This intensive five-day training offers a comprehensive, practice-focused exploration of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) as developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan and refined through decades of clinical application. Led by Dr. Charles Swenson and Jennifer Eato, LMHC, this program follows the standard curriculum of DBT intensives conducted worldwide, covering the theoretical foundations, structure, and strategies that define comprehensive DBT practice, while emphasizing its implementation within inpatient mental health settings.
Participants will learn how to conceptualize and organize DBT treatment for complex clinical presentations, including borderline personality disorder and other populations characterized by emotional dysregulation, suicidality, or behavioral instability. Through lecture, case study, and group discussion, attendees will examine DBT’s philosophical underpinnings, the role of mindfulness, and the balance between behavioral change and radical acceptance that defines dialectical work.
The course moves progressively from foundational principles to advanced clinical application, including treatment hierarchy and targets, problem-solving, validation, and dialectical strategies, skills acquisition and generalization, and the design and functioning of the DBT consultation team. Special attention is given to the adaptation of DBT for inpatient programs, addressing behavioral crises, containment needs, and the integration of skills teaching within structured milieus.
By the end of Part One, participants will have gained a solid framework for implementing DBT in their own clinical settings, equipped with practical tools to promote change, sustain validation, and support both client and clinician well-being.