What’s unique about David?

He is trained in both Dialectical Behavior Therapy(DBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).  He received his DBT training as a member of an intensively trained DBT program in Arizona.  He provided individual DBT sessions, group DBT skills sessions and phone coaching to clients.  He was also a member of a DBT consult team that met on a weekly basis.  All five factors (individual, skills, phone coaching, consult team and intensively trained team member) need to be present in order for someone to be receiving model adherent DBT therapy.

What is DBT?

It’s a third wave cognitive behavioral therapy developed to treat emotional dysregulation.  Originally developed to treat borderline personality disorder (BPD), it is now considered an evidenced based intervention for mood & eating disorders as well as substance abuse disorders.  Its philosophical underpinning rests on the concept of dialectics and dialectical philosophy.  Dialectical philosophy stands on the premise that all things are interrelated and in constant dynamic tension.  Our job as individuals is to find synthesis between these polarities.  DBT also emphasizes an explicit focus on skills that are taught in a group setting.  Group skills training consists of four modules.  The skills modules include mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation and interpersonal effectiveness skills. It takes about 8-12 months to get through the first round of skills.

What is EMDR?

David also specializes in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy (EMDR), a leading treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as recognized by the World Health Organization.  EMDR is an evidenced based treatment for PTSD and considered by the Veterans Administration (VA), alongside trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy, to be a first line treatment for trauma.  EMDR incorporates elements of psychodynamic, cognitive and somatic therapy.  EMDR has multiple applications beyond PTSD.