Marsha Linehan teaches
DBT Skills
Learn DBT Skills from the founder of Dialectical Behavior Therapy, with guidance from DBT expert trainers in a dedicated learning forum.
About the Course
Start date
Starts 25 August 2026Length
6 weeks | 15hrs total (12 Months Access)Who this course is for
For Mental Health & Health Professionals, CoachesOrganization Enquiries
Find out moreLearn DBT skills directly from Dr. Marsha Linehan, the founder of Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Her teaching offers a rare and trusted perspective on how these life-changing skills were originally developed - and how to use them with purpose in your clinical work.
This training gives you a clear, practical foundation in the DBT skills that help clients build lives they experience as worth living. It covers the four core DBT skills modules, Mindfulness, Emotion Regulation, Interpersonal Effectiveness, and Distress Tolerance, giving you a strong foundation for real-world practice.
You don’t need to be a DBT therapist to use DBT skills. These skills can be used in a wide range of settings - and taught in ways that suit your clinical style and your clients’ needs, making them practical tools for everyday therapy.
Why Learn DBT Skills?
DBT skills were created to directly address the problems many clients struggle with most - emotional overwhelm, impulsive behavior, interpersonal conflict, and feeling stuck in suffering. These aren’t just therapeutic techniques - they’re life skills.
$440
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Learn From Leading Experts in DBT
This course is led by Dr. Marsha Linehan, the creator of Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Her direct teaching offers rare insight into how DBT skills were developed and how to apply them.
You’ll also learn from internationally recognized DBT experts:
Alec Miller, DBT trainer and co-developer of DBT for adolescents and the DBT Skills in Schools program
Elizabeth Dexter-Mazza, DBT expert and co-author of DBT Skills in Schools
Together, with contributions from Jill Rathus, co-developer of DBT for adolescents, and Melanie Harned, developer of DBT for PTSD, they offer clinical wisdom and practical guidance from years of research, training, and real-world implementation.
Contributing Course Experts
A Course Designed For Real Practice
This training covers the four core DBT skills modules - Mindfulness, Emotion Regulation, Interpersonal Effectiveness, and Distress Tolerance. You’ll learn how each skill works, when to use it, and how to teach it in a way that’s engaging, focused, and clinically useful.
You’ll leave with:
A practical understanding of how to teach DBT skills in both individual and group settings
Strategies for weaving DBT skills into your current therapeutic approach, regardless of modality
Confidence to introduce skills flexibly or in full, depending on your client’s needs and support
Tools to support clients in developing greater stability, connection, and self-direction
Your DBT Skills Learning Experience Includes
Beautifully produced video lessons from Marsha Linehan and other DBT experts to guide your learning step by step
Therapy demonstrations showing how to teach and apply DBT skills in both individual and group sessions
Downloadable handouts and teaching tools to support your work with clients
An interactive forum to ask questions, share insights, and connect with expert trainers and peers
You don’t need to be DBT-certified to benefit from this training. The course is designed to be accessible, flexible, and immediately useful, regardless of your background or therapeutic orientation. If you're new to DBT Skills, Marsha Linehan explains more in this free resource: What Are DBT Skills? The Four Modules and How They Work.
Enrollments
We're happy to help if you can't attend the current intake. Please contact our customer service once your purchase is finalized, and we can enroll you in the intake of your choice. If you need an invoice, please fill out the form here.
Course Overview
Course Modules
Week 1: Introduction to DBT Skills
Module one
We begin by welcoming you to DBT Skills, introducing your main presenter, Dr Marsha Linehan, and the first key concept - mindfulness
Module two
DBT Skills overview
Module three
This module covers teaching the skills module 4 - starting with mindfulness
Module four
We investigate Wise Mind
Module five
This module looks at starting with mindfulness
Module six
Quiz questions
Week 2: Mindfulness
Module one
We begin this week by looking at the WHAT Skills - Observe, the beginning and essential skill of mindfulness
Module two
We continue and explore the WHAT skills essential for effective mindfulness: Describe
Module three
This module continues WHAT skills of mindfulness: participate
Module four
We continue exploring mindfulness and look at the HOW skills: Non-judgmentally
Module five
We continue and learn another HOW skill of mindfulness: One-Mindfully
Module six
This module continues to explore the HOW skills: being effective in mindfulness practice
Module seven
Mindfulness wrap up and quiz questions
Week 3: Emotion Regulation - Part 1
Module one
We begin week 3 by introducing emotional regulation skills
Module two
This module looks at understanding emotions.
Module three
We explore observing, describing and naming emotions in this module
Module four
This module delves into the mindfulness of current emotions
Module five
Weekly summary and quiz questions
Week 4: Emotion Regulation - Part 2
Module one
We begin this week by delving into checking the facts when regulating emotions
Module two
This module continues by exploring opposite action when regulating emotions
Module three
Problem solving is the next skill we investigate when regulating emotions
Module four
We look at the problem solving skill in this module
Module five
This module investigates the A in ABC - Accumulating positives
Module six
We look at the B in ABC - Building mastery
Module seven
This module looks at the C in ABC - Cope ahead
Module eight
This module delves into the PLEASE skill
Module nine
Summary of emotion regulation and quiz questions
Week 5: Interpersonal Effectiveness
Module one
We begin week 5 by introducing interpersonal effectiveness
Module two
The DEAR MAN skill
Module three
The GIVE skill
Module four
The FAST skill
Module five
This module investigates evaluating options as an aspect of interpersonal effectiveness
Module six
Summary of interpersonal effectiveness
Module seven
Quiz questions
Week 6: Distress Tolerance
Module one
We begin by introducing distress tolerance
Module two
The module delves into crisis survival skills: part 1
Module three
The module delves into crisis survival skills: part 1
Module four
Understanding how to improve the moment is the focus of this module
Module five
This module covers reality acceptance skills: part 1
Module six
We continue by exploring reality acceptance - part 2
Module seven
Quiz questions and course wrap up
Course excerpts
What People Say About This Course
Frida FalkPsychiatrist - SwedenI've learned so much from the person who actually invented and thought through the whole therapy. So intelligent and clear. I'm a fan :)
Michelle SellsSocial Worker - Bothell, WA, USAI have fallen in love with DBT. I did not know what to expect in this training and I feel like I found a place I belong. I enjoyed Marsha's videos and the animation, the vacillation between the different teaching styles. This is absolutely a good experience and I found lots of new tools to bring into therapy with me.
Sanda FranicPsychiatrist - Oslo, NorwayThis is valuable training for every therapist who wants to give skills to his/her patient. Because this course gave me a lot of theoretical and practical knowledge. The most important thing is that I realized there are many things that I do very good and this is an opportunity for further development and enhancement. I love Marsha and I love the course.
Janice DaciukPsychotherapist - Grimsby, ON, CanadaIt's a great overview of how Dr. Linehan has broken everything down into such small parts such as the 10 emotion regulation handouts that are incredibly comprehensive. I don't have to reinvent the wheel.
Katie HaydenPsychologist - Auckland, New ZealandI like the clear way Marsha explains things and repeats things to reinforce my learning. I'm learning how to tackle tricky topics with people, and seeing the value of these skills for myself and my clients. I like the videos and visuals and I also like the group and individual therapy examples.
Catharine PayzePsychologist - Perth Western Australia, AustraliaI just love Marsha's videos. They are engaging and hugely informative. The text is also clear and consise. This makes for a great introduction to the DBT skills. I find the incorporation of these skills in my practice meaningful and I can see my clients already beginning to benefit from our using them. Personally I am having a delightful time practicing the skills and seeing how effective they are.
How Your Course Works
Continuing Education & Professional Development (CE/CME/CPD)
DBT Skills is designed for mental health professionals, health professionals and coaches worldwide. On completion you'll receive an official certificate of completion, which can be submitted to registration bodies for CPD.
This course is accredited for 15 CE/CME credit hours for US licensed professionals:
Psychologists - 15 CE hours, APA, co-sponsored with Amedco, an APA-approved sponsor
Social workers - 15 general CE credits, ASWB ACE
Physicians - 15 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™, ACCME
Nurses - 15 contact hours, ANCC
Counselors, MFTs & addiction professionals - 15 hours, accepted by most US state boards via APA and ASWB ACE credit - see the state-by-state list
Approved CE activity with the New York State boards for Psychology, Social Work, Mental Health Counseling, and Marriage & Family Therapy.
View the full learner notification for this course (PDF) — includes complete accreditation statements, state board acceptance lists, learning objectives and faculty disclosures.
