Basma Kilani, M.A.

Basma Kilani, M.A., is a DBT-LBC Certified Clinician by the Linehan Institute from Amman, Jordan where she is Founder & Chief Specialist at the Maria Den Braven Mental Health Center. She is also the Managing Director of DBT-MENA, the BTECH affiliate in that region. Basma began studying DBT in 2008 as a graduate student at the University of Jordan. In 2016-17, Basma’s team completed DBT Intensive Training through British Isles DBT. In 2019, Basma was appointed DBT Ambassador in Jordan by Behavioral Tech/ Linehan Institute, Basma joined the BTECH training team as a Trainer in 2022; André Ivanoff serves as her training mentor. Basma became the BTECH Affiliate head for DBT MENA in 2021.

Basma hosted a Skillful Living Training in October 2020 , Foundational Training with Nick Salsman, and has presented in three DBT Intensives, two in the MENA region in 2020-21, and the other at Columbia University in 2021-22. Basma has a published Master’s dissertation on the prevalence of eating disorders amongst young adults in Jordan. Basma’s PhD research under Michaela Swales’ supervision is on the association between adverse childhood experiences and non-suicidal self Injury (NSSI) mediated by shame as well the implementation of DBT skills training in Jordan. She is also currently involved in survey research with 180 participants in the MENA region who have completed DBT Intensive Training. Basma is committed to the dissemination of DBT, not only in the Middle East, but across the globe.