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Discover how starting dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) therapy can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.
1 therapist available in Williamsburg
My approach to all people is one of curiosity rather than judgment; as a clinician, I aim to listen and respond with objectivity a...
About
My approach to all people is one of curiosity rather than judgment; as a clinician, I aim to listen and respond with objectivity and directness as well as with compassion and understanding.
Lauren Darling is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with 8 years of experience in the mental health field. She has worked closely with couples, families, and individuals of all ages. Among adult populations, Lauren primarily works with women and LGBTQ+ individuals. She has worked with a wide variety of diagnoses and challenges including trauma, eating disorders, parenting, psychosis and dissociative disorders, addiction, self-harm, suicidal ideation, gender dysphoria, LGBTQ+ issues, personality and mood disorders, anxiety, and depression, with particular attention to complex childhood trauma including sexual abuse.
Lauren earned a Master's in Social Work at Fordham University. She gravitates most heavily towards cognitive- and acceptance-based therapeutic approaches and understands the value of a strong and trusting therapeutic relationship. Lauren aims to create a safe environment for clients to share openly by listening with curiosity and empathy.
Lauren is a strong believer that the most lasting and impactful change often comes from exploring the negative or unhealthy tendencies in our lives. As your therapist, she helps you identify and uproot your untrue beliefs. Lauren works best with people who, despite the discomfort, are willing to be vulnerable and hear honest feedback in order to grow.
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My go-to approach for helping people in therapy starts with getting to know you as a person and not just a client. I want to know about your life: What’s working, and what could be better? What are your hopes and dreams? What are your strengths? What are you passionate about, what brings you joy, and how can we build more of that for you? I use an integrative approach that explores how thoughts, emotions, and behaviors overlap and work to coax change in all of these areas to bring a better sense of life balance. Everything you share with me will help me to provide support and work toward solutions!
I often use a combination of the following tools in DBT: mindfulness, validation, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and many others.
I know a client is making meaningful progress in therapy when they start to recognize they are coping better or feeling less distressed.
Clients can supplement their time in therapy by staying mindful of their therapy and life goals. Sometimes our therapy sessions will have homework, such as tracking patterns and trying new skills, and the more invested clients can be in the therapy process, the better their outcomes are likely to be.
To prepare for your first therapy session, you can find a quiet, safe, comfortable space from which to join your telehealth session. The goal of the intake session is to collect information to inform future therapy services, so please be prepared to answer a lot of questions about your current concerns, mental and physical health, personal and family history, etc. I will ask you to tell me about what you are struggling with, but I also want to know the unique strengths and skills you already have! We will also begin to set goals to guide our work together. It's not unusual to feel a little nervous before the first appointment, and I will do my best to help you feel at ease. It is so important to find a therapist who is a good fit for you, and I welcome your feedback in that regard. I'm also happy to answer any questions you may have!
At Thriveworks, Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) primarily concentrates on assisting individuals in emotion regulation, enhancing interpersonal relationships, and acquiring effective coping strategies for managing stress and emotional difficulties.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) targets your personal challenges. You may work with your DBT therapist to maintain diary cards to monitor progress, emphasizing validation and support in the therapeutic relationship. DBT follows a stage-based approach, prioritizing crisis reduction initially and life satisfaction.
DBT was initially developed to address the needs of individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD). However, its versatile approach has enabled its application to a wide range of mental health conditions, including but not limited to, anxiety, depression, stress, and anger issues.
The 4 pillars of DBT are mindfulness, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance.
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) have distinct purposes and aren’t inherently superior or inferior to one another. DBT is most effective for managing emotional regulation, personality disorders, and interpersonal challenges, while EMDR is specifically tailored for individuals with trauma-related conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) with therapists at Thriveworks in Williamsburg, VA is conducted both in person and online by video. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you.
The duration of a standard DBT program is typically around 24 weeks, which is roughly six months. The actual number of sessions will vary depending on the issues you wish to address.
Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy
Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management
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