HEALTH & WELLNESS
Helping women regain control
Life can be filled with difficulties, and we all feel
pain, sadness or fear at times. For some people,
these emotions can become so overwhelming that
they are unable to function in daily life.
As part of its Women’s Program, Princeton House
Behavioral Health (PHBH) offers an Emotion Regu-
lation Program to help women in acute emotional
distress increase their self-compassion and coping
DR. MICHAEL skills and regain control over their lives.
As my colleague, Judith Margolin, Psy.D, Clini-
BIZZARRO
cal Director of the PHBH Women’s Program, notes,
“Sometimes, life just gets the best of us — we may
suffer as we struggle to regulate difficult feelings such as sad-
ness, worry or fear. We’re here to help these women increase
their self-awareness and understanding, and develop the skills
needed to compassionately deal with the difficulties they are ex-
periencing.”
Women admitted to the Emotion Regulation Program may
suffer from underlying depression, anxiety and bipolar disor-
ders. They are often experiencing overwhelming distress brought
on by life events, such as loss or relationship difficulties. The
program uses group and individual therapy; expressive thera-
pies such as yoga, art and writing; and family involvement, with
a focus on:
• self-compassion, including ways to move from self-criticism
toward more self-kindness and acceptance, and a greater
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sense of contentment and safety in life;
• dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), a highly effective way to
learn skills to deal with distress and overwhelming emotions;
• and mindfulness, which is the ability to be present in what’s
happening in the moment, in a nonjudgmental way.
Dr. Margolin relates that we teach clients to recognize that
while being imperfect, failing or suffering may be inevitable
in life, we can replace self-criticism with a kinder approach. If
you’re compassionate with yourself, you’re also more likely to di-
rect kindness and compassion toward others.
Women in the Emotion Regulation Program receive treatment
on a partial hospital basis (9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., five days per
week) or an intensive outpatient basis (9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.,
three days per week). The program also includes weekly visits
with a psychiatrist for management of medications and other
medical issues.
In addition to emotion regulation, the PHBH Women’s Pro-
gram also offers specialized programs in women’s DBT, trauma,
trauma and addiction, emotional eating and a teen girls’ pro-
gram. Programs are offered at locations in Princeton, Hamilton,
North Brunswick, Moorestown and Eatontown. d
To find out more about Princeton House Behavioral Health’s
Women’s Program, call 800-242-2550 (inpatient admissions) or
888-437-1610 (outpatient admissions), or visit www.princeton-
house.org/women.