LIVE: 2025 Cohort | Comprehensive Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

September 15, 2025 - November 16, 2026
11:30 AM - 1:30 PM Pacific

100 Hours | 100 CEs

Live Training via Zoom

Join our 2025 Comprehensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Certification Cohort beginning in September 2025 with Dr. Michele Galieta as the lead instructor. This certification program is specially tailored for individual therapists or skills trainers actively providing DBT to clients in justice-oriented settings. The cohort offers a small student-to-instructor ratio, ensuring dedicated time for discussion and Q&A, enhancing the learning experience. Participants should expect to dedicate 3-4 hours weekly for approximately 15 months.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy is a comprehensive cognitive-behavioral treatment increasingly used across various health settings. It is particularly effective in reducing suicide, self-harm, and violence self-harm. While DBT Skills are a fundamental part of comprehensive DBT, evidence suggests that even skills training alone, supplemented with case management, may be effective for managing less severe cases. This program emphasizes the content and delivery of the DBT skills component, focusing on adaptations relevant to youth in justice-related placements or adults in forensic hospitals or correctional facilities. These adaptations include strategies for substance abuse and reducing violent and obsessional behaviors.

This program offers a thorough introduction to standard DBT, focusing on its adaptations and strategies in adult and juvenile forensic settings, such as jails, prisons, forensic hospitals, juvenile justice settings, and probation. DBT is recognized for its ability to reduce problem behaviors in clients and stabilize environments by integrating Eastern principles of acceptance and compassion with rigorous behavioral science.

Throughout the program, participants will engage with didactic presentations supplemented with relevant case examples, alternating with hands-on practice of DBT skills. This comprehensive approach allows participants to learn how to deliver all modes of DBT, individual therapy, group skills training, coaching, and the therapist consultation team. The program also includes detailed information about successfully implementing DBT into milieu settings. Participants will learn about incentive systems, protocols for egregious behaviors, and low-level problem behaviors. Additionally, the program includes interactive discussions on strategies for successful implementation and potential applications of DBT skills across various other settings and populations.

The cohort format of this training combines live virtual didactic instruction with opportunities for small group discussion, hands-on application, and meaningful skill development. Participants also benefit from being part of a DBT team—an essential component for licensed clinicians seeking to complete all requirements for DBT certification.

The certification process is divided into three phases, each of which is required for DBT certification. Here is a breakdown of the phases, the requirements, and training details.

Pre-Entry Requirement: Participants must read all three required textbooks and pass a skills knowledge exam with a score of 80% BEFORE the training sessions start. The textbooks are not included in the certification purchase. Below are the links to purchase for ease:

• Linehan, M. M. (1993a). Cognitive Behavioral Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder. New York: Guilford Press.
• Linehan, M. M. (2014a). DBT Skills Training Manual (2nd ed.) New York, NY: Guilford Press
• Linehan, M. M. (2014b). DBT Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Guilford Press.

Phase 1: Didactic Training

• Live virtual Zoom sessions (required)
• Duration: 25 Weeks
• Date/Time: Mondays from 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM Pacific/2:30 - 4:30 PM Eastern
• Format: Each session will have 1 hour didactic lecture and 1 hour for experiential learning (discussion, assigments, Q&A).
• Session Dates below:
• 9/15/25 | Week 1: Welcome, Introductions, Intro to DBT Core Principles, Agreements
• 9/22/25 | Week 2: DBT Theoretical Roots & Core Elements
• 9/29/25 | Week 3: Acceptance Strategies in DBT- Zen & Validation
• 10/6/25 | Week 4: Change Strategies in DBT-Behaviorism & Chain Analysis
• 10/13/25 | Week 5: Risk Assessment/Management Part 1
• 10/20/25 | Week 6: Risk Assessment/Management Part 2
• 10/27/25 | Week 7: Structuring Skills Groups
• 11/3/25 | Week 8: Core Mindfulness Skills
• 11/10/25 | Week 9: Distress Tolerance Skills Part 1
• 11/17/25 | Week 10: Distress Tolerance Skills Part 2
• 11/24/25 | Week 11: Emotion Regulation Skills
• 12/1/25 | Week 12: Interpersonal Effectiveness
• 12/8/25 | Week 13: Middle Path and Specialized Skills for Substance Abuse and Antisocial Thinking
• 12/15/25 | Week 14: Risk-Responsive DBT Formulation
• 12/29/25 | Week 15: Pretreatment and the Life Worth Living or Best Life Goal
• 1/5/26 | Week 16: Commitment Strategies
• 1/12/26 | Week 17: Creating & Using the Diary Card in DBT Treatment and Structural Strategies in DBT Sessions
• 1/19/26 | Week 18: Stylistic & Dialectical Strategies in DBT
• 1/26/26 | Week 19: Behaviorism in Action: Solution Analysis in DBT
• 2/2/26 | Week 20: Behaviorism in Action: The Milieu
• 2/9/26 | Week 21: Coaching Calls, Approach & Coach in the Milieu
• 2/16/26 | Week 22: Consultation Team
• 2/23/26 | Week 23: Example Case
• 3/2/26 | Week 24: Pulling it all Together: Your Case Formulations
• 3/9/26 | Week 25: Implementation, Adherence, Checklists


Entry criteria for Phase 2:
• Pass a 100-question comprehensive knowledge examination with a score of 80%
• Have an active treatment case (client) with consent to record sessions
• Submit an acceptable formulation, diary card, and treatment plan for the active case (implemented in phase 1)

Participants who do not meet the entry criteria for phase 2 will be transitioned to another cohort for additional didactic training.

Phase 2: Consultation Team
• Live virtual Zoom sessions (required)
• Duration: 36 Weeks from March 16th, 2026 until November 16th, 2026.
• Date/Time: Mondays from 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM Pacific/2:30 - 4:30 PM Eastern
• Format: Each session will focus on specific learning consolidation topics. There will be a dedicated Mindfulness Retreat available for participants. Participants may provide documentation of another retreat or practice sufficient to meet this requirement (based on approval).


Phase 3: Apply for Palo Alto DBT Certification Upon the successful completion of Phase 1 and Phase 2, participants will be eligible to apply for DBT certification through Palo Alto University. The application fee is $500 (not included in the cohort registration). Once the application process is finalized and approved, participants will be issued a digital credential to acknowledge their Certification in Dialectical Behavior Therapy.
The application package consists of:
• An attestation to having read both required books*
• Successful completion of the skills knowledge exam*
• Successful completion of the comprehensive DBT knowledge exam*
• Participation in PAU Mindfulness Retreat or
• Attestation of Mindfulness Practice*
• Signed form from Consultation Team Lead (minimum 36 weeks participation)*
• Submit a Case Formulation, Diary Card, &
• Treatment Summary with Outcomes*
• Submit three consecutive session tapes, with completed self-rated DBT AC-I for each
* These requirements will be completed by participants who advance to and complete Phase 2.

Participation requirements:
• Must be a licensed mental health clinician and will be required to submit proof
• Must be currently engaged in providing DBT to clients
• Attend all live sessions in Phases 1 and 2