CBC Team

Dr. Alec L. Miller: DBT Expert, Clinician, Speaker, and Leader in Adolescent Mental Health and School-Based Interventions

Dr. Alec L. Miller is a clinical psychologist, internationally recognized expert in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and a leading authority in the treatment of adolescents and families facing complex, high-risk mental health challenges. He is the Co-Founder and Co-Director of Cognitive and Behavioral Consultants (CBC), the Co-Founder of Access Psychology Foundation, and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

He specializes in stress management, depression, suicide and self-injury, and borderline personality disorder, with an evidence-based approach to care with teens, adults, parents, and families. A DBT-Linehan Board of Certification (DBT-LBC) Certified Individual DBT Clinician, Dr. Miller directs programs at CBC, which was the first center in New York State to be certified by the DBT-LBC.

Known for his warm, engaging, and highly practical style, Dr. Miller is both an active clinician and a sought-after speaker. He brings a rare combination of deep clinical and research expertise, real-world experience, and an ability to translate complex ideas into accessible, actionable strategies. Through this approach, he continues to expand access to effective mental health care across clinical, community, corporate and educational systems globally.

Clinical Specialties and DBT Treatment Focus

Dr. Miller works directly with adolescents and families dealing with some of the most challenging presentations in mental health. His clinical and referral focus includes Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), adolescent depression and mood disorders, suicide and self-injury, borderline personality disorder, and emotional dysregulation and high-risk behaviors. He is particularly known for his work with high-risk, multi-problem adolescents and for supporting families navigating intense emotional and behavioral difficulties.

Development and Leadership in DBT for Adolescents (DBT-A)

Dr. Miller is widely recognized as a pioneer in co-adapting DBT for adolescents (DBT-A). His work has played a central role in extending DBT beyond its original adult population to younger, high-risk clients. He is co-author of the standard treatment manuals used with teens: Dialectical Behavior Therapy with Suicidal Adolescents (2007), DBT Skills Manual for Adolescents 2nd Edition: Training Manual for Clinicians (2027) and DBT Skills for Adolescents Workbook: Handouts for Teens, Caregivers, and Families 2nd Edition (2027).

As the Co-Founder and Co-Director of CBC, and a Linehan Board Certified Individual DBT Clinician, he sets a benchmark for quality and fidelity in DBT implementation. His work continues to influence how DBT is delivered across clinical, community, and educational settings worldwide.

Comprehensive School-Based Mental Health and DBT STEPS-A and STEPS-E Curriculum

A defining feature of Dr. Miller’s work is his commitment to bringing evidence-based mental health skills into educational systems. He is the co-author of DBT STEPS-A (Skills Training for Emotional Problem Solving for Adolescents, 2016), DBT STEPS-E (Skills Training for Emotional Problem Solving in Elementary Schools, Grades K-5, 2026), a widely implemented social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum designed specifically for school settings. This program equips students with practical skills in emotional regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness.

Dr. Miller goes far beyond curriculum development. He has successfully led the direct implementation of DBT programs into hundreds of schools worldwide. He consults regularly with school districts, administrators, and mental health staff on a deep, ongoing level to ensure high-fidelity implementation, long-term sustainability, and a transformative impact on both student well-being and overall school culture.

Textbooks, Research Publications, and International Influence

Since 1995, Dr. Miller has led clinical research teams focused on adapting DBT for suicidal, multi-problem adolescents in outpatient settings. He was the lead trainer and co-investigator of the first randomized clinical trial of adolescent DBT, which was conducted in Oslo, Norway. He has authored and co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, and is the co-author of seven foundational texts: Dialectical Behavior Therapy with Suicidal Adolescents (2007), DBT Skills Manual for Adolescents (2015), and DBT Skills in Schools (DBT STEPS-A) (2016), DBT Skills in Elementary Schools (DBT STEPS-E) (2026), DBT Skills Manual for Adolescents 2nd Edition: Training Manual for Clinicians (2027) and DBT Skills for Adolescents Workbook: Handouts for Teens, Caregivers, and Families 2nd Edition (2027). His work has been supported by federal, state, and private funding, and he has been an invited participant in National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) consensus meetings on adolescent suicide.

Academic and Clinical Appointments

From 1995 to 2015, Dr. Miller held senior leadership roles at Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, New York. His positions included Chief of Child and Adolescent Psychology, Director of the Adolescent Depression and Suicide Program, Associate Director of Psychology Training, and Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. His leadership roles reflect a long-standing commitment to clinical excellence, research program development, and professional training. Since 2015, Dr. Miller has served as Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Awards, Philanthropy, and Board Leadership in Mental Health

Dr. Miller is deeply committed to advancing the field of psychology and overcoming mental health disparities. He is the Co-Founder and former Board President of Access Psychology Foundation (APF), a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing access to evidence-based prevention and treatment for historically underrepresented and underserved communities. He currently serves on several committees on the APF Board.

His leadership extends to numerous prestigious board positions designed to advance the fidelity and reach of DBT. He serves as a Board Member of the DBT-Linehan Board of Certification (DBT-LBC), and previously served on the Steering Committee of the World DBT Association (WDBTA), and previously served as a Board member of the IDEAL School and the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology. He has also served as a Scientific Advisory Council member for both the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and the National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder (NEA-BPD).

In recognition of his outstanding and enduring contributions to the field, Dr. Miller was elected as a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA, Divisions 12 and 53) and a Fellow of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT). His numerous accolades also include the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, the Service Award from the International Society for the Improvement and Teaching of DBT (ISITDBT), and the Rhodes Spirit of Leadership Award.

Approach to Treatment and Teaching

Dr. Miller is known for a style that combines clinical precision with warmth, authenticity, and practicality. Whether working with clients and their families, training clinicians, or speaking to educators, he focuses on delivering strategies that are immediately usable. He balances structure and accountability with genuine care, creating an environment where people feel both supported and empowered to make meaningful change.

Education and Training

Dr. Miller earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He completed his doctorate in clinical psychology at the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology of Yeshiva University, where he developed the foundation for his work in clinical research, CBT, DBT, and treatment innovation.

DBT Clinical Training for Mental Health Practitioners

Dr. Miller is an engaging and highly respected master trainer who has educated clinicians, educators, and organizations around the world. With his colleagues at CBC, he has trained hundreds of schools, clinical, and corporate organizations.

Dr. Miller is available for private consultation with existing DBT teams and conducts in-person workshops globally to ensure private practitioners and clinical teams achieve the highest standard of DBT skills.

He also partners exclusively with Psychwire online to deliver high-fidelity Comprehensive DBT training. This includes his specialty area, Comprehensive DBT for Adolescents and Families, which he co-presents with Dr. Jill Rathus for mental health teams working with highly distressed, suicidal, and self-injuring youth.

He also provides online DBT Skills courses, co-presented with Dr. Jill Rathus and DBT founder Dr. Marsha Linehan, including DBT Skills for Adolescents and Families. As the treatment co-developer, Dr. Miller excels at taking complex therapeutic concepts and clinical situations and explaining them with clarity and practical simplicity. His highly sought-after training programs heavily emphasise real-world therapy demonstrations, bringing DBT to life with fidelity.

To access Dr. Miller's CV, please click here.