• Dates: Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, 2019 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Cost: $330
• Instructor: Elisha Van Harte, MSW, RSW
• Hours: 12

Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) was initially developed for individuals with complex mental health problems and engaging in suicidal behaviour. It is the only evidenced-based intervention for borderline personality disorder. In the last decade DBT has been adapted to a wider range of severe emotional dysregulation disorders (bipolar, binge eating disorder) and effectively applied within a wide range of clinical settings (forensic, school, hospital, residential). DBT focuses on improving client’s ability to tolerate intense emotions, manage distressing situations without making them worse, improve interpersonal effectiveness and increase mindfulness skills all within a comprehensive, multi-mode treatment modality.

At the end of this workshop participants will be able to:

• Explain the main theories that inform DBT.
• Describe the structure and modes of treatment of DBT.
• Review the 5 modules of DBT Skills Group.
• Explain dialectics and validation and its role within the treatment.
• Describe stylistic strategies of DBT.

• Dates: Oct. 28 and 29, 2019 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Cost: $330
• Instructor: Elisha Van Harte, MSW, RSW
• Hours: 12

In dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), case conceptualization uses the principles and the protocols of the treatment to assess client goals and behaviours, develop a targeted treatment plan, and provide accurate interventions that ultimately bring the client to his/her life worth living goals. Case conceptualization in DBT is an iterative process, starting with the initial assessment and continuing to be refined through the beginning stages of treatment. The purpose of this workshop is to guide participants in how to conduct a comprehensive DBT assessment during the first four sessions of adherent DBT therapy in order to increase the effectiveness of therapy thereafter.

At the end of the workshop participants will be able to:

• Understand stages of treatment.
• Develop target hierarchy.
• Apply biosocial theory to assessment procedures.
• Conduct behaviour chain analysis.
• Use validation and dialectical thinking effectively during assessment interviews.
• Identify key controlling variables for target problems and map evidenced-based change strategies.

• Dates: Feb. 5 and 6, 2020 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Cost: $330
• Instructor: Elisha Van Harte, MSW, RSW
• Hours: 12

Two key issues while working with high risk and highly complex clients is how to ensure generalization of therapeutic change within the client’s natural environment and how to reduce the likelihood of burnout within the therapist. Phone coaching, one of the four modes of DBT intervention, provides clients with the support they need to effectively manage high arousal situations without engaging in problematic behaviour. The DBT consultation team is what is affectionately (and accurately) referred to as “therapy for the therapist,” whereby all the same tenets of DBT individual therapy are integrated into a team meeting format that effectively supports DBT clinicians in maintaining their own commitment and adherence to the principles and protocols of the treatment.

By the end of this workshop participants will be able to:

• Develop their own limits around phone coaching.
• Explain the purpose and principles of phone coaching to clients.
• Understand how to use various DBT acceptance and change strategies in short-term coaching applications.
• Understand the structure, roles and principles that guide consultation team.
• Learn how to adequately prepare for consultation team.
• Role play implementation of an actual consultation team meeting.

• Dates: Dec. 3 and 4, 2019 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Cost: $330
• Instructor: Elisha Van Harte, MSW, RSW
• Hours: 12

In DBT, individual therapy is one of the four modes of treatment delivery. Its primary functions are to maintain client motivation and commitment to treatment, individualize change strategies to specific client’s case formulation, and effectively respond to suicidal crises and therapy interfering behaviours all while maintaining a strong therapeutic alliance.

At the end of this workshop participants will be able to:

• Effectively use DBT commitment to develop and strengthen client motivation and commitment.
• Structure individual therapy sessions.
• Understand and implement dialectical strategies to respond to impasse in treatment.
• Balance irreverent and reciprocal forms of communication.

• Dates: April 8 and 9, 2020 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Cost: $330
• Instructor: Elisha Van Harte, MSW, RSW
• Hours: 12

A core mode of intervention within DBT is the skills group, whereby clients are taught more skillful ways to regulate their emotions, effectively manage the distressing situations in their lives, and improve and maintain relationships with the people around them. These skills are taught in a weekly skills group for adults and in a multi-family skills group for the adolescent population. There is currently evidence that supports decreases in problematic behaviour and increases in adaptive coping by implementing skills group as a stand-alone intervention; this has resulted even in the application of DBT Skills within the education system.

By the end of Part 1, participants will be able to:

• Understand the mode and function of skills training within the overall treatment framework.
• Understand the difference between “group therapy” and DBT skills group.
• Clearly define the different roles of skills group.
• Effectively prepare and implement the structure (including contingency) of skills group.
• Teach mindfulness and emotion regulation skills.

• Dates: May 7 and 8, 2020 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Cost: $330
• Instructor: Elisha Van Harte, MSW, RSW
• Hours: 12

A core mode of intervention within DBT is the skills group, whereby clients are taught more skillful ways to regulate their emotions, effectively manage the distressing situations in their lives, and improve and maintain relationships with the people around them. These skills are taught in a weekly skills group for adults and in a multi-family skills group for the adolescent population. There is currently evidence that supports decreases in problematic behaviour and increases in adaptive coping by implementing skills group as a stand-alone intervention; this has resulted even in the application of DBT Skills within the education system.

By the end of Part 2, participants will be able to:

• Teach distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness and walking the middle path skills.
• Deal with therapy interfering behaviour within skills group, including lack of home practice completion.
• Understand the role of diary cards in group and how to use them effectively.

• Dates: June 2 and 3, 2020 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Cost: $330
• Instructor: Elisha Van Harte, MSW, RSW
• Hours: 12

Treating high risk, complex clients is challenging in its own right. When clients engage in dysfunctional behaviours within treatment that challenge the therapists it can be incredibly difficult to continue with effective treatment. This workshop is designed to help therapists identify and respond to client behaviours that interfere with treatment, and behaviours that burn out therapists.

By the end of this workshop participants will be able to:

• Describe the theory and assumptions of therapy interfering behaviour.
• Balance acceptance/validation strategies with change strategies in a dialectical style.
• Orient the client to therapy interfering behaviours and how they will be responded to in session.
• Identify and accurately categorize behaviours that interfere with therapy.
• Articulate and communicate limits to clients.
• Understand how to extend limits in a consistent manner.
• Understand how to respond to clients who refuse to change therapy interfering behaviour, or how to respond to your own emotional dysregulation.