How Can I Find a DBT Therapist?
Finding a therapist can be really tough.
Long waitlists, therapy prices, confusing treatment names and acronyms… It can be hard to know where to start.
Even as a psychologist with specialized knowledge and a professional network of therapist colleagues, I’ve historically personally struggled to find my own therapist! So, if you’re struggling, you’re not alone.
I’ve been writing an ebook specifically about this topic—how to find a therapist—collecting all of my knowledge and putting it together in one place so people don’t have to go searching all over the internet to find the information they’re looking for. If you want to hear about it when it comes out, sign up for my newsletter here! Below, I offer some immediate ideas for finding a DBT therapist.
Options for Finding a Therapist:
Check out this Google doc for a ton of mental health resources, including online directories for finding therapists and mental health resources you can use while you wait to find a therapist.
Inclusive Therapists has liberation-oriented mental health resources and directories of therapists dedicated to racial, 2SLGBTQ+, and disability justice.
Psychology Today has one of the most comprehensive directories for finding therapists of all kinds. Be aware: therapists pay to be listed on this site and create their own profiles. Psychology Today only confirms current licensure, not any of the rest of a therapist's bio.
One thing to know if you’re looking for a DBT therapist specifically:
There’s a big difference between “DBT-informed therapy” and comprehensive DBT. If you have BPD, (c)PTSD, or substance use disorders, or if you struggle with intense dissociation or impulsive behaviors, you’ll likely benefit most from finding comprehensive DBT! I write about what it means for DBT to be “real” comprehensive DBT in this post for Psychology Today.
Options for Finding a DBT Therapist:
The Linehan Board of Certification provides a directory of expert DBT clinicians. To become an DBT-LBC-certified clinician, a therapist must pass a written exam and have videos of actual therapy sessions reviewed by other expert DBT therapists. (Keep in mind that not all qualified DBT therapists are DBT-LBC-certified!)
Behavioral Tech provides a directory of all clinicians who have attended one of their excellent intensive trainings in adherent DBT. Many of BTech’s trainers were directly trained/mentored by Dr. Marsha Linehan, the creator of DBT.
The Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) has a clinician directory for CBT therapists. All of these clinicians are members of ABCT, which signifies a dedication to providing evidence-based treatments, even if they're not DBT experts specifically. DBT is a specific therapy under the larger "CBT umbrella." A CBT or "DBT-informed" therapist may be helpful for you are struggling with anxiety, depression, OCD, or PTSD (for example).
Ask these 7 questions to be more confident that a therapist provides adherent DBT, the evidence-based treatment for BPD, (c)PTSD, and several other mental health diagnoses.
If you're in the US: Most (but not all) states support a new initiative called PSYPACT. Psychologists in PSYPACT states can apply to provide telepsych therapy to people who live in other PSYPACT states.
So, even if there isn't an adherent DBT clinician or program with availability physically near you, you may be able to work with a PSYPACT-approved psychologist from another state if you live in a PSYPACT state.
To find out which states are in PSYPACT, see this map! There's no directory of clinicians, so you'll have to ask any therapists you find whether they are able and willing to use PSYPACT to see you virtually.
What about $$$$?
Therapy can be very expensive, especially comprehensive DBT. Sadly, many DBT therapists don’t take insurance.
I can’t offer specific recommendations for affordable DBT, because it will depend on where you live. But, I can offer two final suggestions if price is a major limiting factor for you.
First, many therapists will have a handful of slots saved for clients with limited financial means, sometimes reserved for clients of marginalized identities. You can always ask a potential therapist if they have any “sliding scale” options. Keep in mind: these slots are often in high-demand, so you may have to wait on a waiting list for a longer period of time.
Second, Therahive offers DBT skills groups online. It’s not comprehensive DBT, and the groups are run by peer coaches, not therapists. But, Therahive was created by DBT-Linehan-board-certified expert therapists, so you can be confident the skills you’re learning are legit.
Research shows that learning DBT skills alone can be incredibly beneficial for some people’s mental health. So, it may be worth checking out some self-help options for learning DBT skills while you are working to find a DBT therapist!