Chats with Trainers: Incorporating Dialectical Dilemmas into DBT Case Formulation

Tony DuBose, PsyD

Anthony P. DuBose, PsyD, serves as the Vice President of Institute Services and Director of Continuing Education/Continuing Medical Education (CE/CME) at Behavioral Tech Institute. His career has been shaped by a longstanding commitment to expanding access to effective care for individuals at high risk for suicide and self injury. Dr. DuBose first encountered Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) while working with hospitalized adolescents, and the transformative outcomes he witnessed set the course for his professional life. For more than a decade, Dr. DuBose has led Behavioral Tech’s global training and implementation efforts, working in close collaboration with professional associations, government agencies, and large healthcare systems to strengthen their capacity to deliver high quality, sustainable DBT services. In this role, he has guided teams of internationally recognized experts and partnered with leaders across multiple countries and U.S. states to design and implement large scale DBT training models. He plays a key role in the development of DBT training models, many of which have been translated into multiple languages and integrated into diverse cultural and organizational contexts. Dr. DuBose is known for his collaborative and strategic approach to implementation of DBT in systems, both large and small. He works closely with policymakers, administrators, clinical leaders, and key stakeholders to help them build programs that are both evidence based and responsive to local needs. His work reflects a deep respect for the communities he serves and a belief that effective implementation requires humility, partnership, and a shared commitment to improving care for people in crisis. He has trained and consulted with providers worldwide on the treatment of borderline personality disorder, substance use disorders, and suicidal and self injurious behaviors in both adolescents and adults. He has played a central role in several national and regional DBT implementation initiatives and continues to support organizations seeking to expand access to evidence based care. Dr. DuBose is a member of the International Dissemination and Training & Implementation Committees of the World Association for Dialectical Behavior Therapy (WDBTA) and previously served on its transitional Board of Directors as Treasurer. He is licensed as a psychologist in Washington State and is certified by the DBT Linehan Board of Certification (DBT LBC). He earned his doctoral degree in clinical psychology from Pacific University of Oregon, completed his predoctoral internship at Western State Hospital, and fulfilled his residency requirements as a postdoctoral fellow in clinical child psychology at the University of Washington. Prior to becoming a psychologist, he earned a Master of Science in counseling from Loyola University of New Orleans and worked as a family therapist. His early work with adolescents at the Child Study and Treatment Center—where he served as director of the older adolescent program—solidified his dedication to serving individuals at highest risk. Dr. DuBose is a Founding Member and former President & CEO of the Evidence Based Treatment Centers of Seattle, PLLC. He held clinical faculty appointments in the University of Washington’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Department of Psychology from 1998 to 2012 and collaborated with Marsha Linehan, PhD, ABPP, and colleagues on research focused on DBT, particularly its dissemination and implementation. He also served on the strategic planning group that established the WDBTA. He lives in Seattle, Washington in the United States.