DBT Comprehensive | Program Information

The  DBT Comprehensive online program was built to provide an exceptional learning experience in Dialectical Behavior Therapy for mental health professionals. The online program is intended to provide comprehensive training in the theory & application of the DBT model via an online learning format. 

All learning pathways include: 

• Video lessons from a diverse range of DBT experts 

• Detailed videos of therapy session demonstrations featuring expert analysis

• Exercises to practice new skills 

• Homework and reading assignments to assist you in applying learning 

• Animation to reinforce key points 

• A Resource Library filled with additional readings, research and bonus videos

Also included in the DBT Intensive and DBT Intensive Plus pathways: 

• Ongoing consultation and support from a DBT expert 

Throughout this online learning experience, you’ll hone your clinical performance by learning through expert teaching, demonstrations of treatment, practice, and detailed interviews from a diverse range of DBT Experts. You’ll learn how to help clients engage in new behaviors, generate hope and maintain commitment, and troubleshoot and address the problems that may hinder those commitments. The DBT Comprehensive online program will enable you to build clinical mastery in the application of DBT and to establish an effective DBT practice.

Completing the DBT Comprehensive online program does not automatically certify you in DBT.  The DBT-Linehan Board of Certification (the only certification board approved by Dr. Linehan) does not list any specific, approved training programs for certification. Instead they acknowledge that DBT Training can be obtained in a variety of ways, and they encourage those applying for certification to let them know where they received training. Certification in DBT is a separate, voluntary process that can be pursued once all the prerequisites for certification are met. 

 We can confirm that our DBT Comprehensive online program does satisfy key criteria needed for DBT-LBC certification. In the end, our impression is that at this time the DBT-LBC is more concerned with a potential applicant’s mastery of the content covered in a training and the CE hours obtained than the specific training that they have gone through.

 For more information on DBT certification and how to apply, visit the DBT Linehan Board of Certification’s website (https://dbt-lbc.org/). This is the independent group that sets the standards and manages the process for individual certification and DBT program accreditation. 

Intensive and Intensive Plus pathways only

• What is a DBT consultation team?  A DBT consultation team is a group of DBT providers who work together to treat clients. A team has 5 to 10 people, and it could include a combination of providers who may have different roles, professional credentials (e.g., psychologists also working on a team with a psychiatrist), and/or work in different locations.  

• Do I need a team to do DBT? Why?  Yes, you need a team! The DBT consultation team is a required part of the treatment. In order to be faithful to the DBT model and to truly do DBT, you need to be on a consultation team.  You can refer to Marsha Linehan’s Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder for a description of the important functions that the team serves in this treatment. 

• Why is DBT a team-based treatment? There can be immense pressure on a DBT therapist, often created by clients’ risk of suicide or self-harm. The DBT team is there to make sure that the therapist is not pushed out of doing competent treatment by pressure from the client, from themselves, or from the demands of the program pushing them outside of their limits. 

• How often do people meet with their DBT consultation teams? A DBT consultation team meets every week. This is true regardless of whether they are participating in the DBT Comprehensive Online program or are actively practicing DBT with your patients.  

• What does a typical agenda include for a  DBT consultation team meeting? A typical meeting might start with 5-10 minutes of mindfulness practice. The team will spend a few minutes to review issues and tasks from the week before, and then the focus turns to the needs of the team members. They will behaviorally define their problem or question, then ask the team for help assessing or solving the problem. A DBT consultation team meeting might also include video review to aid the development of members’ skills.   

Intensive and Intensive Plus pathways only

• What is consultation with a DBT expert? During consultation, you are paired with a DBT expert to discuss your clinical, team, and program goals and the challenges you face. The DBT expert is your consultant who provides guidance and recommendations to you and your team. Consultation sessions follow the same basic structure as DBT treatment sessions: the DBT expert collaboratively works with you and your team to set an agenda and prioritize targets. Then, consultation questions related to the targets are developed and clarified. The DBT expert and team then use assessment strategies to gain a clear picture of the clinical, team, or programmatic issue(s). A dialectical approach is then used to determine and implement solutions. Both acceptance and change-based strategies are used to engage the team members in active problem-solving. 

• How often does the DBT expert attend team meetings during the program? The DBT expert will join your team meetings on average every two weeks during the consultation period of your training pathway, but the exact schedule and frequency will vary based on the individual needs and preferences of your team and its members. We have designed the consultation schedules throughout the program to maximise flexibility and ensure that the unique needs of each team are being met.

• How will I be placed on a DBT consultation team? The Intensive Plus pathway allows individuals without an existing DBT consultation team to participate in  DBT Comprehensive training by matching them into a team with others who need a team. Teams are formed when we match participants to the day and time that is most convenient for them to meet for the weekly team meetings and DBT expert consultations.  This is dependent on the total number of participants enrolled in the Intensive Plus pathway, and their availability and timezone, along with our DBT expert trainers availability. We will contact you directly regarding your availability and preference for meeting times. Your start date is not confirmed until we’ve placed you in an online team.

• Who will be on my team? Your team will consist of others like you who are interested in becoming part of a DBT team. Your team composition may include members from all over the world.

• Can I change teams? Please contact Psychwire directly to enquire about changing teams or if you need additional support about your participation in the Intensive Plus pathway. Email: support@psychwire.com

• When will my DBT consultation team meet? When you apply for the Intensive Plus pathway, you will be able to select your program start date and nearest timezone. Your meeting date and time will be confirmed once you are accepted into the program. 

• How do the sessions work? You, your team & your DBT expert consultant will meet for 2 hours for the first introductory session and for a series of 60-90 minute team formation consultations throughout the following 12 weeks. You will work with a designated DBT expert who will guide you through the sessions and ensure you are set up to continue meeting weekly with your online team. After the completion of these Team Formation sessions, you will meet with your team for 1 hour per week online. You will need to plan ahead for a heavier workload in these weeks and it is a program completion requirement that you attend all sessions.