DBT Skills & Support: Outpatient
Programs for Parents and Caregivers

Asian woman in a brown blazer sits, smiling, talking on the phone, holding a notepad, in a well-lit office.

Your Guide to Outpatient DBT
for Caregivers & Parents

You are here because parenting an adolescent with intense emotions, mood instability, or high-conflict behaviors has left you feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and isolated. You need more than advice. That's why we focus on teaching practical strategies, because parents can benefit from concrete skills.

This page is the central resource for Outpatient DBT Programs designed specifically for parents and caregivers in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. These programs are flexible, evidence-based, and built to empower you with the powerful tools of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), helping you to reduce family conflict, manage your own stress, and create a calm, emotionally supportive home environment.

Choosing Your Path: Three Programs for Every Level of Support

Metro NY DBT Center offers three distinct programs to meet the needs of every parent and caregiver. You can choose the format that best fits your family's needs for schedule, privacy, and community.

Young woman with dark hair smiling, talking on a cell phone at a desk. A plant and pens are in the background.

Weekly DBT Skills Group (Structured Learning & Community)

The DBT Skills Group is a structured, ongoing program that teaches you the core DBT modules (Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness) alongside other parents. This format provides an invaluable community and a consistent learning schedule.

  • Format: Weekly, structured group sessions.
  • Focus: Core skills mastery adapted for family use; community support.
  • Ideal If: You thrive in a collaborative environment and want a consistent, weekly commitment to skills training.

Individual DBT Parent & Caregiver Coaching (Personalized & Confidential)

Individual Coaching is a private, one-on-one service that is highly personalized and tailored to your unique family dynamics. You work directly with a clinician to problem-solve specific, real-time scenarios and practice skills application.

  • Format: Confidential, one-on-one sessions with an expert DBT clinician.
  • Focus: Personalized problem-solving, skill application to specific conflicts, and strengthening your own emotional regulation.
  • Ideal If: You prefer privacy, need direct feedback on sensitive issues, and require maximum flexibility in scheduling and agenda.
Young woman with dark hair smiling, talking on a cell phone at a desk. A plant and pens are in the background.
Young woman with dark hair smiling, talking on a cell phone at a desk. A plant and pens are in the background.

The DBT Intensive Program (Accelerated Skills Training)

For parents seeking to jumpstart their skills learning in a concentrated timeframe, the seasonal DBT Intensive Program is the accelerated option. This program covers the full curriculum in just 7 weeks.

  • Format: Accelerated, 7-week cohort model.
  • Focus: Rapid mastery of all four core DBT modules and immediate application to family crises.
  • Ideal If: You need to learn the skills quickly and are ready for a strong commitment to attendance over a shorter period.

The Power of DBT

DBT is powerful because it is actionable. Our programs help parents move away from reacting to crises and toward responding with skill and validation. When caregivers and adolescents share this therapeutic language, it dramatically improves communication and reduces the emotional volatility that drives family conflict.

By focusing on you, the caregiver, we help you gain skills to manage better:

White flower-like design with dots inside a blue circle.

Your adolescent's intense mood swings and emotional outbursts.

White flower-like design with dots inside a blue circle.

Your own stress and feelings of burnout.

White flower-like design with dots inside a blue circle.

Breakdowns in communication and difficulty setting effective boundaries.

Enrollment and The Metro NY DBT Difference

Choosing Metro NY DBT Center means partnering with a team dedicated to providing the highest standard of evidence-based care. The first step for any program is always to schedule an initial consultation to ensure the program is the right clinical fit for your family's needs.

Call: 212-560-2437

Visit our Contact Page: Click Here

Asian woman in a brown blazer sits, smiling, talking on the phone, holding a notepad, in a well-lit office.

FAQ: Outpatient DBT Treatment for Parents & Caregivers

  • How is Parent Coaching different from the DBT Parents Group?

    Coaching is a one-on-one, confidential intervention tailored entirely to your specific family issues and challenges, offering maximum opportunity to apply skills and personalized problem-solving. The Group is a structured, weekly curriculum shared with other parents, offering community, skills and a collaborative learning environment.

  • My teen isn’t in therapy at Metro NY DBT. Can I still join an Outpatient Program?

    Yes, absolutely. All of our Parent/Caregiver programs are designed to equip you with skills to effectively manage your own reactions and better support your child’s behavior, regardless of where your child is receiving treatment.

  • What is the primary difference between a DBT Skills Group and a support group?

    Our DBT Parents Group is a skills group. Its primary focus is the structured, expert training in evidence-based DBT skills (Mindfulness, Validation, etc.) designed to change behavior and communication. The core purpose is learning and application of skills.

  • How do I pay for Outpatient DBT services?

    Metro NY DBT Center is an “out-of-network” provider. We do not participate directly with insurance panels. Clients are responsible for payment at the time of service, and we provide detailed invoices to help you seek potential out-of-network reimbursement from your insurance company.