An Introduction to DBT

An Introduction to DBT (2HR)

$32.00

Course Description

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based treatment that blends cognitive-behavioral techniques with mindfulness principles to help clients build emotional regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness skills. Originally developed for individuals with chronic emotion dysregulation and self-destructive behaviors, DBT has since been adapted for a wide range of clinical populations and settings. This training provides clinicians with a foundational understanding of the model’s theoretical underpinnings, core components, and practical applications. Participants will explore the structure of DBT, including individual therapy, skills training groups, phone coaching, and consultation teams, as well as strategies for integrating DBT-informed interventions into their own clinical practice.

Upon completion of the training, participants will be able to:

Describe the theoretical foundations of DBT and its development as an evidence-based treatment.
Identify the four core DBT skill modules and their primary therapeutic goals.
Apply at least two DBT-informed techniques to support clients in improving emotion regulation and distress tolerance.

Social workers completing this course receive 2 Clinical asynchronous continuing education credits.

For other board approvals, this course qualifies for 2 hours of Clinical continuing education training.

Course Instructor: Dreya Blume, LCSW

Recording Date: 04/09/2026

Course Format

NBCC ACEP # 7091, CE Training Workshops has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP #7091. Programs that do not qualify are clearly identified. CE Training Workshops is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. CE Training Workshops designates this continuing education activity for 3 continuing education hours.

CE Training Workshops, LLC, #1770, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 08/02/2025 to 08/02/2028. Social workers completing this course receive 3 Clinical continuing education credits.

Meet Your Facilitator

Dreya Blume, LCSW, has traveled a long and winding road to arrive where she is today,as a therapist, coach, author, and group facilitator.

She has taught English in Thailand, Japan, Australia, and Hawaii. She has worked in psychiatric wards, served as a case manager, and eventually launched her own private therapy practice.

She has taught part-time as an adjunct professor for over twenty years, led multi-day international retreats, and written seventeen books, with an eighteenth on the way.

Syllabus

Introduction

This course provides a foundational overview of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and its application in clinical practice. Participants will explore the development of DBT as an evidence-based treatment and learn how DBT skills support emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.

Objective 1: Describe the Theoretical Foundations of DBT

Participants will examine the origins and development of DBT, including the influence of Buddhist principles and the concept of radical acceptance. The course will explore how DBT balances acceptance and change within therapeutic work.

Objective 2: Identify the Four Core DBT Skill Modules

This section introduces the four primary DBT skill areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Participants will review the purpose and therapeutic goals of each module.

Objective 3: Apply DBT-Informed Techniques in Clinical Practice

Participants will learn practical DBT-informed strategies to support clients in managing emotional distress and improving coping skills. Topics include acceptance strategies, mindfulness practices, and communication techniques that strengthen emotional regulation and interpersonal functioning.

Summary and Q&A

The course concludes with a review of key concepts and an opportunity for reflection and discussion to support integration of DBT principles into clinical practice.