental wellbeing of teenagers?
This is a huge factor in mental wellbeing of teenagers. They feel as if their whole life depends on this one decision. Accurate information and guidance would go a long way to reduce this stressful situation. Teenagers are as it is in the middle of trying to make sense of their path forward as individuals in the world and having some idea how studies, career choice and vocational training fits into this will reduce these stressors.
How do you think Path Start can contribute to improving and supporting mental wellbeing for teenagers?
Path Start is uniquely placed to step into this space, its online resources and personalized strategies will address the very issues that I have mentioned above.
How do you break down the stigma that teens often feel around having anxiety?
Firstly by acknowledging the fact that their anxiety is to be expected and normal under the circumstances. At the same time, the aim is not to stop all anxiety, because it is in-fact a driver of our motivations to move forward and achieve. The aim is for them to learn to manage this anxiety, to reduce it to manageable levels and then use it to achieve the goals they need to achieve.
Where and how can clients of Path Start work with Glenbrook?
Our teens programme and our adult programme are currently available both in Cape Town and Plettenberg bay.
Plett: The Mind Centre, Plettenberg Bay, Dr Judy Bently.
Cape Town:
We offer Step-upp for Tweens
Step-upp for Teens
DBT 9 week adult outpatient programme
Dialectical Parenting Workshop for Patents
Parent support group
BPD support group
Clients of Path Start can contact Joanna on
admin@glenbrookpractice.co.za
0832279771