Thank you GreenMango
But how do I get the search to only look for people who offer DBT?
JimNelson
It's going to take some legwork on your end. To my knowledge there is not a BPD/DBT specialty referrals website for clinicians (If anyone knows of one please let the staff here know)
If you go into the either the
Psychology Today link
http://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/prof_search.php
you need to select "borderline personality disorder" under the issues menu. It does not have a DBT specific option. But therapists who have "experience" with BPD come up. Some use DBT, some don't. You need to check their individual profiles for a DBT specialty.
Through the dbt-self help link to
www.goodtherapy.org under the advanced search options you can select both your region and type of therapy dialectical behaviorial therapy. You will need to check if they are experienced with people with BPD.
Now both of these will pop up a variety of clinicians with varying degrees of experience, education, and philosophies. It is important to ask questions and interview the potential therapists.
This post from page one of this thread may be helpful as a starting point:
Maybe this could be made a sticky in case others ask :
From BPD Demystified , Robert O. Friedel, MD -
"John Gunderson described well the responsibilities of the primary clinician"
- Educate the patient about the nature and causes of Borderline Disorder
- Ensure that all appropriate evaluations are performed in order to determine the patients specific needs
- Develop with the patient a comprehensive treatment plan that best meets these needs
- Ensure the plan is implemented
- Routinely determine the patients safety and progress in treatment
- Implement changes in the treatment plan when indicated
- Ensure communication among other therapists, if any , who are involved in the patient's treatment
And from Stop Walking on Eggshells by Randi Kreger and Paul T. Mason, MS -
Asking the clinician questions designed to evaluate the persons competence at treating patients with BPD -
1. Do you treat people with BPD? If so how many have you treated? Watch the therapist's body language and tone of voice to determine their attitude about BPD clients. We suggest you avoid therapist's who do not hav a lot of experience with borderline problems.
2. How do you define BPD? If the therapist knows less than you do keep looking. If the therapist thinks BPD is part of another disorder that you do not have, move on. ( for example they may believe that BPD is really a form of Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder, yet you have no history of trauma.)
3. What do you believe causes BPD? If you are a non-abusive parent of a BP and the therapist believes all BPD is caused by parental abuse, we urge you to find a more compatible therapist. Also if the clinician does not mention possible biological causes, they are probably not up to date on the latest research.
4. What is your treatment plan for clients with BPD? Look for someone who can give you a clear overview of the treatment they provide, but who also says that treatment is modified for each individual. Therapist's who do not have a treatment plan tend to be diverted by BP's crises and never seem to get around to addressing long-standing issues.
5. Do you provide a specific treatment for self-injury? Substance abuse? Eating disorders? Loved ones of those with BPD? Substitute or add your own concerns here.
6. Do you believe that borderlines can get better? If so have you personally treated BP's who improved? According to Santoro and Cohen (1997), " what you want to hear is reasonable optimisim. No one can give you a guarantee( if they do, skip them). If they hedge their bets too much, it is probably better to move on to someone else." Make sure that you and the therapist share the same goals.
7. What are your views on medications? If the therapist is not a psychiatrist , ask who would prescribe them, if any are needed.
Hope this helps others. I am going to give this to my dBPDF if she doesn't have me go with her.
-GM
