Dialectical Behavior Therapy

This workshop is intended for therapists who are familiar with, as well as those with little or no previous exposure to DBT or cognitive behavioural therapy.

The format of the training includes lecture material, videos of treatment, and practice exercises to teach the principles and strategies of DBT.

Day 1

• A dialectical biopsychosocial theory of borderline personality disorder
• Structuring treatment for multi-problem, high-suicide risk clients
• Basic strategies used in individual DBT
• Enhancing & maintaining the therapy relationship
• Dealing with unrelenting crisis, applying behaviour change principles.

Day 2

• Application and practise of DBT skills of Mindfulness
• Distress Tolerance
• Interpersonal Effectiveness
• Emotional Regulation
• Group issues in DBT.

Day 3: Part 2 (Advanced skills and FREE BONUS: Radically Open DBT):

This workshop structure combines a focus on the more complex aspects of DBT, as well as a chance for clinicians to review some of their own complex cases and look at adherence to the DBT model.

1. Structuring the session

• Targeting & Case Formulation
• Behavioural chain analysis and solution analysis
• Contingency Management
• Stylistic Strategies

2. Managing life-threatening behaviours
3. Monitoring adherence and outcomes
4. Common pitfalls and problems and how to overcome them
5. Complex case review (clinicians will be asked to complete a case formulation prior to the workshop for discussion throughout the workshop)

Also, introducing a FREE BONUS INTRODUCTION to Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy

While Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (RO DBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) are both informed by dialectical philosophy and behavior therapy, the treatments differ substantially and aim to treat opposing ends of the self-control spectrum, or dialectic.

DBT aims to treat clients characterised by undercontrolled personality features such as impulsivity and emotional dysregulation with Borderline Personality Disorder as the quintessential disorder.

RO DBT aims to treat clients characterised by overcontrolled personality features such as emotional overcontrol and rigidity, with cluster A and C personality disorders (e.g. Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder) as quintessential disorders.

Learning Objectives. At the end of this training you will be able to:

• Explain why undercontrolled clients will likely benefit more from DBT and overcontrolled clients will likely benefit more from RO DBT based on the core problems of the clients and primary treatment targets of each treatment.
• Apply your new knowledge of the differences between undercontrolled and overcontrolled clients and DBT and RO DBT to client assessment and treatment allocation within your clinical practice.

Attendee experience levels: The workshop is intended for therapists who are familiar with DBT and may have already attended introductory workshops to this therapy.