With the rising rates of anxiety and depression and barriers to accessible outpatient care, school psychologists have become the front lines of mental health intervention. As the needs of our students have increased significantly over the past decade, comprehensive, effective, and generalizable social–emotional interventions are of the utmost importance. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a multimodal intervention that teaches students (primarily grades 3–12+) targeted skills to increase mindfulness, regulate emotions, decrease impulsive behaviors, think flexibly, and improve interpersonal skills. The skills-based nature of DBT provides a universal platform that allows for the instruction and generalization of skills across diagnostic and learning profiles. DBT is currently being implemented in schools across the country as a Tier 1 universal intervention (DBT Skills Training for Emotional Problem Solving – STEPS A) and as a Tier 2/Tier 3 intervention (Comprehensive School-Based DBT).

This workshop will provide an overview of DBT and its adaptation as a school-based intervention. The presentation will be part didactic, including multimedia demonstrations (e.g., videos.), and part hands-on activities including skills practice and role-plays.

Workshop Objectives:

This session will help participants

1. better understand and conceptualize the difficulties of multiproblem students, including those with high risk behaviors;
2. discuss and plan ways to implement a multimodal social–emotional intervention within a school or district;
3. use validation and distress tolerance skills to de-escalate students in crisis;
4. begin to identify key links related to students’ problematic behaviors and generative ideas for alternative skills; and
5. integrate the principles of behaviorism, mindfulness, and dialectical thinking into their work with students, teachers, parents, and administrators.

Prerequisite Knowledge

Intermediate level of knowledge with an understanding of behavioral principles.

Practical Tools

Selected DBT Skills including Distress Tolerance and Mindfulness strategies to help students regulate their emotions and behaviors. Techniques including validation and dialectical thinking to reduce emotional and behavioral dysregulation.