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Course Description

Hours: 12

Dialectical behaviour therapy sits on top of the foundation of behaviourism and cognitive behaviour therapy. As such, the primary change strategies used within DBT pull directly from these evidenced-based treatment interventions. DBT expects that all practitioners implementing DBT within their practice are well trained in these change strategies and have been using them with clients already in clinical practice; as such they are not explicitly taught in DBT trainings. This Professional Development course will focus on providing enough information on each of the change strategies so that practitioners may understand how these change strategies are then implemented within the modes of DBT (individual, skills, coaching, consultation team). This two-day course sets participants up to maximize the learning outcomes in DBT Assessment and Case Conceptualization, Individual Therapy and Coaching and Consultation Team; the change strategies will not be reviewed in the other workshops. 

At the end of the workshop participants can expect to:

  • Describe principles of behaviourism and how shaping, reinforcement and extinction are used within individual therapy and skills group formats.  
  • Be able to develop and apply behavioural contingency management plans.
  • Describe contingency management within a cognitive behavioural theory lens, and when they are most effective to be employed within individual therapy and coaching.
  • Understand cognitive modification strategies commonly found in standard CBT and explain how and why they are modified within DBT.
  • Understand the theory of exposure, the difference between formal and informal exposure and how/when it is best to apply with clients experiencing high emotional sensitivity and reactivity. 

Notes

For more information contact the Faculty of Social Work Professional Development office:

Email: fswprofessionaldevelopment@wlu.ca
Phone: 548-889-5128

Cancellations and Transfers
Be sure to carefully review our cancellation and transfer information before registering.

Website: wlu.ca/fswpd

Applies Towards the Following Certificates

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This course has already taken place for the current academic year (July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025).

The 2025/2026 Faculty of Social Work Professional Development course dates will be posted on this website on July 3, 2025.

Thank you for your interest in this course. Unfortunately, the course you have selected is currently not open for enrollment. Please complete a Course Inquiry so that we may promptly notify you when enrollment opens.
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