This workshop covers the content from each of the four skills training modules in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy [DBT]—Core Mindfulness, Emotion Regulation, Interpersonal Effectiveness, and Distress Tolerance.

Core Mindfulness and Distress Tolerance are acceptance-based modules; they teach clients how to live with reality "as it is". Emotion Regulation and Interpersonal Effectiveness are change-oriented modules, teaching clients how to alter themselves or their environments.

During the workshop, participants also learn about a wide variety of topics related to skills groups. These include how to start a group so that it has a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, identifying common problems in skills groups and solving them early, making skills lectures come alive, giving meaningful homework assignments, and reviewing homework assignments in a way that promotes active engagement and problem solving.

Participants will be asked to practice skills at the workshop and will be given very brief (5-10 minute) homework assignments to complete at lunch, at breaks, or during the evening. The instructors will use lecture, videotapes, role-play, homework review, and open question and answer periods to provide participants with a practical and highly experiential learning environment. They also will cover how DBT skills groups can be developed in a wide variety of settings and with different client populations.

Topics:

1. •Dialectical Behavioural Therapy 
   

2. •Treating clients with suicidal behaviour 
   

3. •Substance abuse 
   

4. •Anger 
   

5. •Eating disorders 
   

6. •Interpersonal difficulties 
   

7. •Personality disorders and impulsivity 
   

Objectives - learn:

1. •Four skills training modules of DBT: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness 
   

2. •Apply relevant DBT strategies within psycho-educational skills training 
   

3. •Organize and structure skills training classes for clients 
   

4. •Treat therapy-interfering behaviours of clients and therapists