DBT/SPARCS is the therapeutic foundation on which we base the services we provide to children at the Ranch. While I believe we overdo acronyms in the United States and especially in the behavioral health field, this is an acronym I can support since saying DBT/SPARCS instead of “Dialectical Behavior Therapy/Structured Psychotherapy for Adolescents Responding to Chronic Stress,” saves us all a lot of time.
DBT is a type of psychotherapy that helps people understand and accept difficult feelings. SPARCS is a strengths-based approach that addresses complex trauma, including issues with regulating emotions, relationships, and self-perception.
Children who have experienced complex or prolonged trauma, like the kids at the Ranch, have a view of their own emotions and their interactions with the world that is horrendously skewed. They may be over or under-emotional. They may be very quiet when they are scared, or even vomit when they become “too happy.” You may have heard of “triggers” where innocuous sounds, smells, or words, can create huge reactions. A child who has been abused in their bedroom at night may scream at the sound of a doorknob turning. Because nothing in their world had a predictable pattern to it, they developed alternate ways to survive in the chaos. DBT/SPARCS helps them regain their footing in their new realities.
Dr. Hannah Baczynski is our Therapy Manager and Psychology Lead at the Ranch. She is the banner carrier for DBT/SPARCS and provides ongoing training, prompts, and clinical oversight to ensure that we practice the methodology in all our interactions with the kids, not only in therapy. Part of her training is challenging each of us to understand and apply the concepts in our own actions.
A training newsletter she sent out last week had a section on SOS (another acronym!), a skill that helps us choose our response in distressing or stressful situations. It’s good advice for all of us.
“SOS is a way of centering yourself and getting yourself into your wise mind to make effective decisions. It is three steps. First, slow down. This means you take a couple slow breaths, stop moving around, and stop thinking. Second, orient to the present moment. Notice where you are and who is with you. Notice what is going on inside and outside of yourself. Feel your body touching the chair, ground, etc. Finally, self-check. Notice your distress from 1 (no distress at all) to 10 (the most distress ever). Then notice your self-control from 1 (totally in control) to 10 (totally out of control). Notice where you are on these scales, which might help you to make wise and effective decisions. At the writing of this email, I am probably a 3/1 (distress/control). Definitely in a place to make effective decisions.”
The amazing people at Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch work each day to help each precious child heal. I am grateful to work alongside Dr. Baczynski.
Please keep our kids and staff in your prayers.
In His love,
Joy Ryan, President/CEO
Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch
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