Training Catalog

Purpose:

This overview of DBT and orientation to DBT training introduces stakeholders in behavioral service systems to Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and orients them to the training necessary to implement DBT programs.

Content:

The presentation describes the structure, components, and core strategies of standard DBT and orients participants to the training and implementation plan needed to establish these.

Length & Schedule:

2 modules that can be conducted in approximately 2 – 3.5 hours.

For Whom:

This high-level overview is intended for mental health professionals, administrators, and interested stakeholders who wish to acquaint themselves with the treatment and the proposed training and implementation plan. Prior knowledge of DBT is not required.

Core Description:

Those working with patients who have multiple problems and severe emotion dysregulation are often stymied by the complex clinical presentations and challenges that arise during treatment. Since its initial development in the 1980s, DBT has been shown to be effective for an array of problems related to emotion dysregulation. We know that severe emotion regulation difficulties result in persons facing multiple problems across many areas of life and that these problems manifest in a variety of ways. The principles of DBT were specifically designed for cases that often present therapists with novel challenges. One of the benefits of a principle-based treatment is that it can be versatile enough to accommodate the specific situations, cultures, and contexts of the persons it serves. DBT has been studied and implemented in multiple countries across the globe.

This presentation and discussion is a precursor to the world of DBT training. It consists of 2 modules. In the first, the dialectical nature of DBT is explained via the balance between change-based technology (behavior therapy) with acceptance-based principles (validation). It describes the structure and components of standard DBT and the manner in which these serve specific functions. It provides an outline of the program elements of DBT so that participants can begin to conceptualize how DBT might be implemented in their own programs. The second module orients participants to the comprehensive DBT training model, including expected milestones at which tasks are expected to be completed. It allows for discussion so that participant questions can be answered, and specific strategies can be identified to increase the likelihood of a successful implementation.

Teaching methods include lecture and treatment demonstrations to illustrate the principles and strategies of DBT, as well as discussion and a question and answer session.

Purpose:

The purpose of consultation is to provide personalized guidance to health care providers, administrators, or DBT treatment teams by being paired with a DBT expert who will assist with implementing the concepts learned in DBT training.

Content:

The DBT consultation is customized to the needs of each client, which may include case-based consultation, consultation on programs, DBT consultation teams.

Length & Schedule:

Determined on an hourly basis by the client and consultant.

For Whom:

Consultation services are appropriate for a wide range of active DBT clinicians and DBT programs.

Core Description:

Those working with patients who have multiple problems and severe emotion dysregulation are often stymied by the complex clinical presentations and challenges that arise during treatment. Consultation is intended to improve DBT programs and provision of treatment providing specific and advanced feedback on your practice of DBT. It can be particulalry helpful in increasing your effectiveness and confidence in working with challenging cases.

Consultation is a process in which the Client seeks advice or information from an expert source, the Consultant. DBT consultation sessions follow the same basic principles as DBT sessions: consultants work with the teams collaboratively to set an agenda and prioritize targets and the content of consultation sessions is matched to the specific treatment goals and skill level. Consultants use assessment strategies to gain a clear picture of the case-based or programmatic question(s). They also use both acceptance and change-based strategies to engage the team members in active problem-solving.

Below is a list of consultations services available:

Program Consultation
Centers on how to run, maintain, and participate in an effective DBT program. Consultants provide expertise on such things as meeting the functions of treatment in specific settings, when and how to adapt standard DBT with fidelity, running a sustainable and effective consultation team, incorporating outcome measures into your program, and ways to integrate DBT within the specific guidelines and policies of your organization. 

Function of DBT Consultation Team
Centers on how to effectively construct, maintain, and participate in a DBT consultation team. Consultants work with the team to enhance the DBT consultation team agreements and adhere to the structure of DBT consultation team so as to maximize the role of the team in increasing the skills and motivation of its members. There are many cases where teams with the best of intentions can find themselves stuck or in conflict. Consultants engage in assessment and identificaiton of problems in the team. Subsequently they provide feedback on ways to manage interpersonal conflict that may arise among team members, as well as assist with finding the synthesis in extreme standpoints.

Case-based Consultation
Centers on how to be an effective DBT provider. Consultants educate providers and/or teams on a range of topics. Examples include case conceptualization, commitment strategies, maintaining accurate emotion focus, identifying the function of behavior and emotions, behavioral rehearsal of DBT strategies, skills training, and incorporating family and ancillary providers into treatment.

Session Review
Review of your actual recorded treatment sessions is a valuable opportunity to receive micro-feedback on your session structure and appropriate use of in-session interventions and strategies. Consultants review recordings of treatment sessions; feedback takes place in the subsequent consultation session. You are encouraged to guide the consultant’s review by sending along specific questions or concerns, prior to recording review. Behavioral Tech will work with providers to support the secure, HIPAA-compliant transfer of session recordings.

Once consultation has been scheduled, the team or individual clinician is responsible for all preparations associated with hosting the consultation. Since most consultations are conducted remotely, these costs include means of telecommunication. In the case of onsite consultations, the team or individual clinician is responsible for the costs associated with consultation site room rental, catering (if needed), and audiovisual equipment, as well as travel-related costs that may include, but are not limited to, airfare, ground transportation, lodging, and meals for the consultant.

Purpose:

This training addresses adaptations to standard DBT designed to fill the gaps in practice between the treatment and service needs of people with co-occuring mental and substance use disorders.

Content:

This course provides in-depth training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy for individuals with substance use disorders (DBT-SUD). Orienting to what DBT-SUD is and how it differs from standard DBT will be addressed. The DBT-SUD treatment model, targets, and strategies are taught. The training will review how to teach skills specific to DBT-SUD.

Length & Schedule:

This course consists of 8 modules for a total of 12 instructor-led hours. Each module includes reading and homework tasks. Total participant time required for each module is approximately 2.5-3 hours.

For Whom:

The course is intended for those who have prior knowledge of DBT, and who want to learn how to implement a DBT-SUD program. Participants should have either completed Dialectical Behavior Therapy Foundational Training, Dialectical Behavior Therapy Intensive Training, or an equivalent alternative training before participating in this training.

Core Description:

Individuals with co-occurring substance use disorders (SUDs) and mental disorders (i.e., co-occurring disorders or CODs) are in great need for effective treatment. SAMHSA (2020, p. ix) states, “People with SUDs are more likely than those without SUDs to have co-occurring mental disorders. Addiction counselors encounter clients with CODs as a rule, not an exception.” SAMHSA (2020, p. ix) goes on to state, “Serious gaps exist between the treatment and service needs of people with CODs and the actual care they receive. Many factors contribute to the gap, such as lack of awareness about and training in CODs by addiction counselors, as well as workforce factors like labor shortages and professional burnout.”

Dialectical Behavior Therapy for individuals with substance use disorders (DBT-SUD) has a growing evidence base as an efficacious treatment and can serve to fill the gaps in training in the treatment of individuals with CODs. It is a treatment that explicitly targets reducing provider burnout. DBT-SUD involves a set of strategies that can readily be learned by trained DBT providers. Further, DBT-SUD can be incorporated into existing SUD treatment structures and systems.

This course can be provided onsite or remotely (online). The modules can be customized to the schedule of our clients, or it can be offered over 2 contiguous days. If the course is offered as a spaced modularized offering each module is 90-minutes, while a contiguous offering would have each module as 75-minute segments with additional segments to begin and close each day. Quizzes are included in each module, and are repeated as a final knowledge test at the end of the program.

This course provides in-depth training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy for individuals with substance use disorders (DBT-SUD). Orienting to what DBT-SUD is and how it differs from standard DBT will be addressed. The DBT-SUD treatment model, targets, and strategies are taught. The training will review how to teach skills specific to DBT-SUD. Additionally, the course will review how to apply standard DBT strategies including skills training, chain analysis and stylistic strategies to substance use behaviors. Clinical examples are used to illustrate procedures. Participants will learn key teaching points for the DBT-SUD skills. Video and demonstrations of interventions are incorporated.

Purpose:

The DBT Foundational Training is a comprehensive program of study designed specifically for individual therapists or skills trainers who are members of an established DBT Consultation Team and have not completed Dialectical Behavior Therapy Intensive Training themselves.

Content:

The course includes the foundational theory, conceptualization, structure, strategies, procedures, and protocols of standard DBT. It assists individual providers with the clinical work of DBT and becoming functioning members of DBT teams.

Length & Schedule:

The training consists of 20 modules for a total of 30 instructor-led hours. The modules can be delivered in 5 days of training. Each module includes reading and homework tasks. Total participant time required for each of the modules is approximately 2.5 – 3 hours beyond instructional time.

For Whom:

This training is intended for new members of existing DBT teams who are interested in providing DBT with a high level of fidelity to evidence-based models.

Core Description:

Since its initial development in the 1980s, DBT has been shown to be effective for an array of problems related to emotion dysregulation. We know that severe emotion regulation difficulties result in persons facing multiple problems across many areas of life and that these problems manifest in a variety of ways. The principles of DBT were specifically designed for cases that often present therapists with novel challenges. One of the benefits of a principle-based treatment is that it can be versatile enough to accommodate the specific situations, cultures, and contexts of the persons it serves. DBT has been studied and implemented in multiple countries across the globe.

DBT Foundational Training is meant to assist teams who have hired new staff or experienced turnover by allowing newer team members to get trained in the standard content of DBT. It includes 4 hours of content specific to risk assessment, management, and treatment of suicidal behaviors. Lecture, video, demonstration, and practice will be used to teach DBT theory and strategies in depth.

This course can be provided onsite or remotely (online). The modules can be customized to the schedule of our clients, or it can be offered over 5 contiguous days. If the course is offered as a spaced modularized offering each module is 90-minutes, while a contiguous offering would have each module as 75-minute segments with additional segments to begin and close each day. Quizzes are included in each module, and are repeated as a final knowledge test at the end of the program.

Purpose:

Providing milieu-based mental health services places high demands on systems and persons working within them. This is particularly true when working with persons with complex problems heightened by emotion dysregulation. This training is designed to teach staff ways to successfully address these complex problems. Among the specific items of focus, it is expected that participants will learn:

⦁ Effective ways to formulate the problems of residents in milieu-based treatment
⦁ Specific strategies to create a proactive treatment environment
⦁ Methods for increasing willingness to engage in skillful behavior
⦁ Strategies for coaching clients in the use of skillful behavior when in crisis
⦁ The goals of the four DBT skills modules: core mindfulness, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance
⦁ Specific DBT skills that are commonly used in milieu-based treatment
⦁ How to work as members of a milieu-based DBT team

Content:

Length & Schedule:

The course consists of 16 modules; a total of 24 instructor-led hours that can be configured according to the needs of the organization. The 16 modules are the equivalent of 4 days of training.

For Whom:

This training is designed for those individuals who provide sustained or routine care for individuals receiving DBT services in milieu-based settings. Individuals may work in various settings, including hospitals, residential treatment centers, juvenile rehabilitation, day programs, prisons, therapeutic schools, and group homes. The training is intended for persons who have various roles in these settings, and may include direct-care workers, line staff, nurses, probation and parole officers, guards, nursing assistants, milieu counselors, educators, care coordinators, case managers, and those who supervise and plan treatment.

Core Description:

Providing milieu-based mental health services places high demands on systems and persons working within them. This is particularly true when working with persons with complex problems heightened by emotion dysregulation. This training is designed to teach staff ways to successfully address these complex problems. Among the specific items of focus, it is expected that participants will learn:

⦁ Effective ways to formulate the problems of residents in milieu-based treatment
⦁ Specific strategies to create a proactive treatment environment
⦁ Methods for increasing willingness to engage in skillful behavior
⦁ Strategies for coaching clients in the use of skillful behavior when in crisis
⦁ The goals of the four DBT skills modules: core mindfulness, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance
⦁ Specific DBT skills that are commonly used in milieu-based treatment
⦁ How to work as members of a milieu-based DBT team

This training is designed for those individuals who provide sustained or routine care for individuals receiving DBT services in milieu-based settings. Individuals may work in various settings, including hospitals, residential treatment centers, juvenile rehabilitation, day programs, prisons, therapeutic schools, and group homes. The training is intended for persons who have various roles in these settings, and may include direct-care workers, line staff, nurses, probation and parole officers, guards, nursing assistants, milieu counselors, educators, care coordinators, case managers, and those who supervise and plan treatment.

The course consists of 16 modules; a total of 24 instructor-led hours that can be configured according to the needs of the organization. The 16 modules are the equivalent of 4 days of training. The training will use lecture and extensive clinical examples to illustrate the concepts being taught. Instructors will demonstrate application of the treatment and engage participants in exercises designed to foster application of strategies and procedures. Four of the 16 modules in this training provide an overview of the DBT skills modules of mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. If participants are familiar with that information by having attended a workshop such as DBT Skills Training: Introduction the training can be shortened by removing these modules. This would result in 12 modules of training, rather than 16.

Purpose:

DBT Intensive training is a comprehensive team-based program of study designed to provide teams with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide DBT. It serves as the entry point for clinicians to conduct standard DBT.

Content:

The course includes the foundational theory, conceptualization, structure, strategies, procedures, and protocols of standard DBT. It assists teams with the clinical work of DBT and the establishment of DBT programs.

Length & Schedule:

The length of the course can vary from 6 months to 1 year, and includes 60 hours of instructional time. Participants spend 2 separate weeks in training with instructors for a total of 10 days. The 2 weeks are separated by a minimum of 6 months to a 1 year.

For Whom:

Intensive training is intended for teams of mental health providers who are interested in implementing DBT programs with a high level of fidelity to evidence-based models.

Core Description:

Since its initial development in the 1980s DBT has been shown to be effective for an array of problems related to emotion dysregulation. We know severe emotion regulation difficulties result in persons facing multiple problems across many areas of life and that these problems manifest in a variety of ways. The principles of DBT were specifically designed for cases which often present therapists with novel challenges. One of the benefits of a principle-based treatment is that it can be versatile enough to accommodate the specific situations, cultures, and contexts of the persons it serves. DBT has been studied and implemented in multiple countries across the globe.

DBT Intensive Training focuses on both the establishment of comprehensive DBT programs and the clinical skills necessary to provide the treatment to persons with complex mental health problems. Intensive training in DBT includes 4 hours of content specific to risk assessment, management, and treatment of suicidal behaviors.

The program is divided into 2 main parts that are designed to guide teams to accomplish four phases of DBT program implementation in a single program of study.

Part 1 (Foundational; 30 instructional hours)
⦁ Preparation – self-directed readings and discussions
⦁ Knowledge Acquisition – instructor-led training
Part 2 (Practice Improvement & Sustainability; 30 instructional hours)
⦁ Implementation – completion of assigned homework, establishment of DBT program, and clinical case work
⦁ Practice Improvement & Sustainability – instructor-led consultation regarding programs, teams, and clinical work

In the Knowledge Acquisition segment of Part 1, lectures, demonstrations of treatment, and small group exercises are used to teach DBT theory and strategies in-depth. In the Implementation phase of the training that happens upon conclusion of Part 1, participants consolidate and apply what they have learned with the help of practice assignments that are intended to guide the implementation process. Teams design and begin to implement their own DBT programs or to integrate DBT into an ongoing treatment setting. Based on their work in the implementation phase of the training, each team receives expert consultation on specific cases and on their program in the Practice Improvement & Sustainability segment of Part 2, including protocols for specific treatment problems and adaptations of DBT.

Before reconvening for the final 20 modules of Practice Improvement & Sustainability: Practice in Crisis Intervention
During the implementation (homework) phase of the training, each team meets with one of the trainers to practice crisis intervention according to provided guidelines.

Practice Improvement & Sustainability
Part 2 of DBT Intensive Training involves a series of tasks in the service of implementing DBT programs and clinical work. Structured didactic training shifts primarily to consultation directed at the specific needs of the teams in training while addressing training targets and advanced topics. The Practice Improvement & Sustainability segment focuses on team-based consultation & advanced topics. Each team receives focused consultation from the trainers that is observed by all participants, and each consultation is followed by a discussion among the full group of participants. While the team has an opportunity to have its specific questions addressed by DBT experts, it is expected that the observation and discussion among the whole group will result in sharpening the assessment and intervention skills of all participants, and that vicarious learning will occur that will generalize across teams and programs. Consultations are based on program and team development documents and a case formulation that is prepared by each team. Trainers use the information from these documents, a knowledge exam, and the consultations that occur across Part 2 to assess the needs of trainees and weave advanced topics into the discussions of the consultations. The final module engages teams in a series of exercises designed to solidify their learning and to strategize ways to keep their learning vibrant over time.

Purpose:

This live instructor-led course is intended for those who are ready to make a serious commitment to the implementation of DBT Skills training in order to more effectively serve their program participants. Skills training is one of multiple modes of treatment delivery in comprehensive DBT. The focus of this course is limited to the skills training mode.

Content:

This course is an in-depth training in the Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Skills: Core Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness, as well as the structure and methods required to help patients move from skills acquisition to generalization of skills into their natural environments.

Length & Schedule:

This course contains 16 modules for a total of 24 instructor-led hours. The modules can be delivered over 4 days. Each module includes reading and homework tasks. Total participant time required for each of the modules (training segments) is approximately 2.5 – 3 hours.

For Whom:

This training is for individuals who intend to implement DBT skills training to fidelity. It is intended for those who have completed Dialectical Behavior Therapy Foundational Training, Dialectical Behavior Therapy Intensive Training, or Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Training: Introduction.

Core Description:

This course can be provided onsite or remotely (online). The modules can be customized to the schedule of our clients, or it can be offered over 4 continguous days. If the course is offered as a spaced modularized offering each module is 90-minutes, while a contiguous offering would have each module as 75-minute segments with additional segments to begin and close each day. Quizzes are included in each module, and are repeated as a final knowledge test at the end of the program.

Research indicates that DBT skills are a key mechanism of change for suicide attempts, non-suicidal self-injury, depression, and anger, and multiple randomized control trials have shown DBT skills to be effective for a variety of problems, including depression, emotion dysregulation, binge eating, and borderline personality disorder.

This training provides in-depth training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Skills: Core Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness, as well as the training methods required to help patients move from skills acquisition to generalization of skills into their natural environments. The intended purpose of the various skills and the rationale (including the evidence) for their place in the treatment are addressed. Clinical examples are used to illustrate specific skills training procedures. Participants will learn key teaching points for the various skills. Video of roundtable discussions of DBT experts, and demonstrations of a skills training class are incorporated.

Consolidation of knowledge from training requires preparation and tasks beyond the time spent with trainers. In order to maximize the return on the investment made in training, readings, homework tasks, and a knowledge test are built in. Pertinent readings and homework tasks are included in a description of the training segment included later in this document.

Participants should have Dr. Marsha Linehan’s DBT Skills Training Manual, Second Edition available during the training.

DBT skills training is one of 4 modes of standard outpatient DBT. For those who want to implement a full DBT program we recommend completion of the comprehensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy Intensive Training.

Purpose:

This live instructor-led workshop provides a high level overview of the four DBT Skills modules and the programatic delivery of these skills. Skills training is one of multiple modes of treatment delivery in comprehensive DBT. This focus of this course is limited to the skills training mode.

Content:

This introduction to DBT Skills Training introduces Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Skills: Core Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness. Participants learn about the function of skills training in DBT, the structure of a DBT skills training program, the goals and general content of each skills module, and the targets for DBT skills training.

Length & Schedule:

This workshop contains 8 modules for a total of 12 instructor-led hours. The modules can be delivered over 2 days. Each module includes reading and homework tasks. Total participant time required for each of the modules (training segments) is approximately 2.5 – 3 hours.

For Whom:

This workshop is for individuals who want a high level overview of DBT Skills. No prior knowledge of DBT is required. In depth knowledge of the skills training modules is not covered in this workshop.

Core Description:

This workshop can be provided onsite or remotely (online). The modules can be customized to the schedule of our clients, or it can be offered over 2 contiguous days. If the course is offered as a spaced modularized offering each module is 90-minutes, while a contiguous offering would have each module as 75-minute segments with additional segments to begin and close each day. Quizzes are included in each module, and are repeated as a final knowledge test at the end of the program. The workshop includes supplemental reading, homework, and quizzes estimated to be 9 – 12 hours beyond the scheduled didactic portion of the workshop.

Research indicates that DBT skills are a key mechanism of change for suicide attempts, non-suicidal self-injury, depression, and anger, and multiple randomized control trials have shown DBT skills to be effective for a variety of problems, including depression, emotion dysregulation, binge eating, and borderline personality disorder.

This introduction to DBT Skills Training introduces Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Skills: Core Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness. Participants learn about the function of skills training in DBT, the structure of a DBT skills training program, the goals and general content of each skills module, and the targets for DBT skills training. It also provides an overview of the manner in which DBT conceptualizes problems, as well as the behavior change, validation, and dialectical strategies used across all modes of the treatment. Clinical examples are used to illustrate specific skills training procedures. Video of roundtable discussions of DBT experts, and demonstrations of a skills training class are incorporated.

The workshop is designed for all mental health professionals who want get a high level overview of the four DBT Skills modules and the programatic delivery of these skills. Prior knowledge of DBT is not required; however, learning will be enhanced if participants are familiar with Dr. Marsha Linehan’s 1993 text, Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder, and the 2015 DBT Skills Training Manual, Second Edition. Participants should have the latter available during the course.

This workshop is a precursor to the world of DBT skills training. Those who want to fully implement a DBT skills training program are invited to follow this course with the DBT Skills Training: Fundamentals, which provides in-depth training in acquisition, strengthening, and generalization procedures of DBT skills. DBT skills training is one of 4 modes of standard outpatient DBT. For those who want to implement a full DBT program we recommend completion of the comprehensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy Intensive Training.

Purpose:

This live instructor-led course is intended for those who are ready to make a serious commitment to the implementation of DBT Skills training in order to more effectively serve their program participants.

Content:

Skills training is one of multiple modes of treatment delivery in comprehensive DBT. The focus of this course is limited to the skills training mode.

Length & Schedule:

This course contains 20 modules for a total of 30 instructor-led hours. The modules can be delivered over 5 days. Each module includes reading and homework tasks. Total participant time required for each of the modules (training segments) is approximately 2.5 – 3 hours.

For Whom:

This training is for individuals who intend to implement DBT skills training to fidelity. No prior knowledge of DBT is required.

Core Description:

This course can be provided onsite or remotely (online). The modules can be customized to the schedule of our clients, or it can be offered over 5 contiguous days. If the course is offered as a spaced modularized offering each module is 90-minutes, while a contiguous offering would have each module as 75-minute segments with additional segments to begin and close each day. Quizzes are included in each module, and are repeated as a final knowledge test at the end of the program.

Research indicates that DBT skills are a key mechanism of change for suicide attempts, non-suicidal self-injury, depression, and anger, and multiple randomized control trials have shown DBT skills to be effective for a variety of problems, including depression, emotion dysregulation, binge eating, and borderline personality disorder.

Participants learn about the function of skills training in DBT, the structure of a DBT skills training program, the content of each skills module, and the targets for DBT skills training. The intended purpose of the various skills and the rationale (including the evidence) for their inclusion in the treatment are addressed. It also provides an overview of the manner in which DBT conceptualizes problems, as well as the behavior change, validation, and dialectical strategies used across all modes of the treatment. The course is a hybrid model of the introductory and fundamentals DBT Skills courses offered by BTECH. It includes the first 4 modules of the introductory course and all 16 of the fundmentals modules. Clinical examples are used to illustrate specific skills training procedures. Video of roundtable discussions of DBT experts, and demonstrations of a skills training class are incorporated.

DBT skills training is one of 4 modes of standard outpatient DBT. For those who want to implement a full DBT program we recommend completion of the comprehensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy Intensive Training.

Purpose:

This training addresses adaptations to standard DBT designed to fill the gaps in practice between the treatment and service needs that are specific to adolescents with complex problems.

Content:

The training outlines the rationale for DBT with adolescents and their caregivers and provides a conceptual framework for addressing the complex problems of adolescents with pervasive emotion dysregulation. It details specific enhancements to standard DBT designed to address these
problems.

Length & Schedule:

This course consists of 12 modules (delivered over 3-days) and a 90-minute customized follow-up module several months after the initial training sessions for a total of 19.5 instructor-led hours. Each module includes reading and homework tasks. Total time required for participants to complete the training, including hours of instruction, reading, and homework is approximately 2.5 – 3.0 hours for each module.

For Whom:

The course is intended for those who want to implement and work in a DBT adolescent program. Participants are required to have completed the equivalent of either Dialectical Behavior Therapy Foundational Training or Dialectical Behavior Therapy Intensive Training and be currently engaged
in the provision of DBT services to adolescents and their caregivers.

Core Description:

Subsequent to the initial publication of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) with adults, one of the earliest developments the was the application of DBT for adolescents with multiple problems and high risk for suicide and self-injurious behavior. DBT for adolescents and their caregivers was developed by Drs. Jill Rathus, Alec Miller, and Marsha Linehan to address the complex and unique challenges that arise during treatment with these adolescents. This case-based training will provide an overview of the application of DBT to address the needs of adolescents and their environments, including a conceptualization of the problems faced by adolescents and their caregivers, with focus on multi-family skills training and structuring the environment of the adolescent. The instruction on skills training includes both structuring multi-family skills training classes and ensuring generalization of treatment gains throughout the environment. Attention is also paid to the nuances of individual therapy with adolescents and the impact of family involvement. This training includes 2.5 hours on suicide risk assessment and management with adolescents. This training is intended to be highly interactive. It is recommended that participants come to the course with cases of specific adolescents and caregivers in mind to apply, strengthen, and generalize what is learned. A case of one of the participants, developed during the training, will be chosen as the focus of consultation in the second to last module of the training. Those who wish to have their case considered may submit it using the worksheet provided in the learning management system (LMS) of the course.
This course includes a remote customized 90-minute module tailored to the needs of the group that is scheduled several months after the course is conducted. It is based on responses to the knowledge test and a survey of participants’ implementation of what is learned.
The teaching methods include didactics, case examples and demonstrations, behavioral rehearsal, writing exercises, small group discussions, and consultation on participants’ questions and cases. 100% attendance and a passing score of 75% is required on a knowledge test for successful completion of the course. It is assumed that all who register for the course are willing to both provide and receive consultation on their work from the trainers and other participants.

Purpose:

The purpose of this learning community is to help participants acquire knowledge to benefit from future training on DBT skills.

Content:

The readings and discussion focus on the role of DBT skills in a standard DBT program, structuring DBT skills training, and the content of the DBT skills modules.

Length & Schedule:

This curriculum-based learning community involves 16 guided discussions that we recommend completing on a weekly basis.

For Whom:

The curriculum is intended for groups of individuals who are interested in providing DBT skills training. It is appropriate for providers of mental health services and educators.

Core Description:

This learning community is a team-based guided self-study program that focuses on DBT skills training. It can also be facilitated by a DBT content expert assigned by Behavioral Tech.

What is DBT & what is required to become a DBT therapist?
To begin the journey toward becoming a DBT therapist we want to provide an overview that will help participants make an informed decision about pursuing DBT training. We recommend reviewing the information found on this page at BTECH:
https://behavioraltech.org/resources/faqs/dialectical-behavior-therapy-dbt/.

Team-based study-guide
Participants complete the Readings and Discussions according to the study-guide outlined below. We recommend individuals read on their own time and meet with their team to discuss. The curriculum is intended to break the readings into manageable sections with recommended discussion topics to facilitate comprehension of the material. The bold text in each entry is used to designate the readings in each of the Discussions below. In some discussion sessions different groups of readings can be chosen based on personal preference. In addition to the time required to complete the readings, please allow for a minimum of 30 minutes of discussion with the team for each topic/session.

Purpose:

The purpose of this learning community is to help participants acquire basic knowledge about DBT so that they can benefit from future DBT training that is focused on application of concepts and implementation of treatment interventions. The intended result is to create DBT consultation teams that will guide participants through the learning process and provide ongoing motivation and improvement of clinical work.

Content:

The curriculum-based guide identifies specific readings on the core foundations, structure, and strategies of DBT that form the basis for group discussion and practice.

Length & Schedule:

20 guided discussions that we recommend completing on a weekly basis.

For Whom:

The learning community is intended to be a team-based guided self-study program for those considering a serious commitment to learning what is required to implement a comprehensive DBT program.

Core Description:

This learning community is a team-based guided self-study program that focuses on preparation for DBT Intensive Training. It can also be facilitated by a DBT content expert assigned by Behavioral Tech.

What is DBT & what is required to become a DBT therapist?
To begin the journey toward becoming a DBT therapist we want to provide an overview that will help participants make an informed decision about pursuing DBT training. We recommend reviewing the information found on this page at BTECH: https://behavioraltech.org/resources/faqs/dialectical-behavior-therapy-dbt/.

Team-based study-guide
Participants complete the Readings and Discussions according to the study-guide outlined below. We recommend individuals read on their own time and meet with their team to discuss. The curriculum is intended to break the readings into manageable sections with recommended discussion topics to facilitate comprehension of the material. The bold text in each entry is used to designate the readings in each of the Discussions below. In some discussion sessions different groups of readings can be chosen based on personal preference. In addition to the time required to complete the readings, please allow for a minimum of 30 minutes of discussion with the team for each topic/session. It is recommended that individuals complete this at least 4 months prior to attending a DBT Intensive Training. Please note that while much of the required reading in this program contributes to the required reading for DBT Intensive or Foundational training, it does not constitute all the required reading. Additional readings are required if those courses are pursued.

Content:

The training reviews (a) how phone coaching fits into standard DBT, (b) the functions phone coaching services, (c) how to help clients generalize skills to everyday life, (d) how to effectively prepare for and get started with phone coaching, (e) effective skills coaching principles and approaches, and (f) ways to effectively address suicidal and therapy-interfering behavior in the context of phone coaching.

Length & Schedule:

This training will occur synchronously, delivered either remotely (e.g., Zoom) or in-person. The workshop will occur via a (a) a full-day training consisting of 6 hours of training, with two 15-minute breaks and a 60 minute lunch break, or two half-day trainings of 3 hours each, including 15 minute breaks.

For Whom:

The intended audience for this training includes clinicians with intermediate familiarity with comprehensive, standard DBT. Before enrolling in this training, clinicians must have completed the equivalent of 30-40 hours of formal, foundational training in DBT. This foundational training should have covered DBT theory, assumptions, principles, and structure; the four modes of DBT; core assessment strategies (e.g., chain analysis); core behavior change strategies (e.g., contingency management, skills training, cognitive modification, exposure strategies); DBT dialectical and stylistic strategies; skills training; and principles/approaches for the assessment and management of suicide risk.

Core Training Description:

This one-day training covers essential principles and strategies to help clinicians effectively navigate phone coaching in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT; Linehan, 1993a; 2015). Phone coaching (also referred to as telephone consultation) is one of the four components of standard, comprehensive DBT, along with weekly individual therapy, group skills training, and the therapist consultation team.
The primary aim of phone coaching is to help clients generalize behaviors and skills they are learning in DBT to situations in their everyday lives. When a client is having difficulty determining which skills to use or how to use them, they can reach out to their individual therapist for skills coaching. The individual therapist helps their client determine when and how to use skills to navigate challenging everyday life situations.
Although phone coaching is usually brief and effective, perhaps not surprisingly, this component of DBT raises concerns and worries among many clinicians. Clinicians often are unsure how they would navigate distressed client calls, remain available to their clients without interfering with their personal lives or walking down the path to burnout, or manage suicidal crisis calls.
The training will include a variety of learning activities, including didactic presentations, live and video demonstrations of core strategies, active practice exercises, and experiential exercises.

Purpose:

This training addresses the moment-by-moment steps involved in coaching the client to regulate an emotion.

Content:

This training will cover tips and strategies for managing common pitfalls in upregulating or downregulating each emotion to fit the facts. Participants will be shown how to troubleshoot to ensure the client has genuinely grasped the skill.

Length & Schedule:

This course consists of 8 modules for a total of 11 instructor-led hours, which is delivered over 2 days.

For Whom:

This course is intended for DBT and other therapists working with clients who have dysregulated emotions. This training is intended for mental health professionals who work in a therapeutic role and who would like to learn more about coaching emotion regulation. No prerequisites are needed to join this course, but it is advisable to have some previous training in DBT.

Core Description:

The role of strengthening and generalizing emotion regulation skills falls to the individual therapist. Clients may have read about emotion regulation or learned the skills in DBT skills training groups but still tend to over-rely on distraction or distress tolerance when these skills are called for in everyday life. In this workshop, participants will learn the moment-by-moment steps involved in coaching the client to regulate an emotion. The trainer will share some top tips on managing the common pitfalls in upregulating or downregulating each emotion to fit the facts. Participants will be shown how to troubleshoot to ensure the client has genuinely grasped the skill.

Purpose:

This training is intended to enhance specific therapist skills initially developed in comprehensive training in DBT.

Content:

This training focuses on enhancing skills in DBT problem solving, case conceptualization, and measuring outcomes.

Length & Schedule:

This training consists of 8 training modules for a total of 12 instructor-led hours. The modules can be delivered in 2 days of training.

For Whom:

Therapists who have completed the equivalent of either DBT Foundational Training or DBT Intensive Training, be currently engaged in the provision of DBT services, and want to strengthen their practice of DBT.

Core Description:

Many persons who complete comprehensive training in DBT (Foundational and Intensive Trainings) often experience great enthusiasm for the treatment and a sense of learning very important information about treating persons with complex problems. They also often report feeling overwhelmed by the amount of information and stymied in their attempts to apply what is learned. Many veterans of comprehensive DBT training find that facility with application of the treatment develops over time. This course is designed as a “next steps” training, specifically for persons who are interested in strengthening the skills they acquired in their comprehensive DBT training and subsequent clinical work to become more proficient in applying the treatment.
Topics:
1. Getting from goals to targets and from targets to solutions
2. Assessing controlling variables
3. Solution analysis: Cognitive modification
4. Solution analysis: Contingency management
5. Conceptualizing dialectical dilemmas in the treatment of borderline personality disorder
6. Considerations related to racism and culture in DBT skills training
7. Measuring outcomes in clinical practice
8. Effectively addressing secondary targets in DBT