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Dialectical Behavior Therapy: What Does a DBT Therapist Actually Do?

  • Friday, October 20, 2017
  • 11:15 AM - 1:30 PM
  • Los Gatos Lodge, 50 Los Gatos/Saratoga Rd., Los Gatos, CA 95008

Registration is closed

South Region Luncheon
Presented by Melinda Carlisle Brackett, LMFT, Dialectical Behavior Therapist

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that is empirically supported with over 20 randomized controlled trials. It is an emotion-focused behavioral therapy that emphasizes emotional learning and promotes the teaching of skills in distress tolerance, mindfulness, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness to help individuals who may not have core skills to tolerate and regulate strong emotions. 

What a DBT therapist actually does remains a mystery to non-DBT therapists. Melinda will explain what makes this form of CBT distinct. All attendees will learn important components of the treatment that will inform their decisions about referrals and be useful in helping clients with pervasive emotion dysregulation. Melinda extends a special invitation to pre-licensed members who are considering focusing on dialectical behavior therapy.

Her presentation will address some of the most frequently asked questions she receives about DBT. Topics may include:

  • Can I add a DBT skills group to my client’s treatment plan?
  • Why does DBT have both individual therapy and a skills group?
  • Does a DBT therapist talk about the past in session?
  • Does a DBT therapist deal with a client’s trauma?
  • What is so different about the way a DBT therapist works?
  • Does the individual DBT therapy just follow up on a client’s skill usage?
  • Should a client do trauma work before coming to DBT?
  • I have been working with a client for years but can’t get them to do DBT. What do I do?

She looks forward to answering your questions about DBT, and invites you to e-mail your questions in advance to mcarlisle@criticalpathcounseling.com.

Program Goals:  At the end of the presentation, participants will have a better understanding of the content, structure and outcomes of a DBT program and how a full fidelity program accomplishes different goals than skills training alone. Participants will learn the flow of the individual therapy as well as little known therapist interventions in the individual sessions. Special attention will be given to cross-walking the treatment to things you may already be doing or desire to do in other modalities.

Learning Objectives

  • At the end of this presentation, attendees will be able to:
  • Identify the stages of treatment in dialectical behavior therapy
  • Describe “thinking and acting dialectically” as it relates to client conversations
  • Describe two key therapist strategies used in individual DBT sessions

About the Presenter:
Melinda Carlisle Brackett, LMFT received advanced level intensive training, currently the highest level of training offered for a DBT therapist and skills trainer, from Behavioral Tech, LLC.  She received advanced level training in prolonged exposure therapy for PTSD at The Treatment Implementation Collaborative. She is a member of an intensively trained consultation team and provides DBT in her full-time private practice, CriticalPath Counseling in San Jose. Melinda has received extensive training from The Beck Institute and The Center for Cognitive Therapy in Huntington Beach, CA and is a member of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. She is experienced in working with a variety of emotion regulation disorders and has extensive experience using evidence-based protocols such as Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy with personality disorders, bipolar disorder, chronic major depression, anxiety and panic disorders, and OCD. Melinda invites therapists to contact her at www.criticalpathcounseling.com with any questions.

PRE-REGISTRATION ENDS MONDAY, October 16. Registration and payments must be received by the Monday before the event to guarantee lunch. Reservations will be held until noon. "Walk-ins" are welcome at a higher rate ($33 members / $40 non-members), however lunch and seating is not guaranteed.. Register online with MasterCard, Visa, American Express, PayPal, or check (payable to SCV-CAMFT). Your check must be received by the Monday prior to the event. Mail checks to SCV-CAMFT, P.O. Box 60814, Palo Alto, CA 94306. Please allow 10 days for delivery. Continuing Education: SCV-CAMFT is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LPCCs, LEPs, and/or LCSWs (CAMFT CE Provider #052466). SCV-CAMFT maintains responsibility for this program/course and its content. This course meets the qualifications for 1.5 hours of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LPCCs, LEPs, and/or LCSWs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Science. This presentation is suitable for all clinical levels. Certificates: To obtain your certificate, you must sign-in and sign-out at the event and complete a program evaluation. These are CAMFT requirements. You will be emailed a link to the evaluation within a week after the event. Upon completion of the evaluation, you will have access to the certificate. You must add your name and license number to make it official. This link will be active for 2 weeks after the email is sent. Audits: You can audit as a member for $10 and $15 for a non-member. Auditing does NOT include a meal or CEU credit. You can add CEUs when you register for an additional fee. For those auditing, the presentation begins at noon. Cancellations: Refunds will be issued if a request for cancellation is received by the Monday before the event. No refunds will be issued if a request for cancellation is received after the Monday before the event. To cancel, please send an email to mail@scv-camft.org or call the chapter voicemail at 408-235-0210. Refunds will be issued within ten (10) business days. Accommodations for Disability: The Santa Clara Valley Chapter of CAMFT is committed to providing a presentation that is accessible to all who wish to attend. If you have a special need and plan to attend, please notify us at mail@scv-camft.org or 408-235-0210. Requests must be made one week in advance. Chapter Board Meetings are generally held prior to the chapter’s monthly luncheons, at the same location, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Members are welcome to attend by notifying a board member. Grievance Policy: Any concern or grievance can be put in writing and emailed to mail@scv-camft.org.

SCV-CAMFT               P.O. Box 60814, Palo Alto, CA 94306               mail@scv-camft.org             408-721-2010

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