Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

3 credits

Elective This course is designed to instruct and prepare students to integrate and apply Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), a comprehensive and flexible evidence-based treatment. Students will learn to conduct thorough risk assessments, develop crisis management plans, understand borderline personality disorder from the DSM-IV and DBT lenses, create a DBT theory-driven case formulation and treatment plan by stages and targets, observing dialectic dilemmas, balancing acceptance and validation, integrating communication styles, applying commitment strategies, conducting chain/solution analysis, implementing diary cards and collaboratively problem-solving with clients and peers. Students will learn the four DBT modules: Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Interpersonal Effectiveness, and Emotion Regulation.