For the public

Psychoeducational Workshops

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) Skills Training Group

by Tiaan Landman, Roxanne Zwart & Aliza Graham, Counselling Psychologists

What is DBT and what is the skills training group about? 

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is an evidence based treatment. DBT teaches individuals to accept thoughts, feelings and behaviours, as well as the skills to change them. DBT is especially effective for individuals who have difficulty in regulating and managing their emotions. DBT has also been proven to be effective in managing a wide range of mental health conditions. The skills training group is one of five treatment modalities in the DBT model.

What are the benefits of a DBT skills training group for people who face emotional and behavioural difficulties?

In the DBT skills training group, participants learn and practice four types of skills that can help them cope with distress, regulate their emotions, communicate effectively, and be more mindful of their present experience. 

The four modules are:

• Mindfulness: This module teaches us how to pay attention to the present moment, without judgment or distraction. Mindfulness can help people become more aware of their thoughts, feelings, sensations, and actions, and choose how to respond to them.

• Distress tolerance: This module teaches how to endure and survive painful situations, without making them worse by acting impulsively or avoiding them. 

• Emotion regulation: This module teaches how to understand and manage emotions, without being overwhelmed or controlled by them. The goal of this module is to assist  participants in identifying and naming emotions, reducing emotional vulnerability, increasing positive emotions, and changing unwanted emotions.

• Interpersonal effectiveness: This module teaches how to interact with others in a way that respects oneself and others, and achieves one’s goals. Interpersonal effectiveness skills include assertiveness, active listening, negotiation, and coping with interpersonal conflict.

By learning and applying DBT skills, participants can improve their quality of life, reduce their suffering, and enhance their relationships. Research has shown that DBT skills training group can reduce suicidal behaviour, self-harm, depression, anxiety, anger, impulsivity, substance use, and interpersonal problems, and increase social functioning, self-esteem, and well-being .

Can I participate in the DBT groups instead of individual therapy? 

To make DBT Skills training a more successful experience, we recommend that you remain in individual therapy too and inform your treatment team that you will attend skills training.

What is the duration of the course and where will the sessions be held? 

The DBT Skills training course will consist of 24 sessions in total, held over 26 weeks. The sessions will be held from February 2024 to July 2024, on a Friday morning from 09:00 - 11:00. The sessions will be conducted in-person at the Satori Health Centre (633 Windsor Road, Garsfontein, Pretoria). 

How will the group work?

The DBT skills training group will usually be led by two HPCSA registered psychologists and lasts for two hours per session. The group format allows participants to learn from each other, share their experiences, and receive feedback and support. Participants are also expected to do homework assignments and practice the skills in their daily lives.

What will I get? 

You will receive weekly training material and practice DBT skills within a group setting, as well as at home. During the sessions, tea, coffee and drinks will be provided. 

Want to attend the FREE information session on 26 January 2024 and meet the facilitators and find out more?

You are welcome to contact us via email: PretoriaDBTgroups@gmail.com and a booking form will be sent to you. 

Assertiveness Training

by Leandri Beyers, Clinical Psychologist

Do you avoid conflict? Do you find it hard to stand up for yourself? Do you tend to put other’s needs and feelings first, sometimes to your own detriment? Do you often feel disrespected or that people do not take you seriously? 

Do you often have anger outbursts where you then have to do damage control and sit with guilt? 

If you answered YES to any of these questions, Assertiveness Training is for you. 

What is assertiveness?

There is often the misconception that assertiveness means being aggressive. Demanding or steam rolling over people - this can’t be further from the truth. Assertiveness is a skill that allows you to clearly express your needs, opinions and feelings in a firm but gentle manner without infringing on the rights of others. It entails standing up for yourself by teaching others how to treat you in a way that is not condescending nor prescriptive. 

What is the training about?

The assertiveness training for beginners is a structured workshop that will equip you with practical skills that you can apply in your work context, at home and in your social circles. The training will be held over the course of two Saturdays and consists of 13 hours with lunch breaks in between. 

The program is the product of years of research and it has been specifically developed to suit your skill level. During the course of the training you will receive a workbook with eight different assertiveness tools and exercises to practice your new found skills. 

Reserve your space now by emailing admin@leandribeyers.co.za

Stress to Resilience

by Andre Swart, Clinical Psychologist

A meaningful, practical, professional and cost-effective workshop has been put together that incorporates the latest information regarding stress and coping mechanisms. Participants will be provided with information and practical methods which could help in managing daily stress, acute, and chronic stresses.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted us all, to varying degrees of severity, and will continue to do so for some time. We may not be able to change COVID-19 or other related stressors. However, what remains within our control, is how we deal with the associated psychological impact thereof!

Change requires us to adapt our behaviour towards meeting the challenges from our environment. For human-beings to be able to change their behaviour, stress is needed. The stress response is therefore, a normal human reaction which aids in facilitating  adaptive behaviours, in response to changing environments.    

However, when we are exposed to persistent stressors, the stress response may become overly activated and we start to experience chronic stress. This form of stress has a significant negative impact on physical and mental health. This may present in symptoms including: difficulties with sleep, lack of energy, changes in attention and memory, relationships challenges, and digestion issues may develop or worsen. In addition, escalation in chronic health conditions such as Diabetes, Cardiovascular, Arthritis to name a few may appear.

Chronic stress can be viewed as a warning mechanism to indicate that our current stress management strategies are no longer working. If we pay attention and adhere to the warning, we will be able to develop more effective coping mechanisms.

Generally speaking, human-beings are fantastic at responding towards change. We are meaning making machines and this allows us to adapt to life’s challenges. The more we understand the stress response in all its wonderful complexities the more we will be able to feel in control and develop resilience.

Resilience may be defined as the ability to recover or bounce back from adversity. Life is challenging, sometimes hard or even cruel and this will unfortunately never change. What is within our scope of control, is how we deal with the pain that comes with the challenges so that we may persevere and rise above our circumstances.      

This workshop is psychoeducational in nature and covers the following relevant topics:

·   Understanding the physiology of stress

·   Understanding the physical symptoms of chronic stress

·   How our thinking mediates the stress response

·   Understanding the stress response

·   Understanding the concept of resilience

·   Proven coping strategies

·   Training in physical relaxation techniques

On completion of the workshop, the participants will have all the necessary understanding and ability to prepare a comprehensive action plan towards resilience. 

Even though this training is done in the form of short lectures, the format is of such a nature that participants will be able to take what they need for their own unique circumstances. As such the old saying of “When we know better we can do better”applies.

Arrangements may be made via emailing Elmarie Horn at admin@satorihealthcentre.com 

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Group for Teens

by Tiaan Landman Counselling Psychologist

The group provides LGBTQIA+ adolescents the opportunity to explore various aspects of their identities within a safe, supportive space. Young people can process their experiences, their sense of self and how they relate to others in a meaningful way.

Objectives of group therapy include, but are not limited to:

• Navigating and understanding identity

• Understanding more about yourself and how you relate to others.

• Processing challenging experiences related to sexual orientation and gender identity

• Experiencing a sense of support from other group members

Group members are invited to share their experiences related to sexual orientation and gender identity with the group. It is important to take note that group therapy does not replace individual therapy.

Group therapy sessions are one hour long and take place weekly on a regular time and day at 633 Windsor Rd, Garsfontein, Pretoria. The time and day are yet to be determined. 

A screening process is required for group participation. Prospective members will be provided with a document requesting important information. The information will be used to determine whether the prospective member is suitable for the group, based on their needs and the needs of the group.

Get in touch via email if you are interested in joining the group tiaan.landman@satorihealthcentre.com

Continuous Professional Development Workshops

Interactional Pattern Analysis

The Interactional Pattern Analysis (IPA) is a PSYCHO-DIAGNOSTIC TOOL developed by the late PROF CHARL VORSTER. The IPA is not a therapeutic intervention, it is a tool which provides direction for a therapeutic process and a means for the clinician to monitor the progress of a therapeutic process.

The IPA creates a framework for identifying interpersonal variables which link directly with your specific client's presenting complaint. This enables the clinician to design a tailor-made therapeutic intervention plan for the client. The clinician becomes empowered in knowing where exactly the focus of therapeutic interventions should be to create maximum effect with therapeutic input.

This psycho-diagnostic tool fits with all therapeutic modalities and especially empowers the therapist who prefers to work from an integrative or eclectic approach to keep their therapeutic process focused on the therapeutic aims. It enables the integrative therapist to also know when to use which therapeutic tool (from different paradigms) effectively.

Couples Therapy

This is a practical hands-on course in couples therapy based on the Integrative Interactional Psychotherapy approach. The workshop will focus on optimising the interaction and communication between individuals in a dyadic relationship. This is a short term, powerful intervention that will effect significant change in two to six sessions. 

Training in the Interactional Pattern Analysis (IPA) is a prerequisite for this course.

Sex Therapy

This introductory workshop will focus on the most prominent sexual difficulties that present in clinical practice, specifically when working with couples. The knowledge and skills obtained in this workshop can also be used in individual psychotherapy to help individual clients with sexual difficulties or questions. Sexual difficulties that will be covered include: 

• Impotence

• Premature ejaculation

• Frigidity

• Inability to achieve orgasm

• Aversion to sexual engagement

Training in Integrative Interactional Couples therapy is a pre-requisite for attending this workshop.