5 Critical Ways The DBT Center For Trauma And Healing Is Revolutionizing Complex PTSD Treatment In 2025
The DBT Center for Trauma and Healing, based in Plymouth, Michigan, has solidified its reputation as a premier destination for individuals seeking evidence-based, specialized care for trauma and complex emotional challenges. As of late 2025, the center continues to stand out by integrating the gold standard of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) with highly advanced trauma-specific protocols, creating a unique and powerful pathway to recovery for adolescents and adults.
This specialist clinic is designed for those who feel overwhelmed by emotions, struggle with self-harm, or are navigating the debilitating aftermath of complex trauma (CPTSD). Their commitment to a trauma-informed care model and a comprehensive, never-one-size-fits-all approach ensures that clients receive tailored treatment that addresses the root causes of their distress, not just the surface-level symptoms.
Key Clinician Profiles and Foundational Entities
Topical authority in trauma treatment is built on the expertise of its clinicians and the fidelity of its programs. The DBT Center for Trauma and Healing's approach is grounded in rigorous training and a commitment to collaborative care through its Consultation Team.
- Lisa Neverdausky, LMSW, CAADC, C-DBT: A highly trained clinician whose background includes specialized training from leading experts like Dr. Alec Miller and Dr. Jill Rathus at the Behavioral Tech Institute. Her expertise is critical in ensuring the fidelity of the comprehensive DBT program.
- Stefany Franco, LLMSW: A dedicated clinician at the center who provides evidence-based treatment, focusing on grounding clients in practical skills for emotional stability and trauma processing.
- The Consultation Team: The entire clinical staff participates in a regular, mandatory Consultation Team meeting. This entity is crucial for maintaining treatment fidelity, preventing therapist burnout, and ensuring a collaborative, best-practice approach to complex cases, including suicidality and self-harm behaviors.
- Core Client Focus: The center is specialized in treating both Adolescents and Adults struggling with emotion dysregulation and trauma-related issues.
- Location: Plymouth, MI 48170.
The Integrated Treatment Model: Beyond Standard DBT
While Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is the foundation, The DBT Center for Trauma and Healing distinguishes itself by integrating multiple evidence-based modalities to treat the full spectrum of trauma-related issues. This multi-modal approach is essential for clients with Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD), who often require more than just standard skills training.
1. DBT Prolonged Exposure (DBT PE) for Severe Trauma
For clients who have achieved emotional stability through the initial stages of DBT, the center utilizes the highly specialized and transformative DBT Prolonged Exposure (DBT PE) protocol. This integrated, stage-based strategy is the cutting-edge treatment for severe and complicated PTSD.
- What it is: DBT PE is a protocol that combines the core components of standard Prolonged Exposure (a highly effective trauma-focused CBT) with the emotion regulation and distress tolerance skills of DBT.
- Why it’s unique: It addresses the entire spectrum of issues—from overwhelming emotions and self-destructive behaviors to the core trauma memories themselves—in a safe, structured manner. It is particularly effective for individuals whose trauma is so severe that they would be unable to tolerate traditional trauma processing without first developing the robust coping skills provided by DBT.
2. A Comprehensive Suite of Evidence-Based Modalities
The center’s commitment to an individualized approach means they draw from a diverse toolkit of effective therapies. This ensures that the treatment plan is precisely tailored to the client's unique story and needs.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Used to identify and modify negative thought patterns that contribute to emotional distress and maladaptive behaviors.
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): A powerful, evidence-based therapy used to help the brain process traumatic memories, making them less distressing.
- Family and Couples Therapy Theory: Recognizing that trauma impacts the entire system, the center incorporates relational approaches to heal family dynamics and improve communication.
- Child Development Theory: Essential for treating adolescents and adults whose trauma originated in childhood, this theory informs the approach to developmental repair and attachment issues.
3. The Power of a Trauma-Informed and Neurodiversity Affirming Approach
Trauma-Informed Care is not just a buzzword here; it is the fundamental philosophy guiding every interaction. This means the staff operates under the assumption that every client entering the door may have a history of trauma, and treatment is delivered in a way that avoids re-traumatization and prioritizes safety and choice.
- Focus on Safety and Trust: The first stage of treatment is always focused on building a safe, validating environment. Without this foundation, trauma processing is impossible.
- Neurodiversity Affirming: The center explicitly embraces a neurodiversity affirming approach, recognizing that conditions like ADHD, Autism, and other neurological differences are not deficits but variations that require a specialized, flexible therapeutic style. This is crucial for clients who have experienced trauma due to feeling misunderstood or pathologized in other settings.
4. Mastering Core DBT Skills for Lasting Stability
The comprehensive DBT program is structured to help clients master four critical skill sets, which are the building blocks for all subsequent trauma work. These skills are taught in both individual therapy and dedicated Skills Training Groups.
- Mindfulness: Learning to be present in the moment and observe feelings without judgment, which is a foundational skill for emotion regulation.
- Distress Tolerance: Developing the ability to cope with painful emotions and crisis situations without making things worse (e.g., without engaging in self-harm or impulsive behaviors).
- Emotion Regulation: Understanding and reducing emotional vulnerability, and learning to manage intense feelings effectively.
- Interpersonal Effectiveness: Learning how to navigate relationships, ask for what you need, and say no while maintaining self-respect and healthy boundaries.
5. Dedicated Focus on Complex Emotional Challenges
The DBT Center for Trauma and Healing specializes in the complex interplay between trauma and emotion dysregulation, which is often misdiagnosed or poorly treated in general mental health settings. They are experts in treating the symptoms that drive people to seek help, providing hope for those who have struggled for years.
Clients typically seek out the center for challenges including:
- Chronic feelings of emptiness or loneliness.
- Intense, rapidly shifting mood swings.
- A history of recurrent self-harm.
- Chronic suicidal ideation or attempts.
- Difficulty maintaining stable relationships.
- Symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) or severe mood disorders rooted in trauma.
By focusing specifically on the needs of the trauma population and using advanced protocols like DBT PE, the center offers a highly structured, compassionate, and ultimately effective path toward a life worth living. Their dedication to a collaborative Consultation Team and a neurodiversity affirming environment ensures that the care provided in 2025 is at the forefront of mental health treatment.
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