DBT Intensive FAQs

The DBT Intensive program will enable a team to establish an effective DBT practice and build clinical mastery in the application of DBT.

Throughout this learning experience, participants will hone their clinical performance and learn through expert teaching, demonstrations of treatment, practice, and detailed interviews from a diverse range of DBT Experts. Teams will also learn through expert consultation.

Each clinician will 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 time commitment for your team varies, depending on what part of the program you are in.

Part A - DBT Foundational:

DBT Foundational is a self-paced course, broken down into 12 sections. We have deliberately designed the course with 'bite-sized' lessons to enable flexibility. You can complete the course content over a few days or in blocks of time spread throughout the 12-month access period.

Part B- Expert consultation:

During your program, you will also be required to attend sessions with your DBT expert (18 hours total), scheduled to suit your team’s availability.

A DBT consultation team also meets every week. This is true regardless of whether you are participating in the DBT Intensive program or are actively practicing DBT with your patients. 

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.

This program of study offers three distinct pathways: Foundational, Intensive, and Intensive Plus. The eligibility requirements and prerequisites vary based on the pathway in which you are enrolling. 

Foundational: This pathway is for individuals who are current members of established and functioning DBT teams with Intensively-trained, senior members. Your application will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• You work in an active DBT program and participate in a DBT Consultation Team that's been in existence for at least one year and meets weekly

• You are actively involved in clinical work and can immediately apply what is learned with clients NOTE TO SUPERVISORS: IF YOUR JOB DUTIES DO NOT INCLUDE THE DELIVERY OF DIRECT CLIENT CARE, DESCRIBE IN YOUR APPLICATION:

1. YOUR PLAN FOR HOW YOU WILL PRACTICE DBT STRATEGIES ASSIGNED AS PART OF DBT TRAINING AND CONSULTATION

2. THE CONTEXT IN WHICH YOU WILL BE IMPLEMENTING DBT AFTER TRAINING

• You have a mentor on your DBT team who met all requirements of a comprehensive DBT training at least two years ago

• You hold the legal credentials required in your local jurisdiction to provide mental health treatment

Intensive: This pathway is for teams of individuals who are, or intend, to function as a DBT program/consultation team. To qualify for this pathway, you and your team must meet these criteria: 

• Your DBT Consultation Team must have between 5 & 10 members

• You hold the legal credentials required in your local jurisdiction to provide mental health treatment

Note: If your job duties do not involve the delivery of direct client care, describe in your application:

• How you plan to apply DBT strategies assigned as part of DBT training and consultation

• The context in which you will be implementing DBT after training

Intensive Plus: The DBT Intensive Plus pathway is intended for mental health providers who do not have access to a DBT Consultation Team. Teams are created during the training that are intended to be the primary DBT Consultation Team for participants upon completion of the training. To qualify for this pathway you must: 

• Agree to participate as a DBT consultation team member for the duration of the program

• Hold the legal credentials required in your local jurisdiction to provide mental health treatment

Note: Each pathway has an application process. For the DBT Intensive Plus pathway, your information will be reviewed and we will seek to place you in an online team alongside other participants within a similar timezone. Your start date is not confirmed until we’ve placed you in an online team.

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.

Teams wishing to participate in the DBT Intensive training program must first register for their pathway and pay the program fee. You will receive an email confirming your payment which includes a link to complete your Enrollment Application form. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis to review your eligibility for the pathway.

Once your application is complete, you will be notified of your acceptance and select a start date. Enrollment is not complete until you have been accepted into the pathway you registered for.

For more information, please contact our team support@psychwire.com to discuss the enrollment process, payment options and how we can tailor the Intensive program to your organization or system.

Yes. Completing the DBT Intensive program leads to certification, and key members of the Linehan Board of Certification teach this program, ensuring the program's adherence to the Linehan DBT model. 

It’s important to note that completing the DBT Comprehensive online program does not automatically certify you in DBT.  Certification in DBT is a separate, voluntary process that can be pursued once all the prerequisites for certification are met. 

For more information on DBT certification and how to apply, visit the DBT Linehan Board of Certification.