Northwest Passage engages programming specific to the needs of our clients. Although our clients are often referred because of behaviors that have been concerning to those who love them and problematic in their lives overall, most often it is their emotions that lie at the root of their difficulties. Often, our clients are those who have experienced extreme emotions and who often attempt to avoid distress by engaging in harmful behaviors (drug use, elopements, promiscuity, self harm, etc.). Therefore, we have integrated Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, or DBT, into our programming. This type of therapy differs from other methods because it focuses on emotions rather than thoughts.  DBT teaches people to look at areas of conflict in their lives and resolve them differently than they typically have in the past. Ultimately, this will help them discontinue those harmful behaviors. DBT focuses on the here and now, rather than what may have occurred in the past and includes instruction in areas such as: Emotional regulation -learning to change emotions and promote stable emotions Distress tolerance -learning how to put up with emotions that hurt but can’t be changed Interpersonal skills -learning how to appropriately interact with people to successfully get what you want Mindfulness skills -learning to be in the moment rather than always in your thoughts Meaning-making skills -identifying what is really important to you so that your behavior and plans are always tied to your values DBT typically includes one individual therapy session and one group therapy session per week. Both sessions focus on instruction of the necessary skills. Clients are also asked to complete homework assignments between sessions to help them maintain focus on the skills they are learning.