Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an evidenced-based therapy that is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy. Dialectical comes from the idea that bringing together acceptance and change in therapy that will bring better results than either one alone. DBT requires a behavioral approach, which means that we assess the situations and target behaviors that are relevant to the goals of the person participating in services in order to figure out how to solve the problems in his/her life. DBT was originally developed for chronically suicidal individuals diagnosed with borderline personality disorders (BPD). Studies have since been conducted and demonstrated that DBT is effective for a wide range of other disorders and problems.
DBT has four parts:
- Individual Therapy
- Group Skills Training
- Phone Coaching, if needed for crises between sessions
- Consultation Team for therapists
DBT training will be comprehensive and cover all the necessary concepts to fully implement DBT in a county setting. This training requires active participation and will lead to an ability to fully practice DBT in the manner in which it is intended. DBT is a team-based process. Agencies who wish to implement DBT at their facility would need to identify team members who will be participating.
In preparation for the the training, you will be provided with two textbooks, which BHTP will provide. The books are:
DBT Skills Training Manual (2nd Edition) and
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder. Both books are by Marsha Linehan.
DBT is a two-part training series. Intensive DBT Part One is a three-day training where you will be introduced to the overview of DBT and learn about the skills and the skills group, the consultation group, and therapy. Intensive DBT Part Two is a two-day training where you will continue to learn about therapy, skills coaching, and ancillary treatment. Participates will receive 30 Continuing Education Hours for attending the training. The fee for the five-day training, which includes the books, is $350 for full members and $799 for partial and non-members.
Upcoming DBT Trainings
If your agency is interested in participating, please contact Joanne Tulachka at
tulachkj@uwgb.edu or 920.465.2117 to register for training. These training opportunities are not available on our website. You need to request the link to register and must be part of a new or established team to do so.