DBT Essential Skills

Course Goal/Description

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an intensive, highly structured treatment originally developed for use with suicidal, emotionally dysregulated patients. DBT is a behavioral treatment that includes an emphasis on skill building and mindfulness, and it has been increasingly applied to a variety of diagnoses, levels of care and age groups. Comprehensive, adherent DBT includes four components: individual therapy, skills training, phone coaching and consultation team. This training will focus specifically on DBT skills, and participants will learn how to conduct skills training in a group or individual format.

Learning objectives (1 per contact/credit hour):

• List and describe the components of adherent DBT
• Learn how to conduct at least one mindfulness exercise
• Name and define the "what" skills in mindfulness
• Name and define the "how" skills in mindfulness
• Explain when crisis survival skills are applicable for a patient
• List at least 5 crisis survival skills that a patient could use to tolerate distress
• Describe radical acceptance and why it is an important skill
• Define the main skills in emotion regulation: Identify Emotions, Act Opposite and Reduce Vulnerability
• List the three possible objectives in any interpersonal situation in Interpersonal Effectiveness
• List the components of a DEAR MAN
• List and describe the components of GIVE and FAST
• Describe two elements of the DBT theoretical approach that are useful in treating eating disorders

This program and subsidized conference fees were made possible by generous grants from the GCI Suicide Prevention Fund at the Alaska Community Foundation, the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, Anchorage East Rotary, and Coastal Wellness & Counseling. Supporting partners include Alaska Behavioral Health, NAMI Anchorage and Southcentral Foundation.

Recommended materials to purchase if attendees don't already own them include:
1) "DBT Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets, 2nd Edition" by Marsha Linehan
2) "DBT Skills Training Manual, 2nd Edition" by Marsha Linehan

DBT certified trainer Leslie Karwoski Anderson offers 2 days of DBT skills training for Alaska mental health providers. Learn how to run skills groups, help individual clients apply DBT skills, and gain an understanding of how DBT helps clients with eating disorders, self harm, suicidal ideation, and other areas of emotional dysregulation. 12 CEUs (pending approval).

For more information contact: ALASKA EATING DISORDERS ALLIANCE website or email (info.akeatingdisordersalliance@gmail.com)(mailto:https://www.akeatingdisordersalliance.org/)