Are you queer, trans, and neurodivergent (QT+ND), and do you struggle with any of these?
- Emotion regulation
- Distress tolerance
- Masking, burnout, and autism or ADHD stigma
- Dealing with oppression around your queer, trans, and neuroqueer experience
- Understanding your neurospicy accommodation needs
- Finding a neuroqueer-affirming healing space
Check out Radically Queer DBT (RQ-DBT), an innovative conversational class format for learning DBT Lite skills.
What is RQ-DBT?
Radically Queer DBT is a bunch of life skills to help things be easier. It takes standard DBT and adds practices for queer resilience and neuroqueer accommodation. The goal of RQ-DBT is to enjoy the life you have built. This group is an interactive skills class— we learn skills together, and we interact socially in the class with other QT+ND people.
Standard DBT has 4 modules: core mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance. Radically Queer DBT takes these and adapts them for QT+ND needs, and adds QT+ND affirming frameworks and practices. For an illustrated overview, see The Cake of Radically Queer DBT. If you prefer something a little more buttoned up and academic, check out About Radically Queer DBT.
This RQ-DBT class is ‘DBT Lite’ because it is not ‘fidelity DBT’ for people in crisis. It is more of a life enhancement class for folks who have the basics covered and are benefiting from individual therapy, but want to add some specific skills for QT+ND resilience. This group is not a replacement for a higher level of care, such as an IOP program.
Who is this for?
RQ-DBT is for queer, trans, and neurodivergent adults 18+ who want some extra skills for self-regulation in a queer-, trans-, and neuroaffirming environment. Group members are not in acute crisis, have stable housing, and are in ongoing individual psychotherapy. This group is for people located in Oregon.
It is all right if:
- you have never done DBT skills training
- you have done DBT and you liked it, and you’d like to revisit the skills
- you did DBT and you hated it, but you’re open to trying it again if it’s specifically adapted for queer, trans, and neurodivergent folks
Group schedule and structure
This group meets online. The current plan is to meet for one hour, twice a week, on late weekday mornings. (Fill in the interest form to let me know which days and times work for you!)
Why twice a week for an hour? Compared with a 2-hour session, 1-hour sessions are easier for many people with executive function challenges. Meeting twice a week offers more continuity throughout the week and more time to integrate new learning.
This group will have up to 15 members. The group will open to new members for a few weeks and then close for 12 weeks. After that, the same cycle of opening and closing will continue.
Group sessions will be a mix of interactive lecture, guided conversation, and experiential skills practice.
How much does it cost?
The fee for each session is $80. I accept the following insurance plans:
- CareOregon/HealthShare (your insurance card says ‘HealthShare’ on it)
- PacificSource Commercial
- Jackson Care Connect
- Columbia-Pacific CCO
Private pay and superbills for out-of-network coverage are available as well. Some sliding scale spots are available for private pay folks; please ask if you need financial accommodations.
Who is offering this group?
Sasha Strong, PhD, LPC (they/them) has offered queer, trans, and neuroaffirming individual and group therapy in Portland since 2016. They have published and presented nationally on neuroaffirming and gender-affirming counseling practice and group therapy. They are queer, trans, and #actuallyautistic. They have special interests in mindfulness, group therapy, and DBT.
How can I join?
Fill in the interest form to let me know more about your experience & what timing works for you. I’ll reach out once there’s availability for new members, and we can set up a time to chat and see if it will meet your needs. Or get in touch if you have other questions.
Looking forward to hearing from you! 😄