About The Course
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy for Clinicians offers a practical and evidence-based approach to managing emotional dysregulation. The course explores key DBT principles, including mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Through structured frameworks and clinical application, participants develop skills to support individuals with complex presentations. Designed for clinicians, including psychiatrists and allied health professionals, the course aims to strengthen therapeutic practice with real-world tools and insights.
Who Is This Course For?
This course is suitable for:
- Psychiatrists
- General Practitioners (GPs)
- Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (MHNPs)
- Psychologists
- Mental health professionals
- Clinicians working in or expanding into psychiatry and mental health care
Accreditation Information:
- Psychiatry Accreditation: This course is available for self-accreditation with the RANZCP and other relevant psychiatric and mental health organisations.
- For General Practitioners: GPs seeking RACGP-accredited training in DBT and related therapies can enrol in the Focussed Psychological Strategies Skills Training (FPS-ST) for GPs. It is fully accredited by RACGP, ACRRM, and GPMHSC and enhances your ability to address mental health challenges in general practice.
- It covers evidence-based approaches such as Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), and Motivational Interviewing (MI).
- Completion enables GPs to apply as registered providers and claim MBS items 2721, 2723, 2725, and 2727.
- A one-time $600 subsidy from GPMHSC is available to support your professional development. Click here for more information.
- GPs can purchase the Focussed Psychological Strategies Skills Training – General Practice (RACGP Accredited) course here.
What You'll Learn
- Recognise the principles and benefits of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) in a clinical setting.
- Explore practical techniques and tools to teach core mindfulness skills to patients.
- Use practical techniques and tools to teach distress tolerance skills to patients.
- Establish practical techniques and tools to teach emotion regulation skills to patients.
- Consider some practical techniques and tools to teach interpersonal effectiveness skills to patients.
Course Programme
7 Units | 27 Modules | 7 hours total length
- Using Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) in Clinical Practice
- Acceptance and Change-Oriented Skills
- The Four Key Components of DBT
- Assessing Suitability for Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
- The Importance of Validating Emotions in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
- Assessing Suitability for Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
- Psychoeducation in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)
- Boundary Setting
- Managing Interpersonal Dynamics within Linehan's DBT Model
- DBT Component 1
- Useful Ways to Combat Unwanted Thoughts & Improve Mindfullness
- Clinical Tips for Implementing Mindfulness and Self-Soothing
- DBT Component 2:Distress Tolerance Skills
- Distraction Techniques
- Self-Soothing and Improving the Moment
- Self-Coping
- Body Scan
- The STOP Skill
- Reality Acceptance Skills: Radical Acceptance and Turning the Mind
- Identifying and Labelling Emotions
- Sensory Awareness
- Checkpoint Activity
- DBT Component 3
- COPE Model
- Acceptance and Change-Oriented Skills
- DBT Component 4: Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills
- Assertiveness Practice Task
- Practical Toolkit Examples: DEAR MAN, GIVE, PLEASE Tool
- Four Main Focus Areas
- Building a Life Worth Living
- Developing and Maintaining Healthy Relationships
- FAST Tool and 'Walking the middle path'
- Knowledge Check
Course Description
Dialectical-Behavioural Therapy (DBT) – A Practical Guide for Clinicians
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) was originally developed for borderline personality disorder but is now widely used to treat a range of mental health conditions. This course offers a comprehensive understanding of DBT, its evidence-based foundations, and strategies for clinical application.
Through engaging videos, downloadable resources, and practical examples, the course equips clinicians with tools to apply DBT skills effectively in clinical settings. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how Dialectical Behaviour Therapy can enhance outcomes in anxiety, depression, and personality disorders. A final knowledge check reinforces key concepts and supports ongoing learning.
What You’ll Learn
- Evidence-based DBT skills training for emotional dysregulation and complex presentations
- Adaptation of DBT for anxiety, depression, and personality disorders
- Practical strategies for emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness
- Techniques such as validation, boundary setting, mindfulness, DEAR MAN, and the COPE model
- Application of downloadable tools and examples to support clinical integration
This course is designed for clinicians, including psychiatrists, psychologists, and allied health professionals. General Practitioners can purchase the Focussed Psychological Strategies Skills Training for GPs – General Practice (RACGP Accredited) course here.
While our Academy members enjoy exclusive access to a range of courses and webinars (including this course) with their annual membership, we’re pleased to offer you the opportunity to purchase it individually! Click here – Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) – A Practical Guide for Clinicians.
Module 1: The Evidence Base for DBT
This module covers the foundations of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy for Clinicians, highlighting its evidence-based use in complex mental health presentations. Participants will explore how DBT skills training supports emotional regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance.
Topics include patient selection, therapeutic engagement, and psychoeducation. The module also examines validation techniques, boundary setting, and primary care adaptations, offering clinicians a practical framework for applying DBT across diverse clinical settings.
Module 2: Core Mindfulness Skills
This module focuses on Core Mindfulness Skills as a foundation for therapeutic work. Participants will learn practical tools such as breathing techniques, progressive muscle relaxation, and grounding strategies through video demonstrations and downloadable worksheets.
DBT skills training in this module emphasises observing without judgment and developing the “Wise Mind.” Clinicians also explore visual imagery and self-soothing techniques to enhance emotional regulation, helping patients build emotional awareness and resilience.
Module 3: Distress Tolerance Skills
In this section, the focus is on Distress Tolerance Skills. These techniques help patients manage crises without resorting to maladaptive behaviours.
Key tools include radical acceptance, self-soothing, the STOP skill, and body scan exercises. The module also introduces the third DBT component, Emotion Regulation Skills, focusing on identifying emotions, reducing vulnerability to negative feelings, and disrupting unhelpful emotional patterns. Clinicians will also learn techniques such as COPE and sensory awareness strategies to improve emotional stability and resilience.
Modules 4 & 5: Interpersonal Effectiveness and Higher-Order Skills
Module 4 focuses on Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills, helping patients navigate relationships with respect, assertiveness, and clarity. Clinicians will learn tools such as DEAR MAN, GIVE, PLEASE, and FAST—techniques that support boundary setting and self-respect in interpersonal interactions.
In module 5, we explore higher-order DBT skills that help patients work towards long-term goals. These include fostering positive emotions, skill mastery, and building a life worth living. The concept of Walking the Middle Path is also explored to help patients balance opposing perspectives and reduce emotional extremes. Together, these modules provide clinicians with a comprehensive DBT toolkit for lasting patient change.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, participants will be able to integrate core DBT techniques into clinical practice, enhancing therapeutic outcomes across diverse mental health settings. They will learn to adapt DBT skills for patients with several conditions, including anxiety, depression, and personality disorders, and implement practical strategies for emotional regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance.
Enhance your therapeutic skills with evidence-based DBT techniques and apply them confidently in your clinical work.
Participants earn 7 CPD hours (4 EA, 2 RP, 1 MO) upon completion and receive a certificate of completion to claim their CPD hours.
While our Academy members enjoy exclusive access to a range of courses and webinars (including this course) with their annual membership, we’re pleased to offer you the opportunity to purchase it individually! Click here – Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) – A Practical Guide for Clinicians.
Explore DBT skills for clinicians through a structured, evidence-based course designed to strengthen therapeutic frameworks and support individuals experiencing emotional dysregulation and interpersonal challenges.
Course Information
- 7 hours
- 7 CPD
Inclusions
- 7 Hours of Interactive Course Material
- Video Lectures
- Checkpoint Activities
- Downloadable PDF Worksheets
- Certificate of Completion
Material Downloads
- certificate
Instructors
Dr. Kimberly O'Keefe B.Psych B.PsychSc (HONS) DPsych (Clinical) MAPS MCCLP
Dr. Kimberley O’Keefe is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist with a special interest in Women’s Mental Health and providing evidence-based interventions for perinatal mental health conditions, eating disorders, mood disorders and anxiety. Dr. O’Keefe implements an eclectic treatment approach to provide clients with tailored psychological support.
Dr. Sanil Rege MBBS, MRCPsych, FRANZCP
Sanil is the chief founder and editor of Psych Scene. Sanil has specialist Psychiatry qualifications from the UK and Australia. He is both a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (U.K.) (MRCPsych) and a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (FRANZCP).
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