Victoria Cane, MA, LCCP



DBT Kalamazoo

Phone Coaching Instructions for V. Cane

After-hours phone coaching is an integral part of DBT and is targeted towards helping clients generalize skills outside of the therapy office. Coaching is offered to Kalamazoo DBT clients while receiving comprehensive DBT (e.g: actively engaged in both individual therapy and skills training). Different therapists may have different parameters and instructions regarding providing their clients with coaching.

Phone coaching involves a brief (5-10 minutes) conversation by phone or text focused on helping you use a particular skill in a particular situation. Phone coaching is not about delving deeply into a problem or discussing/doing therapy. Phone coaching is not a crisis line, but a means for obtaining suggestions on how to use skills in times of distress. Phone coaching at its best should be able to be provided by any DBT therapist as it is not about knowing your full history, it is about getting right to the problem and helping you generate ideas about how to act skillfully in response to the problem. A metaphor for skills coaching might be the role of the batting coach. A batting coach can come in at any time, with any player and give them suggestions on their technique. Different coaches may come up with different ideas, but the aim is to help the player (client) ACT SKILLFULLY.

The expectation over time is that phone coaching will be used less as the client learns to integrate DBT skills into daily life. Each therapist will observe their own limits around frequency of calls and will discuss these limits with clients.

In DBT the purpose of coaching is to provide assistance before self-harm occurs and to avoid reinforcing unskillful behavior (e.g providing assistance after self-harm, which may communicate "the way to get my assistance is to self-harm"). Thus, if you have engaged in any self-harming behavior, the time for coaching has passed and we will not have coaching contact for 24 hours from the time of the behavior. If you require medical attention, call 911 or go to the nearest ER.

Text vs. Voice- different therapists have different limits. My limits are as follows: if the coaching request is relatively simple (no urges for suicide) and can be provided by text, then you may request coaching by text. If you are experiencing any urges related to suicide, my requirement is that we have a voice contact. If at any time I believe text coaching is ineffective I will discuss this with you and we will problem-solve together.

If I have reason to believe you are unable or unwilling to keep yourself safe (for example, you call for coaching reporting that you are having suicidal urges and do not answer when I call back AND do not call me back in a stated time period (usually 30-60 minutes) AND there is no emergency contact I can reach to check on you I will call on public safety (i.e Kalamazoo/Portage Police).

If you have engaged in eating disordered behavior (i.e restricting, bingeing, purging, etc), the purpose of coaching will focus on getting back on track immediately and following agreed upon contingencies (i.e making up any exchanges lost in a purge).

If you are calling/texting for coaching, the expectation is that you are willing to receive coaching.

Please be aware that during office hours (generally M-F 8am-4pm) my availability for coaching will be limited. I may contact you to provide very brief coaching and arrange a time to call back.

M-F I am available for coaching until 9pm. Weekends I am available 9am-9pm.

To reach me for coaching you may call or text me at 269/598-5861. State that you are seeking coaching and provide me with instructions on how to reach you over the next 3 hours.

There may be times when I am unavailable for coaching (vacation, illness, etc). During such times I will inform you and an alternate arrangement for coaching will be made (using another member of the Kalamazoo DBT team, agreeing to use other supports, etc).

I will generally return your call within 3 hours (except as noted above). It is my expectation that you will be skillful during the time you are waiting for a callback. If you don’t receive a call within 3 hours please call again. Phones and therapists are fallible.

Again, coaching is not a crisis line. If you are in immediate crisis or need medical attention call 911, the Gryphon Place Helpline at 211 (or 269-381-1510) or go to the nearest ER.

*Bronson ER- 601 John St. Kalamazoo, MI 269-341-7654

*Borgess ER- 1521 Gull Rd. Kalamazoo, MI 269-226-7000

SKILLS I WILL PRACTICE WHILE WAITING FOR A RETURN CALL FOR COACHING:

1.______________________________________________________________________

2.______________________________________________________________________

3.______________________________________________________________________

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