IAN BARKER (He / HIM)

As a therapist training in DBT I look forward to assisting client s overcoming barriers that client's struggle with with patience, a caring presence and, commitment to working through issues. Working collaboratively with clients to address their barriers to building a life that they find meaningful with a thoughtful and validating approach.

RO-DBT treats disorders of overcontrol like anorexia, OCD, and chronic depression. It combines DBT with cultivating openness and flexibility. The core idea is that these disorders stem from invalidating childhoods that led to rigid coping strategies of emotional suppression. Overcontrol becomes maladaptive in adulthood, causing isolation and detachment. RO-DBT focuses on learning openness as an antidote - being receptive to new experiences, willing to share thoughts/feelings, and perspectives

DBT is the artform of combining opposites to form a more meaningful and fulling whole. The core components of DBT are individual therapy, group skills training, phone coaching, and a therapist consultation team. Skills taught include mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. DBT emphasizes validating and accepting one's current emotional state rather than suppressing it. Clients learn to accept their distressing feelings and changing unhealthy behavior