Group Therapy

Our therapy groups are rooted in psychological research, facilitated by experts, and designed to maximize your support while helping you to build skills. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Skills group was originally developed as an effective intervention for individuals experiencing severe emotion dysregulation with chronic suicidality and self-harm. It has since been tested and proven effective for substance use disorders, intimate partner violence, and eating disorders.

Most of our therapists and patients would agree that the skills taught are life skills. We all use them daily! While at the University of Chicago, Dr. Ricciardi participated in clinical research investigating the efficacy of DBT for binge eating. Dr. Ricciardi has since completed the “10 Day Intensive DBT Training” twice, in addition to completing dozens of continuing education hours applying DBT to eating disorders.

All group members are committed to working towards abstinence of target behaviors (restricting, bingeing, purging, over-exercising, self-harm, etc.) while at the same time increasing skillful behaviors. Group members are required to participate in individual therapy in addition to the skills group. This can be with a therapist in the community or at the EDI. Members are encouraged to complete diary cards each day to monitor thoughts, feelings, behaviors and skills utilized.

Group members also have the option of utilizing phone coaching with therapists between groups to help generalize skills. Many of our group members tell us that it is invaluable being with other people who understand what it is like to have an eating disorder.

At the EDI, we offer a morning and evening option for DBT groups. Skills are taught in four, 8-week modules: Mindfulness, Emotion Regulation, Interpersonal Effectiveness, and Distress Tolerance. See below for the flyer of our next DBT module.

This comradery makes it easier to open-up, share and feel safe and understood. If you are interested in joining the DBT skills group, please give us a call or fill out the online contact form here.