Dialectical Behavior Therapy Primer

Beth S. Brodsky, Ph.D. is Associate Clinical Professor of Medical Psychology in Psychiatry at Columbia University, and a research scientist at the New York State Psychiatric Institute.  Her areas of expertise include  and psychotherapeutic  treatment of self-destructive behavior in borderline   disorder (BPD). She is the Principal Investigator (along with Barbara Stanley)of a NIMH Excellence in Education  to develop and implement a clinical/research curriculum teaching  Dialectical  Therapy  (DBT) in a medical setting. She is the author of many articles and chapters on BPD, DBT, suicide and self-injury and is a frequently invited speaker on BPD, suicidal behavior and DBT.  She is a member of the Virginia Apgar Academy of Medical Educators at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. Barbara Stanley, Ph.D. is Professor of Clinical Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons and Research Scientist at New York State Psychiatric Institute. She is a trainer in Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Behavioral Tech, LLC. She has been the principal investigator on NIH-funded grants investigating suicidal behavior, self injury, aggression and borderline personality disorder. She is currently conducting a treatment trial investigating the mechanisms of action of DBT and antidepressants. Along with Dr. Beth Brodsky, she is a principal investigator on an NIMH-funded grant to develop a DBT training curriculum for psychiatrists-in-training.  She has won numerous awards including the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Research Award and the Suicide Prevention Center of New York Research Award.

• About the Authors ixForeword xiAcknowledgments xiii1 Introduction 3Part I Theoretical, research, and clinical foundations 132 When DBT is indicated: The patients, the clinicians, and the evidence 153 BPD: Treatable or untreatable? 274 BPD: Diagnosis, stigma, and phenomenology 335 Understanding and treating self-harm behaviors in BPD 456 The ABC’s of DBT – the theoretical perspective 637 The ABC’s of DBT – overview of the treatment 75Part II Using DBT in clinical practice 838 Commitment and goal setting 859 The DBT tool kit: The essential DBT strategies and what happens in the individual session 10110 Skills training: The rationale and structure 12511 Skills training: The four skill modules 13512 Between-session contact and observing limits 15313 Management of suicidal behavior 17714 The Safety Planning Intervention 18515 The three C’s of consultation 19316 DBT case formulation 20517 Beyond Target 1 – Therapy and “quality of life” interfering behaviors 22118 The end of treatment 239Index 245

“As the authors state at the outset, it is likely most useful for clinicians wondering what DBT is and what it includes, as well as for non-clinicians wondering what DBT is about. Some of the concepts are good therapy (e.g., the emphasis on validation), whereas some are unique to DBT (e.g., the consult team). Because some of the elements of DBT are good practice and can be incorporated into other treatment modalities, the authors succeed in finding a middle path between ignorance of DBT and trained practice of allelements.”  (British Journal of Psychology, 6 January 2014)