DBT Phone Coaching: What it is and Why it Matters
By Dr. Alexander Chapman – The first part of a two-part series on Phone Coaching in Dialectical Behavior Therapy
DBT phone coaching is a core component of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), designed to help clients apply DBT skills in real-world situations. It involves the individual therapist being available to clients by phone between sessions to offer brief, skill-focused support.
DBT phone coaching is not therapy on the phone — it’s helping clients use skills when they need them most.
The primary goal of DBT phone coaching is to help clients generalize the skills they learn in therapy—such as emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness—to their daily lives. Rather than serving as a space for extended therapy, these calls are short, focused interventions that support skill use in the moment.
When Should Clients Use DBT Phone Coaching?
Clients may reach out for DBT phone coaching when they feel overwhelmed, are in emotional distress, or are facing a potential crisis (including suicidal urges). However, one of the most effective uses of phone coaching is before a full-blown crisis develops. Early contact allows the therapist to guide clients in using preventive skills, helping them avert escalation and build confidence in their ability to self-regulate.
Clients may also use phone coaching to address ruptures in the therapeutic relationship. A brief, skills-based phone conversation can support emotional regulation and help repair the relationship before the next session.
Common Concerns from Clinicians about DBT Phone Coaching
Many clinicians new to DBT express concerns about phone coaching. It’s not uncommon to worry about late-night crisis calls, dependency, or blurred boundaries. Given that clients with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) often struggle with emotional dysregulation and interpersonal challenges, these fears are understandable—but largely overestimated.
I’ve been giving workshops on DBT for over 20 years, and I still find that the idea of phone coaching strikes fear into the hearts of many clinicians.
In my own experience and those shared with me by my colleagues, we’ve found that the majority of DBT phone coaching interactions are brief, focused, and manageable. Calls typically last between 5 and 15 minutes and maintain a clear structure: identifying the current challenge and determining which DBT skills can be applied effectively.
Why DBT Phone Coaching Works
When implemented with clear guidelines, phone coaching is an efficient and rewarding aspect of DBT. Both clients and therapists report high levels of satisfaction. Clients appreciate the timely support, and therapists gain a real-time window into the client’s struggles—something traditional sessions can’t always provide.
Personally, I enjoy the direct, time-limited nature of these calls. They offer a satisfying, bite-sized opportunity to help clients through tough moments without veering into full therapy sessions. To borrow a (dated but accurate) analogy, a good DBT phone coaching call is like an old-school airline meal: neatly packaged, focused, and fulfilling.
What the Research Says About DBT Phone Coaching
Data reinforces what many DBT clinicians already know: phone coaching doesn’t overwhelm providers.
- A study of DBT for clients with eating disorders (Limbrunner et al., 2011) found that fewer than half used phone coaching. Among those who did, the average call lasted just 6 minutes, and most clients made fewer than five calls over 13 weeks.
- In another study of adults receiving 6 months of DBT (Oliveira & Rizvi, 2018), therapists received an average of 2.55 calls per client each month. Even the highest utilizers (79–143 calls over six months) made up just 11% of participants.
Bottom Line: DBT Phone Coaching Is a Vital, Manageable Tool
Despite initial hesitation from some therapists, DBT phone coaching is a valuable, research-supported strategy that empowers clients to use their skills when they need them most. It fosters independence, reinforces therapy gains, and offers therapists a unique opportunity to intervene early and effectively.
We’re excited to share that for the first time, Dr. Alexander Chapman -author of Phone Coaching in Dialectical Behavior Therapy– will be offering a brand-new, 1-day training focused entirely on DBT phone coaching! If you’re ready to deepen your skills and gain practical strategies, click here to register for the September 25, 2025 event.
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This post originally was published on November 8, 2019, and has been updated with new material.
Coming Up in Part 2:
Dr. Chapman will explore how to handle challenges when phone coaching doesn’t go smoothly—and how DBT provides clinicians with tools to manage these situations proactively. Stay tuned!
Alexander L. Chapman, PhD, R.Psych, Professor and Clinical Science Area Coordinator in the Department of Psychology at Simon Fraser University (SFU), is a Registered Psychologist and the President of the DBT Centre of Vancouver. Dr. Chapman received his B.A. (1996) from the University of British Columbia and his M.S. (2000) and Ph.D. (2003) in clinical psychology from Idaho State University, following an internship at Duke University Medical Center. He completed a two-year post-doctoral fellowship with Dr. Marsha Linehan (founder of Dialectical Behavior Therapy) at the University of Washington. Read his full biography here.
Disclaimer: The Behavioral Tech Institute blog is designed to facilitate the sharing of ideas, experiences, and insights related to Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). The content and views expressed in the articles, comments, and linked resources are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views, policies, or positions of Behavioral Tech Institute or staff. Content is provided for information and discussion purposes only and is not intended as professional advice. Contributors to the Behavioral Tech Institute blog are independent, and their participation does not represent an endorsement by Behavioral Tech Institute.
