Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Ayme Turnbull

Second Advisor

Yosef Sokol

Third Advisor

Mark Sirkin

Abstract

Stages 1 and 2 of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which emphasize behavioral control and emotional experiencing, have received considerable operational and empirical attention, unlike the latter two stages of DBT which are meant to help individuals develop meaningful and fulfilling lives. CI-CT is a novel 12-week manualized group-psychotherapy intervention designed to enhance individuals’ connection to their life stories, future selves, and positive identities, while supporting the development of meaning-making and goal-directed behavior following suicidal crises and/or in the context of severe mental illness. This qualitative study explored 13 Jewish women’s experiences participating in a 10-session adaptation of CI-CT, following completion of a DBT-informed program that addressed the treatment goals of DBT stages 1 and 2, and how their experiences conceptually aligned with the treatment goals of DBT stages 3 and 4. Data were analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis approach, which yielded seven higher-order constructs: Values and Meaning Development, Values-Based Action, Autonomy and Personal Agency, Self-Understanding and Identity Development, Emotional Regulation and Coping, Relational Functioning and Interpersonal Change, Effective Integration of CI-CT Skills, and Challenging Aspects of the CI-CT Experience. Participants described increased clarity of values, greater engagement in goal-oriented behavior, a strengthened sense of agency, improved emotional regulation, and deeper relational bonds. They also reported developing a more coherent life story and a stronger sense of meaning and purpose. Findings suggest that further research is warranted to examine to what extent CI-CT facilitates recovery processes associated with DBT stages 3 and 4, including moving beyond symptom management toward identity development, values-based living, and life construction following the completion of DBT stages 1 and 2.

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