Beyond the Workbook: Creative Ways to Engage in DBT Skills Groups

Length
2 hours

CE Credit
2.0 units

Recorded
January 24, 2025

Skills group are an essential part of the evidence base supporting the efficaciousness of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). This session will discuss teaching strategies from the fields of education and psychology to help skills content be relevant to a wide range of learners, and be engaging for participants at all ages.

The instructional methods will be highly interactive and include demonstrations, role plays, opportunities for reflection live and in written form, and Q&A.

This content is especially applicable for those who are involved on a full-program model DBT team, but is also as applicable for those who are a part of DBT-informed programs or would like their psychotherapy clients to benefit from DBT skills.

Training Options

There are several ways to learn from this training. You can either watch the recording for free or take the self-paced course for CE credit. We also have the slides available to download. 

Watch Recording

(Free) You can watch the full recording of this training for free on our YouTube Channel. This is perfect if you’re not seeking CE credit or would like to preview the training before taking the course.

($37) You can receive 2 hours of self-paced, asynchronous CE credit for this training.

UCEBT is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. UCEBT maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Additionally, this presentation is approved for 2 hours of home-study CE credit through NASW-UTUAMFT, and UMHCA.

Follow along with the recording by downloading the presentation slides personal use.

However, please note that no part of the materials available through the Utah Center for Evidence Based Treatment may be copied, photocopied, reproduced, translated or reduced to any electronic medium or machine-readable form, in whole or in part, without prior written consent of the presenter and creator of the presentation. Contact info@ucebt.com for questions.

About This Training

At the conclusion of this presentation, attendees should be able to describe three new strategies to incorporate into skills group didactics.

Learning Objectives: 

  1. Be able to describe how learning styles and developmental levels affect skills group retention
  2. Be able to describe and apply two new interactive strategies to DBT skills group
  3. Increase in capacity for understanding skills module content in DBT skills group

About the Presenters

Kimberly Applewhite, PsyD (School-Clinical Child Psychologist). Dr. Applewhite is the program director of the Dialectical Behavior Therapy program at UCEBT, and specializes in DBT for children, adolescents, and adults. She has led skills groups in various settings (outpatient, mental health in primary care, inpatient, day treatment, and residential).
 
Rosa Waters, LCSW (MSW, Behavioral Mental Health concentration). Rosa is trained in DBT and has extensive experience in skills-based curriculum development.

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References

Beckstead, D. J., Lambert, M. J., DuBose, A. P., & Linehan, M. (2015). Dialectical behavior therapy with American Indian/Alaska Native adolescents diagnosed with substance use disorders: Combining an evidence based treatment with cultural, traditional, and spiritual beliefs. Addictive Behaviors, 51, 84–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2015.07.018

Linehan, M. M. (2015). DBT® skills training manual (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.

Popowich, A. D., Mushquash, A. R., Pearson, E., Schmidt, F., & Mushquash, C. J. (2020). Barriers and facilitators affecting the sustainability of dialectical behaviour therapy programmes: A qualitative study of clinician perspectives. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 20(1), 68–80. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12250

Schaller, G., Blanck, P., Vogel, E., Vonderlin, E., Bents, H. and Mander, J. (2018). Therapeutic processes in group therapy: Intersections between general change mechanisms and motivational stages of change from patient perspective. European Journal of Psychotherapy & Counselling, 20(3), 312–336. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13642537.2018.1495247.

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