Clinical PhD programs with faculty studying DBT, BPD, ER

[lwahl]

Hi everyone. I'm interested in treatment research, and more specifically, DBT treatment research. I've had a hard time finding researchers who study DBT and so I thought this may be a good place to get ideas. I'm also open to researchers who are studying BPD and emotion regulation.

Here's the list I've come up with so far:
Utah - Crowell
Duke - Rosenthal
Ohio State - Cheavens
Oregon - Zalewski
Rutgers - Rizvi
Toledo - Gratz

Thanks so much!

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[Justanothergrad]

You may want to explore borderline personality as a diagnosis as well. You'll find additional faculty and you'll learn plenty about DBT as that is the treatment of choice.

 

[futurehopefully]

Kim Gratz- University of Toledo

Edit: Just saw that you were looking for DBT researchers, specifically, and not necessarily, ER and BPD...

 

[lwahl]

Kim Gratz- University of Toledo

Edit: Just saw that you were looking for DBT researchers, specifically, and not necessarily, ER and BPD...

I forgot to include I'm interested in BPD and ER as well, and I forgot to type Kim Gratz's name. I've been planning on applying to her lab.

 

[HeftyLefty]

Dixon-Gordon at UMass

 

[jdawg2017]

The folks at Boston University in the Unified Protocol lab look at BPD and transdiagnostic treatment (bc BPD doesn't usually exist in a vacuum).

 

[DynamicDidactic]

There are definitely a lot more in the DBT/ER/BPD circle. I would look at people that present on the topic at ABCT and ISITDBT.
Both lists for this year are up.

You might also be missing a lot of people interested in this area but studying suicide rather than stating they study DBT.

Just a few names to throw out
Jill Rathus
Erin Ward-Ciesielski
Nicholas Salsman

But there are many more.

 

[lwahl]

There are definitely a lot more in the DBT/ER/BPD circle. I would look at people that present on the topic at ABCT and ISITDBT.
Both lists for this year are up.

You might also be missing a lot of people interested in this area but studying suicide rather than stating they study DBT.

Just a few names to throw out
Jill Rathus
Erin Ward-Ciesielski
Nicholas Salsman

But there are many more.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Sorry, I should have specified funded programs. Rathus is at LIU which isn’t funded. Ward-Cisielski is at Hofstra which is also not funded. Salsman is at Xavier, also not funded.

I’ve already checked ISITDBT, but I’ll definitely look at ABCT. There just really aren’t that many folks who are situated in fully funded PhD programs (there are quite a few people in hospitals and psychiatry but that’s not helpful at this stage in my career).

 

[cara susanna]

Ruth Baer at U of Kentucky is a mindfulness researcher, technically, but she has former grad students who've done work on BPD and there are DBT training opportunities at the program.

I'd also recommend Jennifer Waltz at U of Montana, Edward Selby at Rutgers, and Timothy Trull at U of Missouri

 

[temppsych123]

Alex Chapman - Simon Fraser University (Vancouver, BC)
Marsha Linehan (of course) - U Washington
Carla Sharp - U Houston

I might look into members/prior year presenters of NASSPD and ISSPD for other options!

 

[lwahl]

Ruth Baer at U of Kentucky is a mindfulness researcher, technically, but she has former grad students who've done work on BPD and there are DBT training opportunities at the program.

I'd also recommend Jennifer Waltz at U of Montana, Edward Selby at Rutgers, and Timothy Trull at U of Missouri

Ruth Baer and Jennifer Waltz sadly no longer accept students. Selby isn’t accepting students this year either. I’ll check out Trull! Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[lwahl]

Alex Chapman - Simon Fraser University (Vancouver, BC)
Marsha Linehan (of course) - U Washington
Carla Sharp - U Houston

I might look into members/prior year presenters of NASSPD and ISSPD for other options!

I found Alex awhile back but I’m not really wanting to move to Canada, mostly because it’d complicate my partner moving as well and finding work.

I’m at UW right now, and Marsha no longer accepts students I’ll check out Sharp! Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[WorkLifeBalance]

I found Alex awhile back but I’m not really wanting to move to Canada, mostly because it’d complicate my partner moving as well and finding work.

I’m at UW right now, and Marsha no longer accepts students I’ll check out Sharp! Thanks for the suggestions!

Even if Marsha isn't accepting students, she may be able to point you to some good people - especially since you're a current student at the university.

 

[DynamicDidactic]

Even if Marsha isn't accepting students, she may be able to point you to some good people - especially since you're a current student at the university.

Or talk to one of her grad students. They will be most in the know.

 

[DynamicDidactic]

There just really aren’t that many folks who are situated in fully funded PhD programs (there are quite a few people in hospitals and psychiatry but that’s not helpful at this stage in my career).

That may be telling...

 

[WisNeuro]

I'd also expand my search to looking at emotional regulation from other avenues, such as psychophys research or something, and grad programs that have practica placements with BPD populations doing DBT. Better to apply broadly and get the experience, than to narrow yourself down too much and miss out.

 

[lwahl]

That may be telling...

Not sure what the means. Can you explain?

Also, in reply to your other comment, one of my instructors is Linehan's graduate student and I’ve spoken with him.

 

[jtaldrich]

Shelia Crowell at Utah is fantastic; my lab consults with hers in regard to psychophysiology in the context of emotion regulation research. Agree with WisNeuro, expanding to emotion regulation broadly with opportunities for exposure to DBT treatment is likely a better way (and chance) of getting what you are interested in.

 

[EmotRegulation]

There are a lot of people studying emotion regulation from a variety of perspectives. Myself included (hence the name). That said, not all programs offer clinical training in DBT (mine does not, so might not be the best choice for you), or study DBT in particular. But LOTS of folks study emotion regulation processes across different disorders or at a more basic level.

 

[lwahl]

There are a lot of people studying emotion regulation from a variety of perspectives. Myself included (hence the name). That said, not all programs offer clinical training in DBT (mine does not, so might not be the best choice for you), or study DBT in particular. But LOTS of folks study emotion regulation processes across different disorders or at a more basic level.

Right, that’s a good point, and although I’m willing to study ER instead of DBT as a treatment, I’m still wanting to be trained in DBT.

 

[cara susanna]

Right, that’s a good point, and although I’m willing to study ER instead of DBT as a treatment, I’m still wanting to be trained in DBT.

Just so you know, it's still relatively uncommon to have full model DBT training as a graduate student. I didn't have any myself (just informal workshops and clinical work with DBT skills/DBT-informed therapy) and I still was competitive for DBT internships. That being said, obviously it helps to have full model training, of course.

 

[temppsych123]

I would recommend going to NIH Reporter and searching for keywords related to your areas of interest, that way you can see what faculty members have current grants in related areas (that means they're likely to be doing this work now, as opposed to people who have published on it previously but may have moved on to other areas).

Query Form - NIH RePORTER - NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools Expenditures and Results

Use the text search box, and then you'll probably want to look at awards that do NOT start with the letter F (these are predoctoral and postdoctoral fellowships). Awards starting with R, U, or K are more promising. Also, you may want to limit "department type" to psychology, so you don't get folks studying your interests in psychiatry departments or elsewhere that don't have clinical psychology graduate programs.

 

[lwahl]

Just so you know, it's still relatively uncommon to have full model DBT training as a graduate student. I didn't have any myself (just informal workshops and clinical work with DBT skills/DBT-informed therapy) and I still was competitive for DBT internships. That being said, obviously it helps to have full model training, of course.

It's helpful to hear that! A couple of folks I've spoken to have said the same thing, and although it may be true, I still would love to acquire the training in graduate school. I know it won't be possible everywhere, but there are definitely a few places.

 

[DynamicDidactic]

Not sure what the means. Can you explain?

I don't believe intervention science gets the a high level of respect in top tier research institutions. Often psychology is really in love with theory-driven work (I could be wrong and it could be changing). Combine that with the increased resources it takes to be training in DBT and you are less likely to find DBT intervention scientists in top tier research-heavy universities.

 

[WisNeuro]

I don't believe intervention science gets the a high level of respect in top tier research institutions. Often psychology is really in love with theory-driven work (I could be wrong and it could be changing). Combine that with the increased resources it takes to be training in DBT and you are less likely to find DBT intervention scientists in top tier research-heavy universities.

Yeah, you can't judge it based on research rankings. At least when I was in grad schools, it was the mid-ranked universities doing a lot of the RCT stuff, maybe with the exception of Foa at UPenn. But I'll echo others, I'd be looking at getting exposure to ER, with DBT offered at a placement site. Some of the VA's can offer training in this. And then plan on getting more depth training at the internship and postdoc levels.