CBC has become the first—and only, to date—Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)-Linehan Board of Certification, Certified Program in New York State. The DBT- Linehan Board of Certification (LBC) was formed to develop a comprehensive way to certify individual therapists in their competency to deliver DBT effectively and to certify programs that demonstrate their ability to deliver DBT programmatically with fidelity to the model as it has been researched.
DBT strategically blends behavior therapy (change orientation) with validation (acceptance orientation). DBT teaches that individuals are doing the best they can AND at the same time they can learn alternative ways to manage problems more effectively. Learning how to think and act dialectically helps individuals achieve a more balanced lifestyle which ultimately helps people move toward having a life that feels more meaningful and worth living.
Distress, emotional pain, interpersonal difficulties, and behavioral problems such as over-eating, under-eating, using substances, self-injuring, losing emotional and behavioral control, socially withdrawing, or avoiding school or work, can make it incredibly difficult to function normally and lead a life that feels meaningful and worthwhile. DBT targets the issues that cause distress and teaches skills to deal with them without having to resort to maladaptive behaviors.
Developed by Marsha Linehan, Ph.D., DBT was originally introduced in 1991 as a treatment for suicidal and self-injurious individuals diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). CBC Co-Founder, Dr. Alec Miller, along with Dr. Linehan and Dr. Rathus, adapted DBT for adolescents and families in 1995, which is now being applied worldwide.
DBT has been commonly viewed as a treatment for individuals meeting criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) with chronic and high-risk suicidality, substance dependence or other disorders. However, over the years, data has emerged demonstrating that DBT is also effective for a wide range of other disorders and problems, most of which are associated with difficulties regulating emotions and associated cognitive and behavioral patterns.
“The DBT-LBC sent two seasoned site reviewers to evaluate every facet of our DBT program last month, including reviewing our DBT program’s policies and procedures, observing two skills groups and our DBT Therapist Consultation Team, as well as conducting interviews with numerous patients, families and staff,” says Dr. Alec L. Miller, co-founder of CBC. Feedback from the site reviewers was exceptionally positive: “Consistently, the team at CBC has shown a wealth of knowledge and support for doing comprehensive DBT and expansion of other programming (DBT in Schools, DBT-C, Steps Young Adult Program, Training, etc.),” the report notes. “All the DBT providers we interviewed expressed genuine passion for the patients they serve and serving the community as a whole. We want to reiterate the supportive and engaging environment that was observed and the team's investment in providing comprehensive DBT with fidelity to the treatment model.”
“We are proud to have received this certification and gratified that the DBT-LBC team recognized the strength and depth of our programs,” Dr. Miller says.