A practical approach to applying DBT skills with primary aged students

Sonya Blandford – MEd (Guidance and Counselling) James Cook University. Guidance Officer – North Coast Region and Brisbane Catholic Education. Psychologist – Minds and Hearts.

Sonya is currently working part time as both a Guidance Officer and as a Psychologist in a Clinical Psychology Setting. She has previously worked as an Educational Psychologist in London, UK. Sonya has worked on regional projects in her interest areas of Early Childhood Team (0-5 years), Autism Spectrum Disorder and Behaviour Improvement. She enjoys working with her Animal Assisted Therapy dog Lulu in both school and clinical settings. Sonya has been working as a Guidance Officer for 23 years in both primary and secondary schools. She remains curious about practical strategies that can help remove barriers to children engaging with learning.

Sonya will be presenting:

• What Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is and how the skills can be applied in both Primary and Secondary schools.
• An introduction to some effective DBT strategies that have been used during 1-1 work at our primary school. Presenting some case studies to explain how learning and practicing the skills have helped some children develop their emotion regulation and conflict resolution skills.
• How the DBT group skills work was initiated, delivered and maintained in our large and busy primary school.
• Suggestions for evaluating groupwork effectiveness.