From left, Wendy P. Bamatter, Ph.D., Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth Executive Director Margie Daniels, and Paul Stein, Ed.D., Executive Director of Schools for Children and a member of the MPY Board of Directors. (Photo Courtesy Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth)
LEXINGTON — Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth (MPY) presented “Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills for Educators: Building Interpersonal Effectiveness and Emotional Resilience” on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at Minuteman High School in Lexington.
The seminar drew 110 attendees, who practiced ways to manage stress, set boundaries and navigate difficult conversations at school. Participants explored how to use Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills in their daily work with students, families and colleagues.
Wendy P. Bamatter, Ph.D., a licensed clinical psychologist and founding program director of McLean Hospital’s Child Partial Hospital Program, led the seminar. She previously worked as a staff psychologist in McLean’s 3East DBT Intensive Residential Program and works primarily with children, adolescents, young adults and their families.
Educators learned to recognize how stress can shape their reactions and practiced pausing before responding in a tense moment. They also explored how to express what they need while listening to someone else’s concerns, whether in a conversation with a student or a meeting with a parent.
Jennifer Crane, a Special Education and Evolutions Liaison at Wilmington Middle School, said she came away with tools she could use in her classroom and in her daily life.
“Applying what I learned will help me meet my students where they are while gently encouraging them to grow socially, emotionally, behaviorally, and academically,” Crane said. “The presentation also sparked my interest in learning more about CBT and DBT skills so I can continue to support my students. Thanks to MPY for making this valuable learning experience possible.”
Albert Muñoz, a school adjustment counselor at Shrewsbury High School, said Dr. Bamatter used relatable scenarios to explain complex DBT concepts.
“The most valuable part for me was hearing the numerous practical DBT skills that educators can begin implementing immediately in the classroom and beyond,” Muñoz said. “I especially appreciated how she modeled making these concepts accessible, which is something I hope to bring back to our educators within the district and beyond.”
For more information about the upcoming conference or other professional development opportunities, contact MPY Executive Director Margie Daniels.
About the Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth, Inc.
Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides training, fosters collaboration and develops programming to increase the health and safety of students. MPY is committed to bringing cutting-edge information and high-quality trainings to constituents and endeavors to provide solution-oriented, community-based, multi-disciplinary approaches to reducing and ideally eliminating risky behaviors for youth. MPY programming reaches nearly 6,000 educators per year in Massachusetts, spread across approximately 300 districts, with more than 190 webinars and over a dozen conferences and seminars.
Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth is governed by a Board of Directors made up of school superintendents, police and fire chiefs, and other community leaders who work closely with MPY staff to deliver this mission. To learn more, visit: massachusettspartnershipsforyouth.com.
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