DBT Intensive

DBT Intensive is a structured, comprehensive DBT training program for existing mental health teams and has three core components:

• Foundational Comprehensive DBT Training (online, on demand)

• 20 hours of expert DBT consultation over 12 months

• One advanced DBT Skills course to deepen applied clinical capability

The program is designed for multidisciplinary teams of five to ten clinicians working in hospitals, community mental health services, specialist programs, and integrated care systems.

It is a full implementation-focused training experience that supports teams to transition into functioning DBT consultation teams while maintaining clinical service delivery.

Part A: DBT Foundational

The Foundational DBT course provides a complete, practice-oriented introduction to the Linehan DBT model. It covers:

• The biosocial theory and treatment structure

• Target hierarchies and behavioural analysis

• Individual therapy strategies

• Skills training groups

• Phone coaching

• The DBT consultation team

This on-demand, immersive approach allows clinicians and teams to internalise not just what DBT is, but how it is delivered.

The ability to learn at one’s own pace, and to revisit demonstrations and instruction repeatedly over 12 months, means teams can pause, reflect, discuss, and immediately apply learning in their clinical work. The integration of structured teaching, model fidelity, and demonstrative learning is rarely available in comprehensive DBT training and is central to building confidence and competence.

Part B: DBT Expert Consultation for Teams

Consultation is a core component of comprehensive DBT training and is required for high-fidelity implementation of the model.

DBT Intensive includes 20 x 1-hour consultation sessions delivered across a 12-month period. Each team is paired with an experienced DBT trainer and sessions are flexibly scheduled to align with the operational needs.

Consultation supports teams to:

• Strengthen model adherence and treatment integrity

• Develop effective consultation team processes

• Refine case conceptualisation and behavioural analysis

• Manage high-risk and complex presentations with greater confidence

• Embed DBT sustainably within service structures

This structured consultation process helps transform a group of clinicians into a cohesive DBT consultation team.

Part C: Additional Skills Course

To deepen applied competence, part of the DBT Intensive program includes an additional skills course. Teams can choose from the following, based on their organization and clients' needs:

• DBT Skills with Marsha Linehan

  A structured and practical training in the four core DBT skills modules: Mindfulness, Emotion Regulation, Interpersonal Effectiveness, and Distress Tolerance. This course strengthens clinicians’ ability to teach and apply DBT skills in both group and individual therapy settings.

• Applied DBT Skills for Trauma – Led by Melanie Harned

  A focused framework for applying DBT skills within trauma treatment. The course addresses stabilisation, emotion regulation, and the integration of DBT into trauma-focused care pathways.

• Applied DBT Skills for Anger and Shame – Led by Annie McCall

  An applied training in using DBT skills to address anger and shame. The course combines expert instruction, case examples, and roleplays to support clinicians working with complex emotional presentations.

DBT Intensive offers a flexible pathway for mental health systems seeking to implement comprehensive Linehan-model DBT with integrity, and clinical depth.

• Built for Team-Based Implementation DBT is designed to be delivered by a coordinated team. DBT Intensive supports services in building functional consultation teams and shared clinical frameworks across disciplines.

• Flexible and Scalable All foundational training is available on demand for 12 months. Consultation is flexibly scheduled. Teams can integrate training into existing workloads without interrupting service delivery.

• Focused on Fidelity and Outcomes The program strengthens adherence to the Linehan model, supports safe management of suicidal and self-destructive behaviours, and enhances clinician confidence in complex cases.

• Supports Sustainable DBT Program Development Services gain the structure, consultation processes, and shared language necessary to implement DBT consistently and sustainably across settings.