ACES - Accepting the Challenges of Exiting the Care System

Among my other roles here at Compass Point, I have the pleasure of leading the ACES group. ACES is a fairly new curriculum and group so there are always many questions. I am going to take them one at a time.

So the first question, what is ACES? ACES is a program developed for people that have done a full year of DBT but find there are still areas in which they could improve. It builds on the foundation of DBT. It’s primary purpose is to introduce the idea of building your life in such a way that you no longer need therapy. It can be scary to contemplate life without therapy when you have been in therapy for years. ACES is all about setting yourself up for success when you do graduate from therapy.

The second question, what kind of commitment is it? ACES 6:15-7:45 every Monday night for a year. There is an expectation to do homework every week and to be seeing an individual therapist weekly at the start of the program. The plan would be to decrease the individual therapy over time. The homework includes reading material and practicing skills.

Why so long? Most of you will have been in the mental health system for years. Making the change is a process and we want to set you up to not only succeed but thrive. For that reason the curriculum is pretty comprehensive. We spend a month on each on 12 important topics.

• Behaviorism-This helps explain why we and others do what we do.
• Mindfulness-DBT covers the basics but we talk through how to make it a lifestyle.
• Anxiety Management-Chronic anxiety is one of the most prevalent issues in western society.
• Emotion Regulation-Here we go deeper into how the emotion system works.
• Dialectics-Life is full of seeming opposites and extremes. We look at how to synthesize these to find the most effective path.
• Distress Tolerance and Radical Acceptance-How we deal with the facts even when we do not like them.
• Time Management-Time is our most precious commodity yet we struggle to use it effectively
• Depression Management-Like anxiety, depression is remarkably common.
• Interpersonal Skills-Improving your ability to relate to people is always helpful.
• Establishing and Re-Establishing Relationships-Effective relationships are a major predictor of mental health.
• Succeeding in Usual Care-What do you do when you no longer need a full mental health team to meet your goals and maintain progress?
• Anger Management-Anger can either spur us toward our goals or block us from them depending on how we relate to it.

 How do I know if it is right for me? Have you done a year of DBT? Then it might fit you. Are you currently seeing a therapist or would you like to? Then it might fit you. Has it been three months since you engaged in self-harm or acted on suicidal thoughts? Then it might fit you. Are there things on the list of topics that you want to improve on? Then it might fit you.

How do I get in the group? If you have a compass point therapist simply talk to them about doing an application and they can contact me. I will give them the application and let them know when the groups next open is. The group opens once a month but caps at 12 members. If you do not have a compass point therapist, you or your outside therapist can contact me at Compass Point or ask any staff to connect you with me for an intake to ensure you are a good fit for the group.

Please note this is a private pay group that charges $20 per week.
​

Contact info: 513-939-0300 ext 171 

Charity Chaney MA LPC

I have been providing therapy for a diverse group of clients for the past several years. I believe strongly in the power of therapy to help people make they changes they want to see in their lives. I take a strength based approach with all of her clients. i draws on diverse counseling models, including person centered, cognitive behavioral, play and expressive therapies, family systems, trauma focused child behavioral therapy, and dialectical behavioral therapy. continue reading