Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Foundational Training 2026

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Foundational Training is organized by Behavioral Tech Institute (BTECH) and will be held from Jun 22 - 26, 2026.

Training Description:
Purpose: The DBT Foundational Training is a comprehensive program of study designed specifically for individual therapists or skills trainers who are members of an established DBT Consultation Team and have not completed Dialectical Behavior Therapy Intensive Training themselves.

Content: The course includes the foundational theory, conceptualization, structure, strategies, procedures, and protocols of standard DBT. It assists individual providers with the clinical work of DBT and becoming functioning members of DBT teams.

Length & Schedule: The training consists of 20 modules for a total of 30 instructor-led hours delivered over the course of 5 days of training. Each module includes reading and homework tasks. Total participant time required for each of the modules is approximately 2.5 – 3 hours beyond instructional time.

For Whom: This training is intended for new members of existing DBT teams who are interested in providing DBT with a high level of fidelity to evidence-based models.

Core Training Description:
Since its initial development in the 1980s, DBT has been shown to be effective for an array of problems related to emotion dysregulation. We know that severe emotion regulation difficulties result in persons facing multiple problems across many areas of life and that these problems manifest in a variety of ways. The principles of DBT were specifically designed for cases that often present therapists with novel challenges. One of the benefits of a principle-based treatment is that it can be versatile enough to accommodate the specific situations, cultures, and contexts of the persons it serves. DBT has been studied and implemented in multiple countries across the globe.

The DBT Foundational Training is a comprehensive program of study designed specifically for individual therapists or skills trainers who are members of an established DBT Consultation Team and have not completed Dialectical Behavior Therapy Intensive Training themselves. It is meant to assist teams who have hired new staff or experienced turnover by allowing newer team members to get trained in the standard content of DBT. It includes 4 hours of content specific to risk assessment, management, and treatment of suicidal behaviors. Lecture, video, demonstration, and practice will be used to teach DBT theory and strategies in depth.

This live, remote, instructor-led training consists of 5 days of training delivered via video conference embedded in a learning management system (LMS) for a total of 30 instructor-led hours.

Primary Objective: As a result of this training participants will be able to provide DBT.

Learning Objectives:

1. Incorporate DBT assumptions about clients, therapists, and therapy into treatment.
2. Conceptualize the importance of balancing change and acceptance in providing consultation.
3. Identify DBT principles and strategies used during DBT consultation team meetings.
4. Increase the motivation and capability of therapists on your consultation team.
5. Use DBT research data to determine whether DBT fits for specific patients.
6. Use DBT research data to engage all relevant persons and organizations in DBT.
7. Use evidence to guide decisions about interventions for specific problems.
8. Describe how the scientific method is used in both treatment development and conducting DBT.
9. Adopt and practice a dialectical worldview in treatment and case formulation.
10. Engage clients in treatment by providing dialectical balance between change and acceptance.
11. Accurately describe the content of the Core Mindfulness skills training module.
12. Convey the rationale for DBT Mindfulness skills.
13. Explain how Core Mindfulness skills are key (core) to all skills taught in DBT.
14. Explain the Biosocial Model of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and other severe disorders in all required treatment contexts.
15. Conceptualize the manner in which suicidal behavior is an attempt by patients to solve problems.
16. Incorporate hypotheses to include in DBT case conceptualization (formulation) based on dialectical dilemmas experienced by persons with BPD.
17. Accurately describe the content of the Emotion Regulation skills training module.
18. Describe the evidence for the use of DBT Emotions Regulation skills.
19. Convey the rationale for DBT Emotion Regulation skills.
20. Describe the functions of comprehensive treatment and the corresponding modes employed in DBT to accomplish these functions.
21. Describe how levels of disorder and stages of treatment guide treatment planning and targeting.
22. Identify client’s life goals that can be used as motivation for engaging in DBT.
23. Structure treatment according to the target hierarchies for each modality (e.g., individual, skills training, phone).
24. Set target hierarchies for clients with multiple problems.
25. Complete DBT pre-treatment tasks (e.g., identify client’s goals, orient to DBT, obtain commitments).
26. Describe the key elements that should be addressed in individual DBT sessions.
27. Structure individual DBT sessions.
28. Describe the function of DBT skills training.
29. Define the roles of the leader and co-leader in DBT skills training.
30. Explain how to structure a DBT skills training class.
31. Identify the contents of the DBT Interpersonal Effectiveness skills module.
32. Describe the evidence for the use of DBT Interpersonal Effectiveness skills.
33. Convey the rationale for DBT Interpersonal Effectiveness skills.
34. Identify the contents of the DBT Distress Tolerance skills module.
35. Describe the evidence for the use of DBT Distress Tolerance skills.
36. Convey the rationale for DBT Distress Tolerance skills.
37. Define problem behaviors specifically and behaviorally.
38. Conduct a chain analysis of an episode of a target behavior.
39. Conduct missing links analyses of needed behaviors that did not occur.
40. Describe the DBT problem-solving strategies (skills training, cognitive modification, exposure, contingency management).
41. Generate and evaluate solutions for specific problematic links from a chain analysis.
42. Describe the use of validation in DBT.
43. Implement the levels of validation in DBT.
44. Employ dialectical strategies to motivate patients to actively work toward their goals.
45. Implement DBT stylistic strategies (reciprocal and irreverent communication).
46. Assess long-term and acute risk for suicide.
47. Talk with individuals in a manner that facilitates assessment of suicide risk.
48. Describe the steps involved in crisis management.
49. Apply DBT suicide crisis protocols.
50. Respond to ongoing suicidal behavior during treatment.
51. Coach clients to generalize skills in all relevant contexts.
52. More effectively coach clients with skills specific to their needs.
53. Competently help patients employ difficult-to-use skills.
54. Implement the DBT case management strategies.
55. Balance case management strategies of consultation to the client and environmental intervention.
56. Explain the importance of observing personal and professional limits in DBT.
57. Describe the steps for observing limits in DBT.