Nashotah Center for DBT Adolescent Residential Care

For any teenager, high school is a challenging period of life. Emotions are experienced more intensely than in any other period of life. For teens who may have difficulty regulating these emotions, who are experiencing severe depression, or who might be at risk for self-harm or have attempted suicide, Rogers' Nashotah Center for DBT Adolescent Residential Care may be the right place. 

The Nashotah Center is a 16-person program that features individualized treatment and planning. Teens are immersed in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) to effectively reduce symptoms. These skills lead to improved personal safety, relationships, self-esteem, quality of life and resilience—all within our validating environment, where adolescents are safe to explore change, express genuine emotions and better tolerate thoughts and feelings.

For motivated high school teens up to age 18, this treatment can address severe:

  • Self-harm, non-suicidal self-injurious behavior
  • Depression and other mood disorders
  • Anxiety disorders
  • Difficulties in emotional regulation
  • Perfectionism
  • Disordered eating
  • Struggles with managing interpersonal relationships
  • Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Nashotah is a name for “twin” in the Potawatomi Native American language. Our Nashotah patients may struggle with dual, conflicting thoughts, while valuing both. With our focus on DBT, we help patients accept doing the best they can, while acknowledging the need to try hard and make healthy changes. Open since 2014, our outcomes are demonstrating the positive impact of our evidence-based approach to care. 

At Rogers, we understand that if you are considering this type of treatment, there is a need for the intensive level of care only available in a residential setting. While here, the teens live on campus at Rogers’ Oconomowoc, Wisconsin location, in a comfortable, home-like setting. A typical stay lasts 60 to 90 days. 

In this level of care, we can reduce safety risks associated with emotional dysregulation and work to gain skills that will help teens learn how to manage personal conflict and symptoms of personality disorders, and decrease the risk of future traumas such as abusive relationships.

In addition to medication management, treatment includes 30 hours per week of skills training, group therapy, DBT-based experiential therapy and more within an individualized treatment plan. 

Immersion in DBT 

Led by a board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrist, a dedicated team of professionals is trained in the Marsha Linehan Institute’s model of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). These DBT skills serve as a foundation of care. Here teens build distress tolerance, improve emotional regulation, maintain safety, and learn non-judgmental personal acceptance and mindfulness in managing life’s challenges. DBT prolonged exposure may also be part of the individualized treatment plan. 

Other components of care include:

Family involvement is another key part of treatment, allowing for more effective treatment and easing the transition back home and to work or school. This includes family therapy and Rogers’ Friends and Family University, a program that educates parents about treatment, recovery, and how to best support their children’s mental health needs. Friends and Family University occurs twice a month for three hours per each session.

Here’s what an average weekday may look like.

 

Morning Afternoon Evening
Vital/weights; medications Supervised lunch Supervised dinner
Supervised breakfast Education services Therapy assignments; schoolwork
DBT homework review Physical activity Recreation
DBT skills group Experiential therapy DBT skills study
Group therapy   Phone time, family time
Mindfulness   Evening wrap-up group, mindfulness

Our treatment team members

The treatment team works closely together using a strengths-based, DBT-informed approach that allows patients to experience emotions with more awareness and acceptance so that they can develop healthier relationships and make real change in their lives. 

The entire clinical team is engaged in ongoing training in DBT therapy by Behavioral Tech, LLC, an internationally recognized training organization under the direction of Dr. Marsha Linehan, PhD. Staff participate in a weekly DBT consultation group, which ensures your child receives effective and compassionate care throughout her treatment stay. 

Members of the treatment team may include:

  • Board-certified child and adolescent psychiatrists
  • Licensed clinical psychologists
  • Pediatric, family practice and internal medicine physicians
  • Registered psychiatric nurses
  • Registered dietitians
  • Master’s level social workers/counselors
  • Therapeutic specialists
  • Experiential therapists
  • Art therapists
  • Certified teachers
  • Child and adolescent-trained residential care specialists

 

Nashotah Center for DBT Adolescent Residential Care setting and tour

Treatment Location 
  Oconomowoc, WI


This type of treatment is part of our residential care located on the more than 50 acres within a wooded and lakeside setting in the lake country of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.

The 16-bed facility is found on an updated wing of the main building. A soothing color scheme, inspiring photography on the walls and comforting décor create a homelike setting which includes semi-private bedrooms, group rooms and welcoming lounge area. The campus grounds feature walking trails, a ropes challenge course, labyrinth and a multipurpose and indoor experiential therapy buildings as an extension of treatment.  

CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO VIEW LARGER.

Bedroom

Day Room

Hallway

Central Gatering Space

Day Room

Day Room

Reading Nooks

Concerned your teen is struggling and could benefit from residential care?

Contact us to request a free confidential screening and learn more. Call 800-767-4411.

Free Screening

Quick facts

Learn more about emotional dysregulation symptoms, causes and treatment options.

Quick facts for emotional dysregulation

Successful Clinical Outcomes

Data collected before and after treatment shows Rogers' treatment works. View more successful outcomes.

Difficulties in Emotional Regulation Scale

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Next Steps

Inpatient Care

Inpatient care

We offer inpatient care to help you gain stability before safely entering lower levels of care.

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Depression recovery residential care

Depression Recovery residential care

You have options for structured treatment for depression and other mood disorders.

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Depression recovery outpatient care

Depression Recovery PHP/IOP care

Treatment during the day for your mood disorder help you improve symptoms and return to family.

Learn More

Share your Rogers experience

Have you or a loved one spent time at Rogers? We’d like to hear about your experience with us. Share your story.

Call 800-767-4411 or go to rogersbh.org to request a free screening.