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Resources

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  • Want to learn the DBT skills on your own?
    Books My book "Self-Directed DBT Skills: 3-Month DBT Workbook*" provides easy-to-understand instructions and practices for all of the core DBT skills. My deck of DBT Coping Cards* breaks down the skills into even smaller bites, for folks who don't want to commit to a full workbook. For more options, this page has my other favorites. (*To be transparent: these links are affiliate links, and I may receive a commission if you purchase through them.) Audio-Visual The DBT-RU YouTube channel (from the Rutgers University DBT program run by Dr. Shireen Rizvi) provides dozens of short, animated videos teaching DBT skills. I have a YouTube Channel with videos about DBT skills and other mental health information. The Therapists in the Wild podcast, hosted by two intensively trained DBT therapists, discusses many of the DBT skills and provides real-life examples of how the skills work in the therapists' lives. They've finished recording episodes (sadly!), but it's still a great podcast for learning. The To Hell and Back podcast, hosted by an expert DBT psychiatrist Dr. Charlie Swenson, focuses on how DBT can help people cope with the stressors and tragedies that life throws at them. Other DBTSelfHelp.com is one of the largest websites online with free DBT resources. The DBT Self-Help sub-Reddit can provide some support during self-learning. Following DBT-related content creators on social media can also help. Follow me at @dbtkiki or check out who I follow. There are several online DBT skills groups available if you want some professional support but can't find/afford comprehensive DBT (e.g., Therahive and DBT Path). If you continue to struggle with applying skills to your life, a DBT therapist could help. Check out the next FAQ below for information on finding a therapist, or see this master list of resources (including therapist directories).
  • What to learn more about DBT?
    Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a complex, evidence-based psychotherapy. While DBT was originally created to treat borderline personality disorder, it can help many people who struggle to understand or manage their emotions. Decades of research show DBT can help people with PTSD, depression, bipolar disorder, some eating disorders, substance abuse, and other diagnoses. It also can help people Autistic and ADHD adults struggling with emotional difficulties. DBT Skills are life skills. They cover emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance, and mindfulness techniques. I believe DBT skills can help anyone improve their mental health and general wellness. (Some research supports that belief, too.) To learn more: Read: a blog post I wrote about comprehensive DBT. Watch: this video provides a brief overall description of comprehensive DBT — while it's about DBT for adolescents, a lot of its information applies to traditional adult DBT as well. Listen: this podcast between Dr. Peter Attia and DBT expert Dr. Shireen Rizvi covers a lot of info about DBT. Research: I keep a public annotated bibliography of the DBT-related research that I reference most and just find interesting. Behavioral Tech provides a lot of reliable information and research about DBT, too. Read more: Here are the books I recommend to learn DBT skills on your own. As I create more resources for learning about DBT and DBT skills, they'll be available in my shop or announced on my newsletter. (You can sign up for that below. I email very rarely.)
  • Want to find a (DBT) therapist?
    Check out this google doc for a master list with a ton of resources for finding a therapist and other mental health support. Understanding how to find, choose, and get the most out of working with a therapist can be so difficult. So, I'm writing an ebook on this exact topic right now—sign up for my newsletter if you want to hear about it when it's released. In the meantime... If you want to find a DBT therapist specifically: You can read my Psychology Today post about 7 questions to ask a therapist to be more confident about whether you're getting adherent DBT, the evidence-based treatment for BPD, (c)PTSD, and several other mental health diagnoses. 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. (Note: not all qualified DBT therapists are LBC-certified.) Behavioral Tech provides a directory of all clinicians who have attended one of their excellent intensive trainings in adherent DBT. (Note: not all qualified DBT therapist have been intensively trained by BTech.) 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.") Psychology Today has one of the best comprehensive directories for finding clinicians of all kinds. But, be aware: therapists pay to be listed on this site and are in charge of creating their own profiles. Psychology Today only confirms current licensure, not any of the rest of a therapist's bio. Many therapists who list DBT as one of their specialties on PsychToday may not actually provide adherent DBT. Keep in mind: Most (but not all) USA states support 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 nearby, you may be able to work with a PSYPACT-approved psychologist from another 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.
  • Want to learn more about me, Dr. Kiki Fehling?
    I am a clinical psychologist, author, speaker, and expert in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), highly sensitive people, borderline personality disorder, self-harm, trauma, and LGBTQ+ mental health. DBT changed my life, and I'm passionate about sharing the DBT skills with as many people as possible. I'm glad you're here! I also am a heart attack survivor, and passionate about helping others with emotional recovery after heart events. Learn more about my background here, check out my Media and Writing pages for recent articles/podcasts/interviews, or read my Now page to learn what I've been thinking about and working on recently. I co-wrote a self-help book on DBT skills, and published a deck of DBT coping cards. I regularly share about DBT through my Psychology Today blog as well as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X/Twitter, and YouTube. I am a licensed psychologist in New York (and previously licensed in Rhode Island), but I am not currently seeing clients for therapy. If I return to clinical work, I would announce it on my newsletter—sign up below if you're interested in hearing about that. I rarely send emails. When I do, it includes updates about new resources (e.g., ebooks or online courses) or podcasts/articles that I think could benefit folks looking to learn more about DBT.
  • Want to become a DBT therapist?
    So cool! It's a very fulfilling career. I love DBT, but it is a very complex therapy to practice as a clinician. I recommend you start by learning the basics about the therapy and the skills, to see if it resonates with you. My writing/videos and the various free resources on the rest of this page are useful places to start. From there, this Bookshop shop* includes my book recommendations for becoming a DBT therapist, including treatment manuals for DBT and DBT adaptations, as well as other books on DBT techniques and clinical practice. If you're still interested after learning the DBT basics, you'll need to take an intensive clinical training (unless you're able to work in a clinic/practice where a DBT expert can teach/supervise you directly). There are many DBT trainings available! Of the many trainings I've personally attended, Behavioral Tech was the best one. BTech was founded by Dr. Marsha Linehan (the creator of DBT) and many of the BTech trainers have been directly trained by her. Several BTech intensive trainings also offer direct consultation with DBT expert therapists! Fair warning: like many clinical trainings, it can be expensive. No matter what training you decide to get (or not), you'll have to learn the DBT skills. There's no better knowledge for teaching the skills than having practiced them all yourself! My book is written to help anyone (including clinicians) learn the skills, and I recommend a ton of other free resources for learning DBT skills in the first FAQ section above. (*This link is an affiliate link; I receive a commission on qualifying purchases made through them.)

*All of the links above marked with an asterisk are affiliate links,
and I may receive a commission if you purchase through them.

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