Dealing with Distress Day Program
About Dealing with Distress Day Program
This program is a 12 weeks skill-based group that covers a small portion of the core skills of our Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Day program (i.e., 24 weeks) and explores strategies to manage intense uncontrollable emotions and distress. This program is useful for people with symptoms of impulsivity, self-harming behaviours, relationship difficulties, emotional dysregulation, anger, low self-esteem and poor coping in stressful situations.
This program may be suitable for you if:
- Your emotions can fluctuate rapidly in a short span of time (i.e., emotion dysregulation).
- You can be quite impulsive and have a poor self-esteem.
- You often struggle to manage your relationships with others, and want to learn how to build and maintain meaningful connections with people you care about.
- You struggle to cope with distress, and want to stop unhelpful behaviours (e.g., self-harming, alcohol consumption) by finding alternative coping strategies to reduce your emotional pain.
- You are feeling overwhelmed with your daily tasks and want to learn how to get out of this cycle.
Program content
- Managing anxiety
- Managing depression
- Emotions management and regulation
- Coping strategies
- Reduce risky behaviours
- Alternatives to self-harming
- Dealing with distress
- Stress management
- Developing healthy self-esteem
- Borderline Personality
- Goal setting and relaxation
- Coping with change
- Changing unhelpful behaviours
- Mindfulness
- Maintaining relationship
- Fostering self-esteem
- Conflicts management
- Reduce impulsivity
- Responding to conflicts
What you will experience
In this program, you will participate in group sessions of between 8-12 participants that are led by Psychologists. Participants will be supported to share lived experiences, and to learn evidence-based coping strategies and skills. Each session focuses on exploring a practical skill that you will have time to practice before the next session, as well as shared with the group what you have learnt for feedback and input.
Treatment objectives
Objective 1
Structured Strategies to Cope with Distress – Reduce reliance on impulsive and risky behaviours by developing more strategies to cope with your distress in difficult situations.
Objective 2
Understanding and Managing Emotions- Learn how to respond and regulate stressful emotions more effectively via practical strategies and fostering radical acceptance.
Objective 3
Navigating Relationships – Explore strategies to build up your sense of self and getting your own needs met while also forming meaningful relationships with others.
Objective 4
Being in the Present Moment – Practice mindfulness skills to break away from rumination and negative self-doubting thoughts.
Objective 5
Understanding Thoughts and Beliefs - Learn about the different states of mind, and how to respond to your unhelpful thoughts and beliefs that can impact on how you feel and your sense of self.
What's included
Education
To develop or refine new skills and strategies.
Workbooks
To guide you though education, reflection and exercises designed to tackle your symptoms.
Action Plans
Step-by-step activities to help you put new skills into practice.
Progress Tracking
Questionnaires to help you monitor your symptoms and/or progress.
Check-ins
Support between treatments to help keep things on track.
Extra Resources
Tools to help you overcome common challenges.
How to get started
FOR NEW PATIENTS to access this treatment, we will need a valid referral from your general practitioner to one of our psychiatrists at South Eastern Private Hospital who will complete a preadmission assessment with you to ensure that the treatment is suitable for you. Referrals can be sent via our online referral on our website - www.southeasternprivate.com.au (i.e., under the referral section). FOR EXISTING MENTAL HEALTH PATIENTS to access this treatment, simply discuss with your treating psychiatrist at South Eastern Private Hospital who will then assess your suitability and if appropriate, will refer you to our day programs. General enquiries about this treatment can be made by calling 03 9549 0111.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who will find this program helpful?
People who are experiencing intense fluctuating moods, poor sense of self, relationship difficulties or conflicts, or who struggle to cope with distress. This may also include people who are impulsive or utilise self-harming as a coping strategy, a behaviour that is often associated with Borderline Personality Disorder. This program will also benefit people who are finding it difficult to cope with life demands, such as work, study, relationships, or caring for others.
How much dose it cost?
Patients are admitted as a day patient and as such, can claim their attendance via their health fund. Privately paying or funding via TAC/DVA are also an option. We ask that patients confirm any applicable out-of-pocket excess or gap costs directly with South Eastern Private Hospital by calling 03 9549 0111.
When does this treatment start, and how long does it take?
This treatment is designed to be completed within 12 weeks. Participants attend sessions every Friday from 9:30am to 12.30pm (date, time and duration can be subjected to change). Morning tea is provided. The intake of new participants for this treatment occurs every 4 weeks and is subjected to a waitlist. Please note that commitment and regular attendance is a requirement for this treatment and to minimise disruption to your recovery progress.
