Day Treatment Program in Atlanta, Georgia
Experience DBT is a comprehensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) day treatment program for teens ages 13-17 in Atlanta, Georgia. DBT is the evidence-based treatment of choice to reduce suicidality, self-harming behaviors, and symptoms of extreme emotion dysregulation. The treatment goals are for clients to reduce life threatening behaviors and increase skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, to feel and show empathy for self and others, and to establish and maintain relationships while living with their family.
About Our DBT Outpatient Day Program
Experience DBT is a partial hospitalization program for teens that can provide significant benefits for you and your family. Our Day Program provides an alternative to residential care and acute-level care for those individuals that require more than regular outpatient treatment can offer. Day programming can also be one of the most appropriate treatment options as the client transitions back into the home and community environment from higher levels of care.
Benefits of Our Outpatient Day Program
Day (or Partial Hospitalization) Program, as a level of care, has been studied and proven effective as an alternative to hospitalization in treating adolescents with severe emotional health problems. Additional benefits of participating in a Day Program as an alternative to inpatient hospitalization include keeping the client in the community and family settings, avoiding the stigma associated with psychiatric hospitalization, increasing treatment acceptability and lowering the cost of treatment.
As one of the few partial hospitalization program (PHP) programs specifically designed for adolescents within the Atlanta city limits, our location is easily accessible to the daily commuters from Decatur and all Metro Atlanta counties.
Day Program Treatment Services
An 8-week curriculum includes DBT skills and CBCT® (Cognitively-Based Compassion Training) groups, SEE curriculum, and allow for additional experiential therapeutic engagements such as Horticultural Therapy, Expressive Art, and Recreational Therapy.
Individual DBT Therapy, Family Therapy, Psychiatric care including any necessary medication management, and parent groups, are built into the weekly schedule to ensure individualized care and maximize successful treatment outcomes.
Who is Our Client?
Our Day Treatment Program is designed for adolescents aged 13-17 and their families.
Ideal candidates for this program are teens who can maintain safety within the home environment but require more intensive therapy and medication management than what regular outpatient services provide.
This includes adolescents experiencing:
- Severe depression
- Anxiety disorders
- Significant difficulties completing routine daily activities such as attending school due to ongoing psychiatric symptoms
- Exhibiting non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors (NSSI) or passive suicidal ideations
Most clients in our Day Treatment Program have had minimal hospitalizations. Additionally, teens who have completed more intensive treatment settings, such as residential or wilderness programs, and have made progress in stabilizing high-risk behaviors may find our program to be an effective transitional treatment for aftercare.
Eligibility for the Program & Admissions Considerations
To be eligible for our teen Partial Hospitalization Program, an adolescent must be identified with a behavioral health diagnosis and exhibit symptoms that require the level of intensity provided within the Partial Program, thus making the services medically necessary.
Admission Criteria
- The child or adolescent is undergoing an acute mental health episode or has a chronic mental health condition with worsening symptoms.
- A major stressor has led to a significant decline in their daily functioning.
- There is a documented history of suicidal behavior, including attempts, ideation, or self-injury.
- The individual requires a substantial change in medication that may risk further deterioration in their functioning.
- Consideration for diversion from hospitalization.
- Transitioning from inpatient care or residential treatment services.
Exclusion Criteria (assessed on a case-by-case basis):
- Primary diagnosis of substance use disorder, eating disorder, or conduct disorder.
- Exhibiting severe aggression in multiple settings.
- Diagnosed with an intellectual disability (i.e. having significant limitation in both intellectual functions and adaptive behaviors.)
What to Expect During Treatment
Treatment Length and Duration
Programming Schedule & Treatment Breakdown
Programming Schedule & Treatment Breakdown
Experience DBT activities offer creative and engaging ways for our therapists and staff to help our clients understand and practice DBT skills in real-world settings.
Each week of treatment includes:
- 12 hours of DBT (individual, core skills group, experiential group, and family sessions)
- 2 hours of Social Emotional and Ethical Learning (see below for additional information)
- 6 hours of supervised academic work
- 4 hours of Recreational Therapy (including art, and horticultural therapy)
- 10 hours of Milieu Therapy (including Compassion Skills, LIfesmart, Health & Wellness, Meditation)
For a total of 34 hours of Therapeutic treatment weekly.
As in any comprehensive DBT program, clients and their families are encouraged to use their DBT Coaching calls with their respective therapists during non-treatment hours, including evenings and weekends.
Day Treatment Curriculum
8-Week Experiential DBT Day Program Curriculum
Week 1 – Mindfulness Foundations
Participants are introduced to DBT skills training, biosocial theory, and core mindfulness concepts including the three states of mind and “what” and “how” skills. Experiential practices such as paced breathing and loving-kindness build awareness, while health education and recovery-oriented discussions support whole-person wellness.
Week 2 – Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills
Youth learn how relationships work and what interferes with connection. Skills including DEAR MAN, GIVE, and FAST are practiced through interactive exercises that strengthen communication, self-respect, and boundary setting, alongside school-based social skills and early addiction awareness.
Week 3 – Relationships, Dialectics, and Validation
The focus expands to thinking patterns, building and ending relationships, dialectical thinking, and validation. Participants explore balance, interdependence, and personal responsibility while continuing mindfulness practice and recovery-informed skill development.
Week 4 – Emotion Regulation Foundations
Youth begin structured emotion regulation work by understanding emotions, naming emotional experiences, and challenging common myths. Grounding, self-awareness, and self-validation are emphasized to support safety, stability, and resilience.
Week 5 – Changing Emotional Responses
Participants learn practical strategies for shifting emotional reactions, including checking the facts, opposite action, and problem solving. Values clarification, resilience stories, mindful movement, and nutrition education reinforce sustainable emotional health.
Week 6 – Building Stability and Reducing Vulnerability
Skills focus on strengthening daily stability through sleep, self-care, mastery building, coping ahead, PLEASE skills, and managing intense emotions. Mindfulness-based relaxation and community-reinforcement concepts deepen long-term recovery and regulation.
Week 7 – Distress Tolerance in Crisis Moments
Youth learn how to survive emotional crises safely using STOP, pros and cons, TIP skills, distraction, self-soothing, and imagery. Physical wellness and behavior-change strategies support safer responses during high-intensity moments.
Week 8 – Radical Acceptance and Moving Forward
The program concludes with reality acceptance, willingness, turning the mind, and mindfulness of thoughts. Participants practice adaptive coping, problem acceptance, and future-focused resilience skills to support continued growth beyond treatment.
Treatment Fundamentals
Treatment Fundamentals
Our teen treatment center program incorporates the following treatment fundamentals:
Social Emotional and Ethical Learning (SEE Learning)
- SEE Learning is an educational program developed at Emory University’s Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics that incorporates a research-based approach to educating both heart and mind.
- SEE Learning builds upon the best practices in social-emotional learning (SEL) programs and expands them to include new topics such as resiliency skills, the cultivation of compassion for self and others, ethical discernment, attention training and systems thinking. SEE Learning includes helping students cultivate ethical discernment and character as well as practical skills.
Treatment Modalities
Treatment Modalities
Hillside specializes in working with clients with mood & anxiety disorder, borderline personality traits/disorder, severe emotion dysregulation, self-harming behavior, over-controlled/perfectionism, suicidality, and clinically complex clients.
Our treatment modalities include:
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Psychiatric medication management
- Individual therapy
- Family therapy
- Family DBT Skills and psychoeducation groups
- Aftercare planning and coordination
Theraplay® and Radically-Opened DBT (RO-DBT) are offered as clinically indicated.
Meet the Treatment Team
Our treatment team has extensive experience treating adolescents with complex mental health symptoms, and we are highly trained in DBT.
Clients and families will work with a multidisciplinary clinical team. Our team is comprised of:
- Board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrists
- Master's-level licensed therapists
- Certified therapeutic recreational specialists
- Psychiatric nurse practitioners
- Nurses
- Other mental health professionals
Our treatment team has extensive experience treating adolescents with complex mental health symptoms. Our clinicians have been intensively trained in DBT and are seasoned DBT practitioners. We also have experience working with clients from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Hillside’s Experience DBT clinical focus is to provide comprehensive and intensive DBT treatment. The program is led by Elizabeth Lopez, LPC, RPT, an intensively trained DBT therapist, and Dr. Ranjan Avasthi, a board-certified child & adolescent psychiatrist. Our clinicians carefully designed our Experience DBT Day Program to be different from traditional adolescent Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP).
Elizabeth Lopez, LCSW, RPT
Day Program Director
Elizabeth Lopez, LCSW, RPT, is intensively trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and leads the Day Program, which is designed to provide comprehensive DBT treatment for teens struggling with emotional regulation, trauma, and mental health disorders. In addition to her DBT training, Elizabeth is also trained in Theraplay ®, DBT-PTSD protocol, and Radically Open-DBT (RO-DBT level 3). With a passion for empowering young people, Elizabeth utilizes evidence-based approaches to help teens develop coping strategies and improve their mental health. Dedicated to fostering a supportive environment, Elizabeth ensures the program is tailored to meet each individual's unique needs while also guiding a team of skilled professionals in delivering high-quality therapeutic services.
Ranjan Avasthi, MD
Board Certified Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist
Dr. Avasthi has served for the last 8 years as one of the state delegates to the National Assembly of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP). During this time, he served as a member of the Trauma and Disasters Committee for AACAP and was a part of the group recipient of the Catcher in the Rye award for their work. Dr Avasthi completed his residency at Morehouse School of Medicine and his Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at the Medical College of Georgia. He has served as an Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Morehouse School of Medicine since 2012. When he is not working, Dr Avasthi enjoys spending time with his wife and 3 kids. They love to garden, play sports, travel, and play music together.
Brittany Lewis , LMSW
Day Program Clinical Coordinator
Brittany Lewis, MSW, brings experience supporting teens and young adults across clinical, school-based, and community settings. Brittany demonstrates a passion and consistent focus on trauma-informed care for vulnerable populations who have historically been misrepresented and underserved across systems. Brittany graduated from Delaware State University with a Bachelor’s in Sociology.
After working with children and adults with developmental disabilities Brittany decided to pursue her master’s in social work at CUNY York College and was awarded the AKA HBCU Scholarship, the City University of New York Human Services Career Advancement Scholarship, the CNUY York College/OMH Mental Health Scholarship and the MSW Fund for Excellence Scholarship and proceeded to graduate Magna Cum Laude. Brittany went on to work as a Mental Health Case Manager on a youth ACT team, a Counseling Specialist in school-based settings, and a Trauma Therapist supporting adolescents and young adults impacted by acute and complex trauma. This foundation shaped her commitment to advocacy, equity, and empowering individuals and families to receive accessible, compassionate, and culturally responsive care.
Sara Wills, LMSW
Day Program Therapist
Sara Wills is a licensed master social worker with over 15 years of experience working with high-risk children and families. Holding a Bachelor's in Psychology, Sara spent a decade in nonprofit leadership advocating for vulnerable communities. Throughout her leadership career, Sara provided compassionate support and collaboration to improve the lives of children and families facing adversity. Later, Sara returned to earn her Master's in Social Work from the University of Georgia, where she gained experience in crisis response and providing evidence-based therapeutic services to adolescents and families. Outside of work, Sara enjoys spending weekends with her husband, cheering on their five children in various sports.
Amara Deverick, LMSW
Day Program Therapist
Amara Devericks, LMSW, is a passionate mental health professional with a Master of Social Work from Georgia State University. She was selected for the Georgia Department of Health’s Mental Health Scholarship Program, where she served as a Therapist and Mental Health Specialist in a high-need county.
Amara has three years of experience working with children and adolescents, including roles at Sarah Reed Children’s Center and Hillside’s Residential Treatment Facility. She is trained in DBT, CBT, and Mental Health First Aid, and brings a strong focus on diversity, inclusion, and youth empowerment to her clinical work.
Amber Jones, LPC
Day Program Therapist
Amber Jones is a Licensed Associate Professional Counselor (LAPC) who is passionate about taking a holistic approach to supporting children, adolescents, and families on their journey toward healing, personal growth, mental, and emotional wellness. She earned her undergraduate degree from Spelman College and holds a Master’s degree in Counseling from the University of Georgia. She brings empathy, insight, and intentional care to her work, creating a safe space for clients to grow and thrive. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with loved ones, traveling, and exploring new places, finding inspiration and balance through meaningful experiences.
The Experience DBT Day Program offers a comprehensive and skills-based curriculum intended to help our clients and their families learn and practice effective and healthy skills in their daily lives, in a real-world setting.
Arrange Experiential DBT Treatment for Your Teen
At Hillside, we offer Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) with highly trained therapists and individualized treatment services through four primary services: Residential Treatment, DBT Day program, Virtual DBT Intensive Outpatient Program, and Intensive In-home Therapy. Our programs utilize effective evidenced-based therapy by engaging our clients with interactive and experiential interactions such as recreational therapy and horticulture therapy.
If you're looking for a partial hospitalization program (PHP) near you in Metro Atlanta and Decatur, Georgia, look no further than Hillside's Experience DBT Day Program. Through DBT and Social Emotional Ethical (SEE) Learning, Experience DBT aims to help your child regulate their emotions, improve empathy and establish healthy relationships.
Referral Information
Referrals will be considered from any interested agency or party including, but not limited to, inpatient units, outpatient programs, schools, county mental health clinics, private mental health practitioners, and health professionals. Patients and Families may also self-refer.
If you are a provider and would like to make a referral, please see our Clinician referral page for all the ways to submit your referral.
Patients and families can fill out our admissions form.
Additional Behavioral Health Programming
Beyond our Day Program, Hillside provides additional intensive adolescent mental health treatment varying in levels of intensity to meet clients and their families where they are.
Day Program FAQs
Explore a few common questions we receive about our Experience DBT program and our answers:
