DBT Training

[PsychologyToday1984]

I am very interested in learning more about DBT, and I would like to (one day) be able to use it with my clients. How do I go about receiving DBT training post-internship? (I am asking about post-internship because my internship site does not provide this type of training).

Thank you.

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[WisNeuro]

Depends on if you plan on doing a postdoc. Which would be the best way to get it.

 

[PsychologyToday1984]

Depends on if you plan on doing a postdoc. Which would be the best way to get it.

I am concerned that without any DBT training, I won't get a post-doc position at a site that uses DBT.

 

[WisNeuro]

Not true. Many (genrally the larger) VA's offer certified training in DBT. Many of our postdocs will not have had formalized training in the area. Now, going to a postdoc that only does CBT is another story. But there will be plenty of sites offering it as a training experience. That being said, depends on if you did an accredited internship. Without that, the VA is a no go for you.

 

[PsychologyToday1984]

Not true. Many (genrally the larger) VA's offer certified training in DBT. Many of our postdocs will not have had formalized training in the area. Now, going to a postdoc that only does CBT is another story. But there will be plenty of sites offering it as a training experience. That being said, depends on if you did an accredited internship. Without that, the VA is a no go for you.

Thank you for the response! That's good to hear.

 

[DynamicDidactic]

additionally, a lot of practitioners get training in DBT post formal training through organization such as this:
http://behavioraltech.org/

for those that want to go further, a certification organization has been created that outlines the necessary qualifications
https://dbt-lbc.org/

I would guess that the majority of practitioners in the U.S. that have received training in DBT have done so after their schooling.

 

[WisNeuro]

Definitely opportunities to get that training after schooling/internship/postdoc, but I would suggest getting it on postdoc. That way you have a supervision system in place and institutional support. I'm sure you can get that in other ways, just more of a given in a postdoc setting usually.

 

[cara susanna]

I actually had trouble finding VA post docs that offer formal DBT training. There were only two or three that I remember. It's easy to find opportunities to do skills groups but full model, not so much. Of course, YMMV.

OP: I didn't have any formal training and I was competitive for both post docs and internships offering DBT training. I had a ton of skills training experience as well as experience working with suicidal clients, though. I also had attended any DBT workshops that I could find.

 

[WisNeuro]

Off the top of my head, Houston, Minneapolis, and Loma Linda have training opportunities in DBT. These are just the ones I know due to me being there, or having a colleague there. I'm sure there are many others. Look for VA's that will have inpatient residential programs, these are where this work is usually done in the VA setting. Others will offer some DBT skills group work if they don't have the inpatient stuff.

 

[cara susanna]

There are many VAs with DBT programs but it may be hard for interns and post docs to get training in full model DBT (not just skills training) due to various reasons. I was aware of Minneapolis but not Loma Linda or Houston. I can add in the San Diego and Salem, Virginia VAs as well.

 

[WisNeuro]

They're there, becoming more and more available as EBT rollouts are happening and regional and national trainers are getting certified.

 

[smalltownpsych]

Our field is so young and rapidly changing that you could be the one developing the DBT training program for whichever site you do your post-doc at. I just got back from a conference with Dr. Linehan (amazing experience, by the way) and she is pretty clear that her treatment is still in a developmental phase and we had many discussions about means of integrating the principles in various settings with various providers. As a psychologist, or soon to be one, your skill set with extensive research experience and broad clinical experiences is what will enable you to be a part of the roll-out of this new wave of treatment.