Imagine Recovery offers a 12-week Mental Health DBT Skills Outpatient Program (OP). This includes a three-hour therapeutic group and an individual therapy session weekly. Two licensed clinicians facilitate OP groups held on Fridays from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Additionally, we limit the group’s size to 10 clients. Every OP client has access to a licensed therapist for DBT phone coaching 12 hours every day.
Our OP Plus Outpatient Program (OP Plus) clients can enroll in mental health-focused PHP groups in addition to the OP services listed above. These additional groups allow those seeking outpatient mental health in New Orleans more opportunities to engage, learn, find community, and heal.
Below is an example of our daily schedule:
- Mondays 1:45 PM to 2:45 PM: Activity Scheduling and Goals group
- Tuesdays 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM: Mind-Body Medicine Skills group
- Tuesdays 12:15 PM to 2:45 PM: Psychodrama and Experiential Therapies group
- Wednesdays 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM: Narrative Therapy group
- Wednesdays 1:45 PM to 2:45 PM: Gentle Path group
- Thursdays 1:45 PM to 2:45 PM: Creativity group
OP and OP plus represent positive steps down for clients completing Intensive Outpatient services. As well, Outpatient programming signifies a positive step for adults seeking support with mental health issues or those without substance use challenges.
Imagine’s Outpatient Programs are transformative for individuals living with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, ADHD, OCD, and other mental health conditions. These can include borderline and other personality disorders, suicidal ideations, self-harm, process addictions, binge-eating disorder, PTSD and trauma-related issues.
“I am inspired by our clients’ bravery and courage to heal. Our clients come to us seeking relief from significant, daily distress. Oftentimes, our clients have found other treatment methods ineffective and express difficulty imagining a better life for themselves. They tell me they are stressed by chronic experiences of loneliness and unstable relationships. They tell me they are tired because it is exhausting to navigate daily highs-and-lows, intense urges, and lack of joy. DBT teaches our clients how to change their behaviors, thoughts, and emotions to build a life worth living. Our clients leave our program equipped with the skills necessary to meet their personal goals.” – Imagine Clinical Director, P. August Boyd, LCSW
Imagine Recovery’s DBT Skills Program Explores:
Emotion Regulation
The overall goal of emotion regulation is to reduce emotional suffering. There are several techniques available ranging from mindfulness to self-compassion. The goal is not to get rid of emotions, but better manage challenging ones. Some individuals will always be more emotional than others, and they can have tools to help balance soothe them.
Mindfulness
The goal of practicing mindfulness skills for most people is to reduce suffering and increase happiness. This can also help people be more present and accept things for what they are. For some, a goal of mindfulness is to experience reality as it is. For others, it can help them develop self-awareness, let go of the past or better understand their own behavior.
Distress Tolerance
These skills enable people to survive immediate crises without making things worse. They can calmly problem solve or stay rational during stressful moments. They can better accept reality when understanding they can’t change it and it’s not how we want it to be. Distress tolerance can also help people develop emotional maturity and patience as they won’t be as emotionally rattled by everyday circumstances.
Interpersonal Effectiveness
The basic goal is for participants to learn how to be effective in interpersonal interactions. This helps their interactions with others produce the outcomes they want. These skills teach participants how to achieve their goals without alienating the other person or losing their self-respect. Interpersonal effectiveness skills are also necessary for strengthening current relationships. Additionally, they are useful for finding and building new relationships. All module descriptions are derived from Marsha Linehan, PhD., ABPP, creator of dialectical behavioral therapy.
Outpatient Plus (OP Plus)
Imagine Recovery’s OP Plus mental health program encourages clients to customize their treatment by choosing groups that best fit their needs. We provide weekly participation in our dynamic and intentional groups—in addition to the Outpatient DBT Skills group. These allow those seeking outpatient mental health in New Orleans additional opportunities to find community, learn, interact, and heal.
During the 12-week program, clients attend group meetings Monday through Thursday for six weeks. They attend these meetings in addition to the Friday Outpatient (OP) DBT skills group. This is followed by six weeks of Friday OP group. Throughout the 12 weeks, clients receive individual therapy on a weekly basis. Then, they participate in phone coaching available 12 hours every day.
The OP plus groups we offer are:
Activity Scheduling and Goals
Mondays 1:45 PM to 2:45 PM
Imagine Recovery’s activity scheduling and goals group aims to enhance structure and accountability on a weekly basis. Our group utilizes the SMART goal format allowing the clients to create weekly goals falling within this format. In addition, we review the eight dimensions of wellness in each group to give members a clearer understanding of their weekly priorities and objectives. Group members can create daily structures aligned with their values and personal recovery. Lastly, they can create these structures while experiencing increased accomplishment and self-efficacy.
Mind-Body Medicine Skills
Tuesdays 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Our Mind-body medicine skills group focuses on the interactions and connections of the mind and body. This occurs by using various forms of concentrative and expressive meditations, as well as mindfulness. These skills and techniques help regulate the nervous system to better navigate life experiences. From shaking and dancing to autogenic training, Imagine Recovery integrates mind-body medicine skills in all groups to promote holistic, community healing, learning, and self-care.
Narrative Therapy
Wednesdays 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM
Narrative Therapy is founded on the idea that we make meaning of our lives through the stories we live out as we interact with each other. These stories are shaped and constrained by the stories that are carried in our social, political, and interpersonal contexts — the ideas in our culture that we take for granted as “reality” are carried in these dominant storylines. When we feel stuck in stories that don’t measure up on some cultural scale of performance, we can restrict the possibility to perceive a better life. Imagine Recovery’s Narrative Therapy groups aim to help people experience some of the alternative storylines that already exist in their lives that may have been overshadowed or forgotten — stories with themes and plots that are in line with more empowering, more satisfying, more hope-filled futures. Such stories are always there if we look for them. The goal is to explore alternative stories to better match who we are and want to be, bringing about positive change and better mental health.
Psychodrama and Experiential Therapies
Tuesdays 12:15 PM to 2:45 PM
Our psychodrama group views healing through an experiential and action-oriented lens. Throughout group sessions, members engage in a multitude of action methods. They can include role-playing, sculpting, and spontaneous dramatization to better understand and process their experiences. With these methods, group members can support one another via interpersonal challenges. For example, they can identify conflicting thoughts and emotions, and provide clarity for one another’s healing journey. Our group aims to empower members, enhance creativity in problem-solving, and embrace connection and fun. By practicing their own roles and those of others, group members can broaden their perspectives and leave sessions more confident.
Gentle Path Through the 12 Steps
Wednesdays 1:45 PM to 2:45 PM
Our gentle path group is informed by Patrick Carnes’ A Gentle Path Through the 12 Steps. It gives clients a user-friendly introduction to the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. The group emphasizes the earlier steps to help members get started and grounded in this aspect of recovery. For those more experienced in AA, it is both a review of some known information as well as exposure to fresh perspectives. Group members engage in open book discussions, and are offered a space to process their own personal experiences in relation to the material.
Creativity Group
Thursdays 1:45 PM to 2:45 PM
Creativity group allows members to process their healing journey through creative expression. Participants use clay, make collages, and use crafts to participate in a different side of recovery. This group also utilizes varying mindfulness modalities, offering group members a chance to find their preferred “mindfulness muscle.” They receive themes for their creations. Processing these themes while creating gives access to multiple parts of the brain, which allows room for new insights, observations, and expressions.
