Finally, An Effective Approach
to Reducing Self-Injury
Deliberate self-harm (DSH), otherwise known as nonsuicidal self-injury, is a challenging condition. Serious DSH, especially in people suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder, is often resistant to treatments. Indeed, a well-designed study of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), arguably the most effective treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder, found that DBT was no better than treatment by expert therapists in the community in decreasing DSH. Finding effective ways to treat DSH remains a challenge for most mental health practitioners.
The University of Mississippi Medical Center's Dr. Kim Gratz and Dr. Matthew Tull are two of the few clinical researchers in the world to take on this challenge by developing an effective treatment for DSH: Emotion Regulation Group Therapy. By combining aspects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Emotion-Focused Therapy, Drs. Gratz and Tull have designed the only treatment specifically designed to change DSH in adult females with Borderline Personality Disorder.
This group-based, modular psychotherapy focuses on improving emotion regulation, a central concern for people who engage in DSH. By directly challenging emotional avoidance, improving emotional acceptance and “willingness,” and focusing on controlling behaviors rather than controlling emotions, Emotion Regulation Group Therapy improves emotion regulation so that DSH is no longer needed as a way to regulate emotions.
Emotion Regulation Group Therapy is effective. Several trials have shown that this treatment effectively reduces self-injury in adult women who meet either subthreshold or full criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder. In a recent randomized controlled study, Emotion Regulation Group Therapy was found to be effective in addressing self-injury, emotion dysregulation, symptoms of borderline personality disorder, depression, stress, and quality of life when compared to only treatment as usual. In contrast to more intensive treatment protocols like DBT, Emotion Regulation Group Therapy obtains these outstanding results as an adjunctive treatment which consists of only 14 weekly 90-minute sessions.
Don't miss this excellent opportunity to learn more about Emotion Regulation Group Therapy. In the upcoming workshop, An Innovative Approach to Treating Self-Harm: Acceptance-Based Emotion Regulation Group Therapy, participants will learn how to conceptualize emotion regulation from an acceptance-based behavioral perspective, review current empirical support for an Emotion Regualtion Group (ERGT), and learn specific strategies for improving emotion regulation.
3.0 CEs available for Psychologists
3.0 CEUs available for LCSW/LSW/LCPC/LPC
