DELIBERATE PRACTICE IN

DIALECTICAL
BEHAVIOR THERAPY
 Essentials of Deliberate Practice Series
Tony Rousmaniere and Alexandre Vaz, Series Editors

Deliberate Practice in Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy

Jordan Bate, Tracy A. Prout, Tony Rousmaniere, and
Alexandre Vaz
Deliberate Practice in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
James F. Boswell and Michael J. Constantino
Deliberate Practice in Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Tali Boritz, Shelley McMain, Alexandre Vaz,
and Tony Rousmaniere
Deliberate Practice in Emotion-Focused Therapy
Rhonda N. Goldman, Alexandre Vaz, and Tony Rousmaniere
Deliberate Practice in Motivational Interviewing
Jennifer K. Manuel, Denise Ernst, Alexandre Vaz,
and Tony Rousmaniere
Deliberate Practice in Systemic Family Therapy
Adrian J. Blow, Ryan B. Seedall, Debra L. Miller,
Tony Rousmaniere, and Alexandre Vaz
ESSENTIALS OF DELIBERATE PRACTICE SERIES
TONY ROUSMANIERE AND ALEXANDRE VAZ, SERIES EDITORS

DELIBERATE PRACTICE IN
DIALECTICAL
BEHAVIOR THERAPY
TALI BORITZ
SHELLEY M CMAIN
ALEXANDRE VAZ
TONY ROUSMANIERE
Copyright © 2023 by the American Psychological Association. All rights reserved. Except
as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication
may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, including, but not
limited to, the process of scanning and digitization, or stored in a database or retrieval
system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

The opinions and statements published are the responsibility of the authors, and such
opinions and statements do not necessarily represent the policies of the American
Psychological Association.

Published by
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
https://www.apa.org

Order Department
https://www.apa.org/pubs/books
[email protected]

In the U.K., Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, copies may be ordered from Eurospan
https://www.eurospanbookstore.com/apa
[email protected]

Typeset in Cera Pro by Circle Graphics, Inc., Reisterstown, MD

Printer: Gasch Printing, Odenton, MD

Cover Designer: Mark Karis

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Boritz, Tali, author. | McMain, Shelley, author. | Vaz, Alexandre, author. |
  Rousmaniere, Tony, author.
Title: Deliberate practice in dialectical behavior therapy / Tali Boritz,
   Shelley McMain, Alexandre Vaz, and Tony Rousmaniere.
Description: Washington, DC : American Psychological Association, [2023] |
   Series: Essentials of deliberate practice | Includes bibliographical
   references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2022024884 (print) | LCCN 2022024885 (ebook) |
   ISBN 9781433837890 (paperback) | ISBN 9781433837906 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Dialectical behavior therapy. | Psychotherapists––Training
   of. | BISAC: PSYCHOLOGY / Education & Training | PSYCHOLOGY /
   Psychotherapy / General
Classification: LCC RC489.D48 B67 2023 (print) | LCC RC489.D48 (ebook) |
  DDC 616.89/14––dc23/eng/20220716
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022024884
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022024885

https://doi.org/10.1037/0000322-000

Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
We dedicate this book to Marsha Linehan, who pioneered research in the field of person-
ality disorders and emotion dysregulation and the development of dialectical behavior
therapy. We are truly grateful to Marsha for what she has achieved for the field of mental
health. Her brilliant therapy has changed lives across the world, touching thousands of
people, families, health care professionals, and others impacted by borderline personality
disorder and other mental health problems related to emotion dysregulation.
 Contents

Series Preface  ix
Tony Rousmaniere and Alexandre Vaz

Acknowledgments  xi

Part I Overview and Instructions   1

CHAPTER 1. Introduction and Overview of Deliberate Practice
and Dialectical Behavior Therapy   3
CHAPTER 2. Instructions for the Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Deliberate Practice Exercises   17

Part II Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical

Behavior Therapy Skills  23
Exercises for Beginner Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills
EXERCISE 1. Establishing a Session Agenda   25

EXERCISE 2. 
Validation  35
EXERCISE 3. 
Reinforcing Adaptive Behaviors  47
EXERCISE 4. 
Problem Assessment  57

Exercises for Intermediate Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

EXERCISE 5. 
Eliciting a Commitment   69
EXERCISE 6. 
Inviting the Client to Engage in Problem Solving   79
EXERCISE 7. 
Skills Training  89
EXERCISE 8. 
Modifying Cognitions  101
EXERCISE 9. 
Informal Exposure to Emotions   111

Exercises for Advanced Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

EXERCISE 10. 
Coaching Clients in Distress   121
EXERCISE 11. 
Promoting Dialectical Thinking
Through Both–And Statements   131
EXERCISE 12. 
Responding to Suicidal Ideation   141

vii
viii Contents

Comprehensive Exercises
EXERCISE 13. 
Annotated Dialectical Behavior Therapy Practice
Session Transcript  151
EXERCISE 14. 
Mock Dialectical Behavior Therapy Sessions   165

Part III Strategies for Enhancing the Deliberate Practice Exercises   173

CHAPTER 3. How to Get the Most Out of Deliberate Practice: Additional Guidance
for Trainers and Trainees   175

APPENDIX A. Difficulty Assessments and Adjustments  189

APPENDIX B. Deliberate Practice Diary Form  193

APPENDIX C. Sample Dialectical Behavior Therapy Syllabus With Embedded Deliberate

Practice Exercises  197

References  203
Index  209
About the Authors  221
 Series Preface
Tony Rousmaniere and Alexandre Vaz

We are pleased to introduce the Essentials of Deliberate Practice series of training books.
We are developing this book series to address a specific need that we see in many psy-
chology training programs. The issue can be illustrated by the training experiences of
Mary, a hypothetical second-year graduate school trainee. Mary has learned a lot about
mental health theory, research, and psychotherapy techniques. Mary is a dedicated
student; she has read dozens of textbooks, written excellent papers about psychotherapy,
and receives near-perfect scores on her course exams. However, when Mary sits with her
clients at her practicum site, she often has trouble performing the therapy skills that she
can write and talk about so clearly. Furthermore, Mary has noticed herself getting anxious
when her clients express strong reactions, such as getting very emotional, hopeless, or
skeptical about therapy. Sometimes this anxiety is strong enough to make Mary freeze at
key moments, limiting her ability to help those clients.
During her weekly individual and group supervision, Mary’s supervisor gives her
advice informed by empirically supported therapies and common factor methods. The
supervisor often supplements that advice by leading Mary through role-plays, recom-
mending additional reading, or providing examples from her own work with clients.
Mary, a dedicated supervisee who shares tapes of her sessions with her supervisor, is
open about her challenges, carefully writes down her supervisor’s advice, and reads
the suggested readings. However, when Mary sits back down with her clients, she often
finds that her new knowledge seems to have flown out of her head, and she is unable
to enact her supervisor’s advice. Mary finds this problem to be particularly acute with
the clients who are emotionally evocative.
Mary’s supervisor, who has received formal training in supervision, uses supervisory
best practices, including the use of video to review supervisees’ work. She would rate
Mary’s overall competence level as consistent with expectations for a trainee at Mary’s
developmental level. But even though Mary’s overall progress is positive, she experiences
some recurring problems in her work. This is true even though the supervisor is confident
that she and Mary have identified the changes that Mary should make in her work.
The problem with which Mary and her supervisor are wrestling—the disconnect
between her knowledge about psychotherapy and her ability to reliably perform
psychotherapy—is the focus of this book series. We started this series because most
therapists experience this disconnect, to one degree or another, whether they are
beginning trainees or highly experienced clinicians. In truth, we are all Mary.

ix
x Series Preface

To address this problem, we are focusing this series on the use of deliberate practice, a
method of training specifically designed for improving reliable performance of complex
skills in challenging work environments (Rousmaniere, 2016, 2019; Rousmaniere et al.,
2017). Deliberate practice entails experiential, repeated training with a particular skill
until it becomes automatic. In the context of psychotherapy, this involves two trainees
role-playing as a client and a therapist, switching roles every so often, under the guidance
of a supervisor. The trainee playing the therapist reacts to client statements, ranging in
difficulty from beginner to intermediate to advanced, with improvised responses that
reflect fundamental therapeutic skills.
To create these books, we approached leading trainers and researchers of major
therapy models with these simple instructions: Identify 10 to 12 essential skills for your
therapy model where trainees often experience a disconnect between cognitive knowl-
edge and performance ability—in other words, skills that trainees could write a good
paper about but often have challenges performing, especially with challenging clients.
We then collaborated with the authors to create deliberate practice exercises specif-
ically designed to improve reliable performance of these skills and overall responsive
treatment (Hatcher, 2015; Stiles et al., 1998; Stiles & Horvath, 2017). Finally, we rigorously
tested these exercises with trainees and trainers at multiple sites around the world and
refined them based on extensive feedback.
Each book in this series focuses on a specific therapy model, but readers will notice
that most exercises in these books touch on common factor variables and facilitative
interpersonal skills that researchers have identified as having the most impact on client
outcome, such as empathy, verbal fluency, emotional expression, persuasiveness, and
problem focus (e.g., Anderson et al., 2009; Norcross et al., 2019). Thus, the exercises
in every book should help with a broad range of clients. Despite the specific theoret-
ical model(s) from which therapists work, most therapists place a strong emphasis on
pantheoretical elements of the therapeutic relationship, many of which have robust
empirical support as correlates or mechanisms of client improvement (e.g., Norcross
et al., 2019). We also recognize that therapy models have already-established training
programs with rich histories, so we present deliberate practice not as a replacement
but as an adaptable, transtheoretical training method that can be integrated into these
existing programs to improve skill retention and help ensure basic competency.

About This Book

This book in the series is on dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), an integrative behav-
ioral treatment used to treat individuals with severe emotional and behavioral dysreg-
ulation, such as borderline personality disorder. DBT training typically involves learning
the theories that underlie the DBT model, observing expert practice, experiential exer-
cises (e.g., role-playing), supervised clinical work, and participation on a DBT consulta-
tion team. Deliberate practice is intended as an additional piece designed to enhance
DBT training. It is not intended to be the only delivery format through which DBT skills
are acquired, nor is this book sufficient on its own for obtaining full proficiency in DBT.
However, the practice of the skills set forth in this book provides trainees with the
opportunity to translate their didactic learning of DBT to a simulated environment that
mimics the clinical interaction, which can later be applied with actual clients. This book
provides opportunities for trainees to experiment using DBT skills with a range of client
presentations and clinical scenarios; to practice what they would say and how they
would say it. We hope this book stimulates your interest and engagement in DBT and
supports your ongoing development as DBT therapists in training!
 Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge Rodney Goodyear for his significant contribution to start-
ing and organizing this book series. We are grateful to Susan Reynolds, David Becker,
Elizabeth Budd, Emily Ekle, and Joe Albrecht at American Psychological Association (APA)
Books for providing expert guidance and insightful editing that has significantly improved
the quality and accessibility of this book. We also acknowledge the International Deliber-
ate Practice Society (IDPS) and its members for their many contributions and support for
our work. Finally, we are grateful for the invaluable editorial notes and feedback from Inês
Amaro, Amy DeSmidt, and Jamie Manser.
The exercises in this book underwent extensive testing at training programs around
the world. For all the pilot site leaders and trainees who volunteered to “test run” this
work and provided critically important feedback, we cannot thank you enough. We are
deeply grateful to the following supervisors and trainees, who tested exercises and/or
provided invaluable feedback:

• Herbert Assaloni and Mirjam Tanner, private practice, Winterthur, Switzerland

• Paul Bizzotto, private practice, Albury, New South Wales, Australia
• Jen Davies-Owen, Breathe Therapies, Liverpool, England, United Kingdom
• Konstadina Griva, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
• Anna-Maija Kokko, Center for Cognitive Psychotherapy Luote Ltd, Mikkeli, Finland
• Natasha Kostek, private practice, New York, NY, United States
• Kerry-Jayne Lambert and Adam Digby, University of Roehampton, London, England,
United Kingdom
• Crystal Morrissey, Yorkville University, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
• Selina Phan, Ferkauf School of Psychology, New York, NY, United States
• Hugo Pedro Sousa, private practice, Lisboa, Portugal
• Margot Stafford, Regis University, Denver, CO, United States
• Catarina Telo, private practice, London, England, United Kingdom
• Lianna Trubowitz, Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, New York, NY,
United States
• Alix Velasco, The Welsh Psychotherapy Institute, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
• Yi Yang and Jane E. Keat, private practice, Boston, MA, United States

xi
 PA R T

Overview and
Instructions I
In Part I, we provide an overview of deliberate practice, including how it can be integrated
into clinical training programs for dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and instructions
for performing the deliberate practice exercises in Part II. We encourage both trainers
and trainees to read both Chapters 1 and 2 before performing the deliberate prac-
tice exercises for the first time.

Chapter 1 provides a foundation for the rest of the book by introducing important concepts
related to deliberate practice and its role in psychotherapy training more broadly and
DBT training more specifically. We review three broad categories of DBT strategies:
acceptance-focused strategies, change-focused strategies, and dialectical strategies.
We also individually review the 12 skills included in the deliberate practice exercises.

Chapter 2 lays out the basic, most essential instructions for performing the DBT delib-
erate practice exercises in Part II. They are designed to be quick and simple and
provide you with just enough information to get started without being overwhelmed
by too much information. Chapter 3 in Part III provides more in-depth guidance, which
we encourage you to read once you are comfortable with the basic instructions in
Chapter 2.

1
 ECXHEARPCTIESRE

1
Introduction and Overview
of Deliberate Practice and
Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based psychotherapy typically used to

treat individuals with severe emotional and behavioral dysregulation, such as borderline
personality disorder (BPD). Learning DBT can be a daunting task. DBT is a comprehen-
sive behavioral treatment that includes numerous therapeutic strategies and tech-
niques that are dialectically balanced between accepting the client as they are within
a context of trying to teach them how to change (i.e., use more effective coping strat-
egies). As a principle-driven therapy, the effective delivery of DBT requires therapists
to have a strong grasp of the foundational theories underlying the treatment. When
paired with an individualized DBT case formulation based on frequent and thorough
behavioral assessment, these principles serve as guidelines for the application of DBT
strategies and techniques.
Adding to the treatment complexity is the client population for whom DBT was
originally designed: severe, high-risk individuals with pervasive difficulties regulating
emotion. Treating complex clients can be challenging, even for the most seasoned ther-
apists. When clients are emotionally dysregulated or present with high-risk behaviors,
therapists are especially vulnerable to becoming reactive (e.g., becoming overly accom-
modating or overly rigid in their practice). Therefore, a large part of DBT training and
skill development involves learning how to flexibly respond to clients across a range of
clinical scenarios.
This book is designed to facilitate the acquisition of foundational DBT skills. Through
deliberate practice, these DBT skills will eventually become more fluid and natural and
will help trainees respond effectively and flexibly in their work with complex clients. The
exercises included in this book are aimed at developing DBT skills in response to a
diverse set of clinical presentations and situations.

https://doi.org/10.1037/0000322-001
Deliberate Practice in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, by T. Boritz, S. McMain, A. Vaz, and T. Rousmaniere
Copyright © 2023 by the American Psychological Association. All rights reserved.

3
4 Overview and Instructions

Overview of the Deliberate Practice Exercises

The main focus of the book is a series of exercises that have been thoroughly tested
and modified based on feedback from trainees and DBT clinicians and trainers. The first
12 exercises each represent an essential DBT strategy or skill. The last two exercises are
more comprehensive, consisting of an annotated DBT transcript and improvised mock
therapy sessions that teach practitioners how to integrate all these skills into more expan-
sive clinical scenarios. Table 1.1 presents the 12 skills that are covered in these exercises.
Throughout all the exercises, trainees work in pairs under the guidance of a super-
visor and role-play as a client and a therapist, switching back and forth between the
two roles. Each of the 12 skill-focused exercises consists of multiple client statements
grouped by difficulty—beginner, intermediate, and advanced—that call for a specific
skill. For each skill, trainees are asked to read through and absorb the description of
the skill, its criteria, and some examples of it. The trainee playing the client then reads
the statements, which portray a range of possible problems and emotional states typi-
cally seen in clients presenting for DBT. The trainee playing the therapist then responds
in a way that demonstrates the specified DBT skill. Trainee therapists will have the option
of practicing a response using the one supplied in the exercise or immediately improvising
and supplying their own.
After each client statement and therapist response couplet is practiced several times,
the trainees will stop to receive feedback from the supervisor. Guided by the super-
visor, the trainees will be instructed to try statement–response couplets several
times, working their way down the list. In consultation with the supervisor, trainees will
go through the exercises, starting with the least challenging and moving through to
more advanced levels. The triad (supervisor–client–therapist) will have the opportunity to
discuss whether exercises present too much or too little challenge and adjust up or down
depending on the assessment.
Trainees, in consultation with supervisors, can decide which skills they wish to work
on and for how long. On the basis of our testing experience, we have found practice
sessions last about 1 to 1.25 hours to receive maximum benefit. After this, trainees become
saturated and need a break.
Ideally, learners will both gain confidence and achieve competence by practicing
these exercises. Competence is defined here as the ability to perform a specific DBT
strategy or skill in a manner that is flexible and responsive to the client. Skills have been
chosen that are considered essential to DBT and that practitioners often find challenging
to implement.

TABLE 1.1. The 12 Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Presented in the Deliberate
Practice Exercises
Beginner Skills Intermediate Skills Advanced Skills
1. Establishing a session 5. Eliciting a commitment 10. Coaching clients in
agenda 6. Inviting the client to distress
2. Validation engage in problem 11. Promoting dialectical
3. Reinforcing adaptive solving thinking through both–
behaviors 7. Skills training and statements

4. Problem assessment 8. Modifying cognitions 12. Responding to suicidal

ideation
9. Informal exposure to
emotions
Introduction and Overview of Deliberate Practice and Dialectical Behavior Therapy 5

The skills identified in this book are not comprehensive in the sense of representing
all one needs to learn to become a competent DBT clinician. Some will present particular
challenges for trainees. A short history of DBT and a brief description of the delib-
erate practice methodology is provided to explain how we have arrived at the union
between them.

The Goals of This Book

The primary goal of this book is to help trainees acquire and develop core DBT skills.
Therefore, the expression of that skill or competency may look somewhat different
across clients or even within a session with the same client.
The DBT deliberate practice exercises are designed to achieve the following:

1. Help learners develop the ability to apply the skills in a range of clinical situations.

2. Move the DBT strategies and skills into procedural memory (Squire, 2004) so that
learners can access them even when they are overwhelmed, stressed, or discouraged.

3. Provide learners with an opportunity to practice the DBT strategy or skill using a style
and language that is congruent with who they are.

4. Provide the opportunity to use the DBT strategy or skill in response to varying client
statements and affect. This is designed to build confidence to adopt skills in a broad
range of circumstances within different client contexts.

5. Provide DBT learners with many opportunities to fail and then correct their failed
response based on feedback. This helps build confidence and persistence.

Finally, this book aims to help trainees discover their own personal learning style so
that they can continue their professional development long after their formal training
is concluded.

Who Can Benefit From This Book?

This book is designed to be used in multiple contexts, including in graduate-level courses,

supervision, postgraduate training, and continuing education programs. It assumes the
following:

1. The trainer is knowledgeable about and competent in DBT.

2. The trainer can provide good demonstrations of how to use DBT strategies and skills
across a range of therapeutic situations, via role-play and/or video. Or the trainer
has access to examples of DBT being demonstrated through the many psychotherapy
video examples available (see McMain & Wiebe, 2013; Tullos et al., 2014; Yalom
et al., 2013).

3. The trainer can provide feedback to students regarding how to craft or improve their
application of DBT strategies and skills.

4. Trainees will have accompanying reading, such as books and articles, that explain the
theory, research, and rationale of DBT and each particular strategy and skill. Recom-
mended reading for each skill is provided in the sample syllabus (Appendix C).
6 Overview and Instructions

The exercises covered in this book were piloted in 15 training sites from across four
continents (North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania). The book is designed for trainers
and trainees from different cultural backgrounds worldwide.
This book is also designed for those who are training at all career stages, from begin-
ning trainees, including those who have never worked with real clients, to seasoned ther-
apists. All exercises feature guidance for assessing the adjusting of the difficulty to
precisely target the needs of each individual learner. The term “trainee” in this book
is used broadly, referring to anyone in the field of professional mental health who is
endeavoring to acquire skills in the DBT. For further guidance on how to improve multi-
cultural deliberate practice skills, see the forthcoming book Deliberate Practice in
Multicultural Therapy (Harris et al., 2022).

Deliberate Practice in Psychotherapy Training

How does one become an expert in their professional field? What is trainable, and what
is simply beyond our reach due to innate or uncontrollable factors? Questions such
as these touch on our fascination with expert performers and their development. A
mixture of awe, admiration, and even confusion surround people such as Mozart, da Vinci,
or more contemporary top performers such as basketball legend Michael Jordan and
chess virtuoso Garry Kasparov. What accounts for their consistently superior profes-
sional results? Evidence suggests that the amount of time spent on a particular type of
training is a key factor in developing expertise in virtually all domains (Ericsson & Pool,
2016). Deliberate practice is an evidence-based method that can improve performance
in an effective and reliable manner.
The concept of deliberate practice has its origins in a classic study by K. Anders
Ericsson and colleagues (1993). They found that the amount of time practicing a skill
and the quality of the time spent doing so were key factors predicting mastery and
acquisition. They identified five key activities in learning and mastering skills: (a) observing
one’s own work, (b) getting expert feedback, (c) setting small incremental learning
goals just beyond the performer’s ability, (d) engaging in repetitive behavioral
rehearsal of specific skills, and (e) continuously assessing performance. Ericsson and his
colleagues termed this process deliberate practice, a cyclical process that is illustrated
in Figure 1.1.
Research has shown that lengthy engagement in deliberate practice is associated
with expert performance across a variety of professional fields, such as medicine,
sports, music, chess, computer programming, and mathematics (Ericsson et al., 2018).
People may associate deliberate practice with the widely known “10,000-hour rule”
popularized by Malcolm Gladwell in his 2008 book, Outliers, although the actual
number of hours required for expertise varies by field and by individual (Ericsson &
Pool, 2016). This, however, perpetuated two misunderstandings. The first is that this
is the number of deliberate practice hours that everyone needs to attain expertise, no
matter the domain. In fact, there can be considerable variability in how many hours
are required.
The second misunderstanding is that engagement in 10,000 hours of work perfor-
mance will lead one to become an expert in that domain. This misunderstanding holds
considerable significance for the field of psychotherapy, where hours of work experi-
ence with clients has traditionally been used as a measure of proficiency (Rousmaniere,
2016). Research suggests that the amount of experience alone does not predict therapist
Introduction and Overview of Deliberate Practice and Dialectical Behavior Therapy 7

FIGURE 1.1. Cycle of Deliberate Practice

Observe
Work

Assess Expert
Performance Feedback

Career-Long
Repetition

Small
Behavioral
Learning
Rehearsal
Goals

Note. Reprinted from Deliberate Practice in Emotion-Focused Therapy (p. 7), by R. N. Goldman, A. Vaz,
and T. Rousmaniere, 2021, American Psychological Association (https://doi.org/10.1037/0000227-000).
Copyright 2021 by the American Psychological Association.

effectiveness (Goldberg et al., 2016). It may be that the quality of deliberate practice
is a key factor.
Psychotherapy scholars, recognizing the value of deliberate practice in other fields,
have recently called for deliberate practice to be incorporated into training for mental
health professionals (e.g., Bailey & Ogles, 2019; Hill et al., 2020; Rousmaniere et al., 2017;
Taylor & Neimeyer, 2017; Tracey et al., 2015). There are, however, good reasons to ques-
tion analogies made between psychotherapy and other professional fields, like sports
or music, because by comparison psychotherapy is so complex and free form. Sports
have clearly defined goals, and classical music follows a written score. In contrast, the
goals of psychotherapy shift with the unique presentation of each client at each session.
Therapists do not have the luxury of following a score.
Instead, good psychotherapy is more like improvisational jazz (Noa Kageyama, as cited
in Rousmaniere, 2016). In jazz improvisations, a complex mixture of group collaboration,
creativity, and interaction is coconstructed among band members. Like psychotherapy,
no two jazz improvisations are identical. However, improvisations are not a random
collection of notes. They are grounded in a comprehensive theoretical understanding
and technical proficiency that is only developed through continuous deliberate practice.
For example, prominent jazz instructor Jerry Coker (1990) listed 18 skill areas that students
must master, each of which has multiple discrete skills including tone quality, intervals,
chord arpeggios, scales, patterns, and licks. In this sense, more creative and artful impro-
visations are actually a reflection of a previous commitment to repetitive skill practice and
acquisition. As legendary jazz musician Miles Davis put it, “You have to play a long time to
be able to play like yourself” (Cook, 2005, p. 112).
The main idea that we stress here is that we want deliberate practice to help therapists
learning DBT to feel comfortable bringing their unique personalities and styles into their
practice. The idea is to learn the skills so that you have them on hand when you want
them. Practice the skills to make them your own. Incorporate those aspects that feel
8 Overview and Instructions

right for you. Ongoing and effortful deliberate practice should not be an impediment to
flexibility and creativity. Ideally, it should enhance it. We recognize and celebrate that
psychotherapy is an ever-shifting encounter and by no means want it to become or feel
formulaic. Competent DBT therapists are able to use DBT skills adeptly while ensuring
responsiveness to the individual client and their context. The core DBT responses provided
are meant as templates or possibilities, rather than “answers.” Please interpret and apply
them as you see fit, in a way that makes sense to you. We encourage flexible and
improvisational play!

Simulation-Based Mastery Learning

Deliberate practice uses simulation-based mastery learning (Ericsson, 2004; McGaghie

et al., 2014). That is, the stimulus material for training consists of “contrived social situa-
tions that mimic problems, events, or conditions that arise in professional encounters”
(McGaghie et al., 2014, p. 375). A key component of this approach is that the stimuli
being used in training are sufficiently similar to the real-world experiences, so that they
mimic that they provoke similar reactions. This facilitates state-dependent learning,
in which professionals acquire skills in the same psychological environment where they
will have to perform the skills (Fisher & Craik, 1977). For example, pilots train with flight
simulators that present mechanical failures and dangerous weather conditions, and
surgeons practice with surgical simulators that present medical complications. Training
in simulations with challenging stimuli increases professionals’ capacity to perform effec-
tively under stress. For the psychotherapy training exercises in this book, the “simulators”
are typical client statements that might be presented in the course of therapy sessions
and call upon the use of the particular skill.

Declarative Versus Procedural Knowledge

Declarative knowledge is what a person can understand, write, or speak about. It

often refers to factual information that can be consciously recalled through memory and
often acquired relatively quickly. In contrast, procedural learning is implicit in memory
and “usually requires repetition of an activity, and associated learning is demonstrated
through improved task performance” (Koziol & Budding, 2012, pp. 2694, emphasis
added). Procedural knowledge is what a person can perform, especially under stress
(Squire, 2004). There can be a wide difference between their declarative and proce-
dural knowledge. For example, an “armchair quarterback” is a person who understands
and talks about athletics well but would have trouble performing it with a professional
ability. Likewise, most dance, music, or theater critics have a very high ability to write
about their subjects but would be flummoxed if asked to perform them.
In DBT training, the gap between declarative and procedural knowledge appears
when a trainee or therapist can recognize and appreciate—for example, the need for
a validating response that helps the client feel understood when emotionally aroused
but has trouble providing effective validation with real clients even when they want to
in a given moment. The sweet spot for deliberate practice is the gap between declar-
ative and procedural knowledge. In other words, effortful practice should target those
skills that the trainee could write a good paper about but would have trouble actually
performing with a real client. We start with declarative knowledge, learning skills theo-
retically and observing others perform them. Once skills are learned, with the help of
deliberate practice, we work toward the development of procedural learning, with the
aim of therapists having “automatic” access to each of the skills that they can pull on
when necessary.
Introduction and Overview of Deliberate Practice and Dialectical Behavior Therapy 9

Let us turn to a little theoretical background on DBT to help contextualize the skills
of the book and how they fit into the greater training model.

DBT: Theoretical Overview

The theoretical foundation of DBT integrates learning theory, Zen Buddhism, and dialec-
tical philosophy. Learning theory states that all behavior is learned and that behavioral
change occurs via the principles of learning. This is addressed through the DBT change
strategies, which include an emphasis on problem solving. Zen Buddhism contends that
suffering increases with attachment to things being a particular way and decreases
with the acceptance of reality and its limitations. This is addressed through the DBT
acceptance strategies, which include an emphasis on validation. At the core of treat-
ment is dialectical philosophy, which emphasizes the value of searching for and finding
syntheses between natural tensions to bring about change. In DBT, the central dialectic
involves striking a balance between change and acceptance; clients are encouraged,
on one hand, to acknowledge and accept emotional experience and, on the other, to
use a variety of strategies and skills to bring about behavioral change.
DBT conceptualizes pervasive emotion dysregulation as the core dysfunction under-
lying BPD and other clinical disorders associated with severe emotion dysregulation
problems (e.g., substance use, eating disorders). Emotion dysregulation refers to diffi-
culty effectively modulating and expressing emotion across a range of contexts. In its
extreme form, such as in the case of BPD, emotion dysregulation is pervasive, occurring
with frequency and intensity across many contexts. From a DBT perspective, dysfunc-
tion across multiple domains of functioning (cognitive, behavioral, interpersonal, self/
identity) is an inevitable consequence of dysregulated emotions, or maladaptive attempts
to cope with intense and distressing emotion (Linehan, 1993a, 1993b).
DBT’s biosocial theory posits that pervasive emotion dysregulation results from a
transaction between an individual’s biological predisposition toward emotional vulner-
ability and an invalidating environment that minimizes, ignores, or punishes emotion
expression and communicates to a person that their understanding of events and internal
experiences is wrong. Over time, this transaction leads to problems with emotion regula-
tion, including difficulties understanding, labeling, tolerating, and modulating emotional
responses; effectively communicating emotional needs; and effectively solving the prob-
lems contributing to emotional distress (Linehan, 1993a, 1993b). Problematic behaviors,
including extreme behaviors such as self-harm, suicide attempts, and substance use, are
seen as attempts to regulate emotion, or as the result of failed attempts to regulate
emotion. Over time, these behaviors become reinforced as avoidance or escape behaviors
from aversive emotional states.
While learning any new therapy approach can be a daunting task, even for the
brightest of students, it can be especially challenging for trainees learning DBT because
the therapy typically involves treating clients who are highly sensitive, reactive, and
impulsive. We have found this to be a little like learning under fire as our clients can
be unpredictable, and, more importantly, high risk behaviors can arise quickly. DBT
trainees are often required to adapt quickly to challenging clinical situations. This
requires an ability to simultaneously modulate one’s own emotional reactions while
fluidly employing a range of diverse treatment skills and techniques to appropriately
respond to the client and clinical context. DBT addresses these challenges by articu-
lating a set of principles therapists use to guide clinical decision making. These princi-
ples are designed to enhance therapist effectiveness and adherence to the treatment
10 Overview and Instructions

model while remaining flexible and responsive to the client. DBT therapists flexibly apply
treatment principles within a highly structured and comprehensive treatment program,
typically delivered via four modes of intervention: individual therapy, skills training group,
between-session phone coaching, and a consultation team for therapists.
In DBT, all treatment strategies directly or indirectly aim to decrease emotion dysreg-
ulation and associated maladaptive responses, and to enhance emotion regulation and
adaptive responses. Treatment strategies in DBT are dialectically balanced between
accepting the client as they are within a context of trying to teach them how to change
(i.e., use more effective coping strategies). Key DBT strategies include (a) acceptance
strategies focused on the adoption of a nonjudgmental therapeutic stance and the use
of validation (i.e., explicit communications about what makes sense about a client’s
responses), (b) change strategies focused on problem assessment and problem solving,
and (c) dialectical strategies focused on balancing acceptance and change-focused
strategies to address polarization and promote synthesis between opposing positions.
Most of the DBT skills embody a dialectical approach; this is reflected in the skills criteria
for the exercises in this book, most of which include both acceptance- and change-
focused responses.

The Role of Deliberate Practice in DBT Training

Returning to the metaphor described earlier in this chapter, the practice of DBT—like
deliberate practice more broadly—has a lot in common with playing jazz. Similar to jazz
musicians, it is important for DBT therapists to be able to improvise and respond in an
agile and creative manner to rapidly evolving and sometimes unpredictable contexts.
Developing competence as a DBT therapist requires foundational knowledge in DBT
theory and a solid understanding of the principles underlying the treatment strategies, as
these form the basis on which a clinical decision to intervene one way or another is made.
Similar to other therapies, beginning training in DBT typically starts with didactic
learning, such as through reading treatment manuals and attending seminars and
workshops to develop a foundational theoretical understanding of the DBT model. As
training progresses, trainees begin practicing DBT with actual clients and focus shifts
to skill development both in the delivery of DBT techniques and in case formulation,
and feedback is provided via supervision or consultations as well as through direct
observation of therapy sessions. At all stages of training, there is a strong emphasis on
experiential practice. For example, trainees are expected to participate in role-plays,
practice DBT skills themselves, engage in mindfulness practice, and complete home-
work exercises.
Neither this book nor the deliberate practice method in general is intended to be
sufficient for obtaining competence in DBT on its own. The skills included in this book
are ideally embedded in a practicum course (see the sample syllabus in Appendix C).
Trainees should have prior or parallel exposure to DBT theory and application in dedi-
cated coursework and readings. In line with what we said earlier in this chapter, this
loosely reflects the distinction between declarative and procedural knowledge. The
DBT deliberate practice methods outlined in this book are not intended to be a primary
source of declarative knowledge or to replace or replicate work with actual clients or
training cases and case-based supervision (e.g., with review of actual session audio or
video). Nevertheless, we envision this book as being useful for DBT training and profes-
sional development at all levels. Deliberate practice methods can play a complementary
Introduction and Overview of Deliberate Practice and Dialectical Behavior Therapy 11

role in DBT training, in the service of augmenting core readings and work performance
with real clients. With this in mind, in Appendix C, we recommend resources that provide
more information about DBT principles, skills, and training for trainees at all stages of
development. Deliberate practice methods provide the first opportunity for a trainee to
translate their didactic learning of DBT to a simulated environment that mimics the clinical
interaction, which can later be applied with actual clients.

DBT Skills in Deliberate Practice

We have thus far provided a brief introduction to DBT and highlighted how deliberate
practice methods are particularly well-suited to the DBT paradigm. In the following
sections, we describe the categorization of different DBT skills and outline the skills that
will be the focus of the deliberate practice exercises in this book. In addition, we address
the importance of the therapeutic relationship in DBT.

Categorizing DBT Skills

We endeavored to distinguish among (a) beginner foundational/structural DBT skills,

(b) intermediate-level DBT strategies, and (c) advanced DBT strategies. With this in
mind, we considered (a) establishing a session agenda, (b) validation, (c) reinforcing
adaptive behavior, and (d) problem assessment to be foundational/structural skills.
In turn, we considered (a) eliciting a commitment, (b) inviting the client to engage
in problem solving, (c) modifying cognitions, (d) informal emotional exposure, and
(e) skills training to be intermediate DBT skills. Finally, we considered (a) promoting
dialectical thinking through both–and statements, (b) coaching clients in distress, and
(c) responding to suicidal ideation to be advanced DBT strategies.

The DBT Skills Presented in Exercises 1 Through 12

The exercises in this text use a developmentally informed pedagogy in which more
advanced skills build on less advanced skills, as indicated in Table 1.1. The beginner
level exercises consist of the most basic DBT skills used in most sessions. Establishing
a session agenda (Exercise 1) is an essential element for structuring therapy time
and prioritizing a session focus. Problems are prioritized according to the degree to
which they impede the client’s quality of life: Therapy tasks focused on life-threatening
behavior take precedence over behaviors that interfere with the therapy itself, which
take precedence over other maladaptive behaviors that are interfering with the client’s
well-being. Validation (Exercise 2) is a core acceptance strategy that communicates to
a client that their responses make sense and are understandable in some way. Valida-
tion also involves a nonjudgmental therapeutic stance in which the therapist engages
with the client in a genuine and authentic manner, treating the client as equal and
capable and with respect. Reinforcement of adaptive behaviors (Exercise 3) is used to
strengthen adaptive behaviors, including gradual approximations toward behaviors the
client is trying to increase. Problem assessment (Exercise 4) is a core change strategy
that focuses on understanding the functional relationship between a behavior and its
antecedents and consequences.
The first of the intermediate exercises focuses on eliciting a commitment (Exercise 5),
which occurs when a therapist seeks explicit agreement from the client to work on mutu-
ally determined goals or engage in specific therapy tasks. Problem solving (Exercise 6)
12 Overview and Instructions

involves helping the client identify maladaptive responses or problem behaviors with
more skillful and effective responses. Problem solving includes generating, evaluating,
and implementing solutions for identified problems. One of these solutions may be skills
training (Exercise 7), which is used when the client has a deficit of coping skills and there-
fore needs support from the therapist to acquire and practice specific effective behaviors.
Another solution involves modifying cognitions (Exercise 8) to help the client enhance
their ability to observe and identify maladaptive thinking and its impacts, and then to
work towards changing or replacing cognitive errors or biases with more adaptive and
dialectical thinking. Informal emotional exposure (Exercise 9) is a solution used to address
emotional avoidance. Informal exposure involves helping clients understand the principles
of exposure and the adaptive function of emotions, focusing the client on their emotions
in the here and now, and encouraging them to experience their emotions without escape
or avoidance.
The advanced exercises are placed at the end because they require a deeper
understanding of DBT theory and principles and involve more complex skills for
managing higher risk client behaviors. All the skills in the advanced section build on
the earlier skills. Coaching clients in distress (Exercise 10) involves assisting clients
in crisis or moments of extreme emotional distress to effectively use skills to down
regulate intense emotion. Promoting dialectical thinking through both–and state-
ments (Exercise 11) weaves together validation and change strategies to help clients
shift polarized or extreme responses to more balanced, effective responses. Finally,
responding to suicidal ideations (Exercise 12) involves assessing and highlighting the
emotional problem driving the client’s thoughts of escape or avoidance and helping
the client consider more effective ways to solve the emotional problem driving their
suicidal thoughts.

A Note About Managing Self-Harm and Suicidal Behaviors in DBT

DBT was originally developed as a treatment for people at chronic risk of suicide
(Linehan, 1993a, 1993b) and has been most extensively applied with adults with border-
line personality disorder engaging in self-harm and suicidal behaviors (Cristea et al.,
2017; Stoffers et al., 2012; Storebø et al., 2020). Although a growing literature has
now established DBT’s efficacy for a wide range of problems, many clients referred for
DBT engage in extreme behaviors associated with emotion dysregulation, including
suicidal thoughts, gestures, and actions. For this reason, we have provided client state-
ments referencing self-harm and suicidal ideation across all exercises that can help
DBT learners develop skills for responding more effectively when presented with these
issues in a therapy session.
It is important to note that these exercises alone are insufficient for competently
responding to and managing suicide risk. How a therapist responds to any single instance
of a self-harm and suicidal behavior should always be guided by and informed by the
client’s risk history, their current context and situation, a personalized case formulation
that includes an understanding of the function of self-harm and suicidal behaviors for
the client, and the therapeutic relationship. At all stages of training, supervision and
consultation should be sought when determining how best to respond and intervene
if your client expresses suicidal ideation or discloses self-harm or suicidal behavior.
For additional resources on managing suicide risk in DBT, supervisors and learners
may wish to familiarize themselves with the Linehan risk assessment and management
protocol (LRAMP; Linehan, 2016). The LRAMP is an empirically supported framework
that is commonly used in DBT for assessing, managing, and documenting suicide risk. It
Introduction and Overview of Deliberate Practice and Dialectical Behavior Therapy 13

also provides a guide to support clinical decision-making as therapists consider various

options for intervening with suicidal clients.

The Therapeutic Relationship in DBT

A strong therapeutic relationship is central to DBT and is the primary vehicle for engaging
clients in treatment and increasing motivation and willingness to change (Linehan,
1993a, 1993b). DBT therapists strive to engage with their clients with warmth, compassion,
and acceptance. Additionally, DBT therapists are encouraged to be fully present to
the client and the unfolding therapy process, including being awake to subtle shifts in
the client in-session or in the therapist’s own reactions or behaviors toward the client.
Adopting an open, curious, and nonjudgmental stance can help therapists remain
balanced and less reactive in the face of challenging situations. This promotes trust in
the relationship and engagement in therapy, which in turn allows the client to be open
to emotional experiencing and expression as well as new learning experiences and
problem solving. These qualities are conveyed both verbally (e.g., through the use of
validation) and also through nonverbal and paralinguistic cues, such as vocal quality,
tone, and posture. For further discussion of the therapeutic relationship in DBT, learners
may wish to review additional writing, such as Bedics et al. (2012a, 2012b, 2015), Boritz
et al. (2023), Rizvi (2011), and Shearin and Linehan (1992).

Overview of the Book’s Structure

This book is organized into three parts. Part I contains this chapter and Chapter 2, which
provides basic instructions on how to perform these exercises. We found through testing
that providing too many instructions upfront overwhelmed trainers and trainees, and
they skipped past them as a result. Therefore, we kept these instructions as brief and
simple as possible to focus only on the most essential information that trainers and
trainees will need to get started with the exercises. Further guidelines for getting the
most out of deliberate practice are provided in Chapter 3, and additional instructions
for monitoring and adjusting the difficulty of the exercises are provided in Appendix A.
Do not skip the instructions in Chapter 2, and be sure to read the additional guide-
lines and instructions in Chapter 3 and Appendix A once you are comfortable with the
basic instructions.
Part II contains the 12 skill-focused exercises, which are ordered based on their
difficulty: beginner, intermediate, and advanced (see Table 1.1). They each contain a
brief overview of the exercise, example client–therapist interactions to help guide
trainees, step-by-step instructions for conducting that exercise, and a list of criteria
for mastering the relevant skill. The client statements and sample therapist responses
are then presented, also organized by difficulty (beginner, intermediate, and advanced).
The statements and responses are presented separately so that the trainee playing the
therapist has more freedom to improvise responses without being influenced by the
sample responses, which should only be turned to if the trainee has difficulty impro-
vising their own responses. The last two exercises in Part II provide opportunities to
practice the 12 skills within simulated psychotherapy sessions. Exercise 13 provides a
sample psychotherapy session transcript in which the DBT skills are used and clearly
labeled, thereby demonstrating how they might flow together in an actual therapy
session. DBT trainees are invited to run through the sample transcript with one playing
the therapist and the other playing the client to get a feel for how a session might
14 Overview and Instructions

unfold. Exercise 14 provides suggestions for undertaking mock sessions, as well as client
profiles ordered by difficulty (beginner, intermediate, and advanced) that trainees can
use for improvised role-plays.
Part III contains Chapter 3, which provides additional guidance for trainers and trainees.
While Chapter 2 is more procedural, Chapter 3 covers big-picture issues. It highlights
six key points for getting the most out of deliberate practice and describes the impor-
tance of appropriate responsiveness, attending to trainee well-being and respecting
their privacy, and trainer self-evaluation, among other topics.
Three appendixes conclude this book. Appendix A provides instructions for moni-
toring and adjusting the difficulty of each exercise as needed. It provides a Deliberate
Practice Reaction Form for the trainee playing the therapist to complete to indicate
whether the exercise is too easy or too difficult. Appendix B includes a Deliberate Prac-
tice Diary Form that can be used to during a training session’s final evaluation to process
the trainees’ experiences, but its primary purpose is to provide trainees a format to
explore and record their experiences while engaging in additional, between-session
deliberate practice activities without the supervisor. Appendix C presents a sample
syllabus demonstrating how the 12 deliberate practice exercises and other support
material can be integrated into a more comprehensive DBT training course. Instructors
may choose to modify the syllabus or pick elements of it to integrate into their own
courses.
Downloadable versions of this book’s appendixes, including a color version of the
Deliberate Practice Reaction Form, can be found in the “Clinician and Practitioner
Resources” tab at https://www.apa.org/pubs/books/deliberate-practice-dialectical-
behavior-therapy.
 ECXHEARPCTIESRE

2
Instructions for the Dialectical
Behavior Therapy Deliberate
Practice Exercises

This chapter provides basic instructions that are common to all the exercises in this
book. More specific instructions are provided in each exercise. Chapter 3 also provides
important guidance for trainees and trainers that will help them get the most out of delib-
erate practice. Appendix A offers additional instructions for monitoring and adjusting the
difficulty of the exercises as needed after getting through all then client statements in a
single difficulty level, including a Deliberate Practice Reaction Form the trainee playing
the therapist can complete to indicate whether they found the statements too easy
or too difficult. Difficulty assessment is an important part of the deliberate practice
process and should not be skipped.

Overview

The deliberate practice exercises in this book involve role-plays of hypothetical situations
in therapy. The role-play involves three people: one trainee role-plays the therapist,
another trainee role-plays the client, and a trainer (professor/supervisor) observes and
provides feedback. Alternatively, a peer can observe and provide feedback.
This book provides a script for every role-play, each with a client statement and an
example therapist response. The client statements are graded in difficulty from beginning
to advanced, although these difficulty grades are only estimates. The actual perceived
difficulty of client statements is subjective and varies widely by trainee. For example,
some trainees may experience a stimulus of a client being angry to be easy to respond
to, whereas another trainee may experience it as very difficult. Thus, it is important
for trainees to provide difficulty assessments and adjustments to ensure that they are
practicing at the right difficulty level: neither too easy nor too hard.

https://doi.org/10.1037/0000322-002
Deliberate Practice in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, by T. Boritz, S. McMain, A. Vaz, and T. Rousmaniere
Copyright © 2023 by the American Psychological Association. All rights reserved.

17
18 Overview and Instructions

Time Frame

We recommend a 90-minute time block for every exercise, structured roughly as

follows:

• First 20 minutes: Orientation. The trainer explains the dialectical behavior therapy
(DBT) skill and demonstrates the exercise procedure with a volunteer trainee.

• Middle 50 minutes: Trainees perform the exercise in pairs. The trainer or a peer
provides feedback throughout this process and monitors/adjusts the exercise’s
difficulty as needed after each set of statements (see Appendix A for more
information about difficulty assessment).

• Final 20 minutes: Review, feedback, and discussion.

Preparation

1. Every trainee will need their own copy of this book.

2. Each exercise requires the trainer to fill out a Deliberate Practice Reaction Form after
completing all the statements from a single difficulty level. This form is available in
the “Clinician and Practitioner Resources” tab at https://www.apa.org/pubs/books/
deliberate-practice-dialectical-behavior-therapy and in Appendix A.

3. Trainees are grouped into pairs. One volunteers to role-play the therapist and one
to role-play the client (they will switch roles after 15 minutes of practice). As noted
previously, an observer who might be either the trainer or a fellow trainee will work
with each pair.

The Role of the Trainer

The primary responsibilities of the trainer are as follows:

1. Provide corrective feedback, which includes both information about how well the
trainees’ response met expected criteria and any necessary guidance about how to
improve the response.

2. Remind trainees to do difficulty assessments and adjustments after each level of client
statements is completed (beginning, intermediate, and advanced).

How to Practice

Each exercise includes its own step-by-step instructions. Trainees should follow these
instructions carefully, as every step is important.

Skill Criteria

Each of the 12 exercises focuses on one essential DBT strategy or skill with one to three
skill criteria that describe the important components or principles for that skill.
Instructions for the Dialectical Behavior Therapy Deliberate Practice Exercises 19

The goal of the role-play is for trainees to practice improvising responses to the
client statement in a manner that (a) is attuned to the client, (b) meets skill criteria
as much as possible, and (c) feels authentic for the trainee. Trainees are provided
scripts with example therapist responses to give them a sense of how to incorporate
the skill criteria into a response. It is important, however, that trainees do not read the
example responses verbatim in the role-plays! Therapy is highly personal and improvi-
sational; the goal of deliberate practice is to develop trainees’ ability to improvise within
a consistent framework. Memorizing scripted responses would be counterproductive for
helping trainees learn to perform therapy that is responsive, authentic, and attuned to
each individual client.
Tali Boritz and Shelley McMain wrote the scripted example responses; however,
trainees’ personal style of therapy may differ slightly or greatly from that in the example
scripts. It is essential that, over time, trainees develop their own style and voice, while
simultaneously being able to intervene according to the model’s principles and strate-
gies. To facilitate this, the exercises in this book were designed to maximize opportuni-
ties for improvisational responses informed by the skill criteria and ongoing feedback.
For example, in “Modifying Cognitions” (Exercise 8), scripted example responses were
designed to focus more on cognitions. In “Informal Exposure to Emotions” (Exercise 9),
scripted example responses were designed to focus more on emotions. However,
for each of the client statements in these skills exercises, there might be a range of
appropriate therapist responses using skills developed in other exercises. Similarly, in
an actual therapy session, there may be several equally effective ways a DBT therapist
can respond to their client. While working your way through the skills exercises, it can
be helpful to consider both how to practice a specific skill and the alternative skills you
could potentially use to respond to each client statement. In this way, there’s a unique
opportunity to strengthen the use of specific skills, while developing flexibility and
responsiveness.

Review, Feedback, and Discussion

The review and feedback sequence after each role-play has these two elements:

• First, the trainee who played the client briefly shares how it felt to be on the
receiving end of the therapist’s response. This can help assess how well trainees
are attuning with the client.

• Second, the trainer provides brief feedback (less than 1 minute) based on the skill
criteria for each exercise. Keep feedback specific, behavioral, and brief to pre-
serve time for skill rehearsal. If one trainer is teaching multiple pairs of trainees,
the trainer walks around the room, observing the pairs and offering brief feed-
back. When the trainer is not available, the trainee playing the client gives peer
feedback to the therapist, based on the skill criteria and how it felt to be on the
receiving end of the intervention. Alternatively, a third trainee can observe and
provide feedback.

Trainers (or peers) should remember to keep all feedback specific and brief and not
to veer into discussions of theory. There are many other settings for extended discussion
of DBT theory and research. In deliberate practice, it is of utmost importance to maximize
time for continuous behavioral rehearsal via role-plays.
20 Overview and Instructions

Final Evaluation

After both trainees have role-played the client and the therapist, the trainer provides an
evaluation. Participants should engage in a short group discussion based on this evalu-
ation. This discussion can provide ideas for where to focus homework and future delib-
erate practice sessions. To this end, Appendix B presents a Deliberate Practice Diary
Form, which can also be downloaded from the “Clinician and Practitioner Resources” tab
at https://www.apa.org/pubs/books/deliberate-practice-dialectical-behavior-therapy.
This form can be used as part of the final evaluation to help trainees process their experi-
ences from that session with the supervisor. However, it is designed primarily to be used
by trainees as a template for exploring and recording their thoughts and experiences
between sessions, particularly when pursuing additional deliberate practice activities
without the supervisor, such as rehearsing responses alone or if two trainees want to
practice the exercises together—perhaps with a third trainee filling the supervisor’s role.
Then, if they want, the trainees can discuss these experiences with the supervisor at the
beginning of the next training session.
 PA R T

II
Deliberate Practice Exercises
for Dialectical Behavior
Therapy Skills

This section of the book provides 12 deliberate practice exercises for essential dialec-
tical behavior therapy (DBT) skills. These exercises are organized in a developmental
sequence, from those that are more appropriate to someone just beginning DBT training
to those intended for individuals who have progressed to a more advanced level.
Although we anticipate that most trainers would use these exercises in the order we
have suggested, some may find it more appropriate to their training circumstances to
use a different order. We also provide two comprehensive exercises that bring together
the DBT skills using an annotated DBT session transcript and mock DBT sessions.

Exercises for Beginner Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

EXERCISE 1: Establishing a Session Agenda   25
EXERCISE 2: Validation  35
EXERCISE 3: Reinforcing Adaptive Behaviors   47
EXERCISE 4: Problem Assessment   57

Exercises for Intermediate Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

EXERCISE 5: Eliciting a Commitment   69
EXERCISE 6: Inviting the Client to Engage in Problem Solving   79
EXERCISE 7: Skills Training   89
EXERCISE 8: Modifying Cognitions   101
EXERCISE 9: Informal Exposure to Emotions   111

Exercises for Advanced Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

EXERCISE 10: Coaching Clients in Distress   121
EXERCISE 11: Promoting Dialectical Thinking Through Both–And Statements   131
EXERCISE 12: Responding to Suicidal Ideation   141

Comprehensive Exercises
EXERCISE 13: Annotated Dialectical Behavior Therapy Practice Session Transcript   151
EXERCISE 14: Mock Dialectical Behavior Therapy Sessions   165

23
 EXERCISE

Establishing a Session Agenda 1

Preparations for Exercise 1

1. Read the instructions in Chapter 2.

2. Download the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form and Deliberate Practice Diary Form at
https://www.apa.org/pubs/books/deliberate-practice-dialectical-behavior-therapy
(see the “Clinician and Practitioner Resources” tab; also available in Appendixes A
and B, respectively).

Skill Description

Skill Difficulty Level: Beginner

Establishing a session focus is an essential element in structuring a dialectical behavior

therapy (DBT) session. It is not uncommon for clients to present to a session in an
emotionally dysregulated state, reporting many complex problems that need attention.
By bringing structure to the session, therapists can help the session feel less chaotic
and overwhelming for both themselves and their clients, which can decrease emotional
arousal and increase focus and clarity. In DBT, therapy sessions begin by collabora-
tively setting a session agenda to establish a session focus. Determining the focus of
a specific individual therapy session begins with assessing the presence or absence
of previously agreed-upon target behaviors (i.e., specific behaviors the client wants
to increase or decrease) in the preceding week. This task is typically accomplished by
reviewing the client’s weekly DBT diary card, which tracks all relevant behaviors during
the past week.
Because there may be multiple target behaviors that have occurred since the previous
session, the DBT treatment hierarchy is used to prioritize how session time will be spent.
Highest priority treatment targets are suicidal and life-threatening behaviors (e.g.,
suicide attempts, self-harm, suicidal ideation and suicidal communications). The second

https://doi.org/10.1037/0000322-003
Deliberate Practice in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, by T. Boritz, S. McMain, A. Vaz, and T. Rousmaniere
Copyright © 2023 by the American Psychological Association. All rights reserved.

25
26 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

highest priority behaviors are therapy-interfering behaviors, which refer to any client
or therapist behavior that impedes the client’s progress in treatment or compromises
the therapy relationship (e.g., attendance issues, not completing homework, lack of
collaboration). The third highest priority are behaviors that interfere significantly with
the client’s quality of life (e.g., substance use, relationship issues, housing). Although
more than one target behavior is frequently addressed in a therapy session, when time
is tight or a problem is complex, the higher priority target takes precedence (Linehan,
1993a, 1993b). Clients are oriented to the treatment hierarchy in the pretreatment
phase of DBT.
Although setting an agenda and establishing a treatment focus help to organize
the session, this process is done in collaboration with the client; their input should be
directly solicited, and the agenda should be based on values-driven goals they are
motivated to work toward. When using this skill, the therapist should maintain a stance
of curiosity, openness, flexibility, and acceptance.

SKILL CRITERIA FOR EXERCISE 1

1. The therapist puts forward ideas for a session agenda based on DBT’s target
hierarchy:
i. Suicidal and life-threatening behaviors (e.g., suicide attempts, self-harm,
suicidal ideation, and suicidal communications).
ii. Therapy-interfering behaviors (e.g., attendance issues, not completing
homework, lack of collaboration).
iii. Quality of life-interfering behaviors (e.g., substance use, relationship issues,
housing).
2. The therapist invites the client’s input on the session agenda.

Examples of Establishing a Session Agenda

Example 1

CLIENT: [Crying] I had the worst week. I got in a big fight with my boyfriend and ended
up self-harming.

THERAPIST: Sounds like a really hard week. I’d like to hear more about what led to the
self-harm. (Criterion 1) But let me check in with you—what would you like to put on the
agenda for today? (Criterion 2)

Example 2

CLIENT: [Neutral] I don’t really have anything to talk about this week. Nothing happened.
I spent most of the week just avoiding everything.

THERAPIST: Maybe we can put that on the agenda? I’d like to hear more about what you
were avoiding and why. (Criterion 1) How does that sound? (Criterion 2)

Example 3

CLIENT: [Shame] I didn’t do my homework. Every time I tried to do it, I felt overwhelmed.

THERAPIST: It’s so great you tried to do it. I wonder if it would be helpful to spend some
time talking about what happened when you tried to do the homework? (Criterion 1) I’m
also curious what you would like to focus on today? (Criterion 2)
Establishing a Session Agenda 27

INSTRUCTIONS FOR EXERCISE 1

Step 1: Role-Play and Feedback
• The client says the first beginner client statement. The therapist improvises a response
based on the skill criteria.
• The trainer (or, if not available, the client) provides brief feedback based on the skill
criteria.
• The client then repeats the same statement, and the therapist again improvises a
response. The trainer (or client) again provides brief feedback.

Step 2: Repeat
• Repeat Step 1 for all the statements at the current difficulty level (beginner,
intermediate, or advanced).

Step 3: Assess and Adjust Difficulty

• The therapist completes the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form (see Appendix A) and
decides whether to make the exercise easier, harder, or to repeat the same difficulty
level.

Step 4: Repeat for Approximately 15 Minutes

• Repeat Steps 1 to 3 for at least 15 minutes.
• The trainees then switch therapist and client roles and start over.
28 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

➔ Now it’s your turn! Follow Steps 1 and 2 from the instructions.
Remember: The goal of the role-play is for trainees to practice improvising responses
to the client statements in a manner that (a) uses the skill criteria and (b) feels authentic
for the trainee. Example therapist responses for each client statement are provided
at the end of this exercise. Trainees should attempt to improvise their own responses
before reading the example responses.

BEGINNER-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 1

Beginner Client Statement 1
[Sad] This has been an awful week. I felt on the verge of a panic attack the whole week and
missed a bunch of deadlines for school.

Beginner Client Statement 2

[Tired] Sorry I’m 30 minutes late to today’s session. I came running and almost didn’t make
it at all.

Beginner Client Statement 3

[Proud] I didn’t have any drinks last week. I didn’t self-harm either. . . . Well, I started to cut
myself once but stopped pretty quickly.

Beginner Client Statement 4

[Irritated] I used a lot of skills this week. I mean, I needed to—my parents were driving me
crazy, I got into a fight with my sister because she took their side, and then when I tried to
call you for help you didn’t answer your phone.

Beginner Client Statement 5

[Neutral] With the weather getting warmer, I want to wear T-shirts, but I’m embarrassed
about my old scars. I’ve been cutting on my leg instead, where I can hide them better. But
I don’t really want to talk about that. What I really want to talk about is how to handle this
situation with my boss at work.

Assess and adjust the difficulty before moving to the next difficulty level
 
(see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
Establishing a Session Agenda 29

INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 1

Intermediate Client Statement 1
[Shame] I don’t really know where to start. I feel like I can’t do anything right. I missed
group this week because I was so overwhelmed. I almost didn’t come today because I’m
so stressed out.

Intermediate Client Statement 2

[Neutral] There’s a lot I want to talk about it today. I need help figuring out how to talk
to my partner about their anger. They really lose their temper over little things, and it’s
stressing me out. Yesterday they yelled at me because I forgot to pick up groceries. But I
was so depressed. I could barely get off the couch. They just don’t get how hard things are
for me right now.

Intermediate Client Statement 3

[Happy] I have some news. I just got offered a job, but it’s during the day so I won’t be
able to come here anymore.

Intermediate Client Statement 4

[Neutral] I don’t have a preference on what we talk about today. You can decide.

Intermediate Client Statement 5

[Sad] It doesn’t matter what we talk about today. Nothing is changing.

Assess and adjust the difficulty before moving to the next difficulty level
 
(see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
30 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

ADVANCED-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 1

Advanced Client Statement 1
[Irritated] I’m not sure what you want me to say. My week was fine. It’s this therapy that’s
the problem. I come here for help, but every week I leave feeling worse.

Advanced Client Statement 2

[Sad] It was a difficult week. I’m not sure if I can talk about it.

Advanced Client Statement 3

[Excited] I did the homework, and it went really well. I tried the DEAR MAN skill on my
girlfriend yesterday, and it totally diffused a fight. The night before, we got into a huge
argument and I hit myself, which made everything worse. But yesterday, I was more
regulated, and we talked it out.

Advanced Client Statement 4

[Shame] I tried using skills, but I felt suicidal all week. I tried to distract myself, but the
thoughts kept coming. It’s just too much. I can’t live like this.

Advanced Client Statement 5

[Neutral] My mom wants me to talk to you today about sleep. She thinks I sleep too much
and that it’s something we should be focusing on in therapy.

Assess and adjust the difficulty here (see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
 
If appropriate, follow the instructions to make the exercise even more
challenging (see Appendix A).
Establishing a Session Agenda 31

Example Therapist Responses: Establishing a Session Agenda

Remember: Trainees should attempt to improvise their own responses before reading
the example responses. Do not read the following responses verbatim unless you are
having trouble coming up with your own responses!

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO BEGINNER-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 1
Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 1
That’s too bad. I wonder if it would be helpful for us to spend some time talking about
what was going on this week that made you feel so anxious. (Criterion 1) What do you think
about that? What would you like us to focus on today? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 2

I’m glad you made it. Given we don’t have too much time today, what’s on your agenda for
today? (Criterion 2) One thing I’m thinking is that we should talk about how to get you in
on time for our sessions! (Criterion 1) It’s important we figure this out together.

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 3

I’d love to hear more about how you abstained for a full week. Let’s make sure we spend
some time on this so we can figure out what helped you be so effective. Perhaps we
can start though by talking a bit about the cutting. I’m curious to hear more about what
happened that led up to the cutting, and also how you stopped yourself. (Criterion 1)
How does that plan sound to you? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 4

It sounds like there was a lot going on this week. I’m glad you used skills, but I’m also
hearing that you tried to reach out for support and I wasn’t there. That sounds frustrating
and disappointing, and I’d really like to put that on the top of the agenda and talk more
about it. (Criterion 1) What do you think? Is there anything else you want to make sure we
get to today? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 5

OK—both of those sound really important! It sounds like your situation with your boss is
top of your mind right now, and I think it’s important we talk about the cutting you’ve been
doing on your legs. Let’s figure out a way to address both of these today. (Criterion 1) Does
that sound OK to you? (Criterion 2)
32 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 1
Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 1
It sounds like there are a few things we could focus on today. It sounds like you’re feeling
overwhelmed and stressed out, and that’s getting in the way of making it into therapy.
That seems like a priority. It would be great to figure out together how to help you with
that overwhelmed feeling and to come up with a solid plan for making it into group or
individual therapy even if you’re feeling overwhelmed. (Criterion 1) What do you think?
(Criterion 2)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 2

That does sound like a lot. Let’s start by figuring out our priorities for today’s session.
You’ve mentioned you want to talk about communicating effectively to your partner. You
also mentioned feeling pretty depressed. (Criterion 1) Where would you like to start today?
And is there anything else you haven’t mentioned yet but want to make sure we put on the
agenda? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 3

That’s great news about the job. I’d love to understand more about your thoughts on
ending therapy. Sounds like this should be a priority focus for our session today. (Criterion 1)
Does that make sense to you? Is there anything else you were hoping to talk about today?
(Criterion 2)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 4

Why don’t we look at your diary card and figure out what to focus on? (Criterion 1) We
can look it over together and see which priorities may be the most important for today.
(Criterion 2)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 5

It sounds like you’re feeling pretty hopeless today. I wonder if that would be a good place
to start? (Criterion 1) What do you think about that? (Criterion 2)
Establishing a Session Agenda 33

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO ADVANCED-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 1
Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 1
This is super important. I’d like to understand more about what’s happening in our therapy
that’s leaving you feeling so badly after our sessions. I would suggest we put this at the top
of the agenda. (Criterion 1) What do you think? Does this seem like a reasonable place to
focus our time today, or are there other things you want to make sure we cover? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 2

I’d really like to hear more about what made this such a difficult week. (Criterion 1) Are you
willing to put that on the agenda, even if it’s hard to talk about? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 3

I’m glad the homework went well! I’m also hearing that before trying the homework, there
was a fight that involved you hitting yourself. It would probably make sense to talk both
about what happened with hitting and also how you turned things around with skills the
next day. Perhaps we can focus first on the self-harm and then on the skills? (Criterion 1)
Does that order make sense to you? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 4

Seems like it would make sense to put managing suicidal thoughts on the agenda.
(Criterion 1) It sounds like you tried to use some skills, but it wasn’t quite enough this week.
Let’s see if we can do some problem solving together. How does that sound to you as a
focus for our session? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 5

It’s helpful to hear your mom’s concerns. We can definitely put sleep on the agenda if it’s
something you want to talk about. (Criterion 1) Is sleep something you want to talk about
today? Is there anything else you want to make sure we focus on? (Criterion 2)
 EXERCISE

Validation 2
Preparations for Exercise 2

1. Read the instructions in Chapter 2.

2. Download the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form and Deliberate Practice Diary Form
at https://www.apa.org/pubs/books/deliberate-practice-dialectical-behavior-therapy
(see the “Clinician and Practitioner Resources” tab; also available in Appendixes A
and B, respectively).

Skill Description

Skill Difficulty Level: Beginner

Validation is the core acceptance strategy in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). Validation
is used to communicate acceptance and to help clients understand that their responses
make sense and are understandable in some way. When people feel invalidated (e.g.,
when we are told our descriptions or understandings of our internal experiences are
wrong, or our responses are due to undesirable or unacceptable character traits), it is
common for emotional arousal to increase. Many DBT clients have a history of pervasive
invalidation and are emotionally vulnerable; as a result, they may be particularly sensi-
tive to invalidation both outside of and within therapy sessions. A heightened state of
emotional arousal can interfere with information processing, new learning, and problem
solving—necessary requirements for therapeutic change. Validation is therefore essen-
tial in DBT for multiple reasons: It (a) decreases emotional arousal, (b) helps clients learn
to trust their responses, (c) makes problem solving possible, and (d) strengthens the
therapeutic alliance.
Validation is conveyed both through a general therapeutic stance and as a set of
communication strategies. A validating therapeutic stance involves engaging with the
client in a genuine and nonjudgmental manner. Validation is also an explicit communication

https://doi.org/10.1037/0000322-004
Deliberate Practice in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, by T. Boritz, S. McMain, A. Vaz, and T. Rousmaniere
Copyright © 2023 by the American Psychological Association. All rights reserved.

35
36 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

regarding what makes sense about the client’s thoughts, feelings, or actions. Validation
can be communicated by accurately reflecting or summarizing the client’s expressed
thoughts, emotions, and urges (“You felt really angry when your friend cancelled plans”);
it also includes articulations of those aspects of the client’s internal experience that
are unverbalized (“It sounds like in addition to feeling angry at your friend, you were
also feeling quite hurt”). Validation can also be communicated by contextualizing the
client’s responses given their past learning, history, biology, and cognitive style or by
identifying what makes sense about their responses in light of their current situation or
normative responding.
It is essential that therapists only validate what makes sense about the client’s response
and avoid validating the invalid. For example, a client may respond to a nagging parent
by yelling and screaming at them until they back off. In this case, the therapist could
validate that many people might find a nagging parent irritating and the desire to want
to end an unpleasant encounter is understandable, while highlighting that yelling and
screaming may not be the most effective way to solve the problem.

SKILL CRITERIA FOR EXERCISE 2

1. The therapist accurately reflects the client’s explicit or unexpressed thoughts,
feelings, or actions.
2. The therapist conveys what is understandable or makes sense about the client’s
thoughts, feelings, or actions.

COMMON MISTAKES
1. The therapist interacts in an overly professional manner or fragilizes the client.
2. The therapist reinforces the client with praise instead of validation.
3. The therapist is misattuned to the client (e.g., doesn’t understand the essence
of the client’s response).
4. The therapist validates the invalid (i.e., aspects of the client’s response that are
ineffective or incompatible with their long-term goals).
Validation 37

Examples of Validation

Example 1

CLIENT: [Frustrated] You’re not listening to me. This is hard! I just want to leave this
session.

THERAPIST: I can see how frustrated you are. (Criterion 1) It makes sense you might want
to leave, if you are feeling like I’m not listening to you or helping you solve your problem.
(Criterion 2)

Common Therapist Mistake 1: The therapist fragilizes the client: I’m so sorry I made
you feel that way. It makes sense you want to leave the session.

Example 2

CLIENT: [Sad] I don’t have any friends. I have nobody. I’m just going to kill myself.

THERAPIST: Wow, it sounds like you’re feeling really alone and hopeless. (Criterion 1) I can
understand how your thoughts might go to killing yourself if you think that’s the only way
to get relief from your misery. (Criterion 2)

Common Therapist Mistake 2: The therapist reinforces the client with praise instead
of using validation: It’s so great you’re sharing that with me! It must have been so hard
to tell me that.

Example 3

CLIENT: [Ashamed] I didn’t complete my diary card. You’re probably pissed I forgot again.

THERAPIST: You look like you’re feeling a lot of shame right now. (Criterion 1) I can imagine
feeling pretty upset if I thought my therapist was going to be mad at me. (Criterion 2)

Common Therapist Mistake 3: The therapist is misattuned to the client (e.g., doesn’t
understand the essence of what is being communicated): It can be really difficult to
complete the diary card. Sounds like you’re feeling pretty disappointed in yourself.

Example 4

CLIENT: [Angry] My mom just wouldn’t stop nagging me. I asked her to leave me alone,
but she just kept going. So I got really in her face and screamed at her. I think I scared
her. Whatever. She backed off.

THERAPIST: It sounds like your emotions were getting pretty intense in that situation and
you were looking for a way to end the situation. I can totally understand feeling irritated
or overwhelmed and wanting to stop whatever is setting off those feelings. (Criterion 1)
It sounds like in that way, your screaming at your mom helped solve that problem in the
short term. (Criterion 2)

Common Therapist Mistake 4: The therapist validates the invalid: You were so angry.
It makes sense you lost control and screamed at her. Anyone might have that response
if they were in that situation.
38 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

INSTRUCTIONS FOR EXERCISE 2

Step 1: Role-Play and Feedback
• The client says the first beginner client statement. The therapist improvises a response
based on the skill criteria.
• The trainer (or, if not available, the client) provides brief feedback based on the skill
criteria.
• The client then repeats the same statement, and the therapist again improvises a
response. The trainer (or client) again provides brief feedback.

Step 2: Repeat
• Repeat Step 1 for all the statements at the current difficulty level (beginner,
intermediate, or advanced).

Step 3: Assess and Adjust Difficulty

• The therapist completes the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form (see Appendix A) and
decides whether to make the exercise easier or harder or to repeat the same difficulty
level.

Step 4: Repeat for Approximately 15 Minutes

• Repeat Steps 1 to 3 for at least 15 minutes.
• The trainees then switch therapist and client roles and start over.
Validation 39

➔ Now it’s your turn! Follow Steps 1 and 2 from the instructions.
Remember: The goal of the role-play is for trainees to practice improvising responses
to the client statements in a manner that (a) uses the skill criteria and (b) feels authentic
for the trainee. Example therapist responses for each client statement are provided
at the end of this exercise. Trainees should attempt to improvise their own responses
before reading the example responses.

BEGINNER-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 2

Beginner Client Statement 1
[Sad; looking at the floor and not making eye contact] I’m feeling so depressed today
and wasn’t even planning on coming to our session.

Beginner Client Statement 2

[Frustrated] No one understands how hard it is for me. I try really hard and nothing ever
changes.

Beginner Client Statement 3

[Angry] I want to quit group. I feel like they’re all judging me.

Beginner Client Statement 4

[Neutral] I was on my way to the liquor store but just as I was about to go in, I saw my boss
and turned around. I felt so embarrassed. He thinks I’m in recovery.

Beginner Client Statement 5

[Sad] Nobody cares about me. Nobody is doing anything to help me.

Assess and adjust the difficulty before moving to the next difficulty level
 
(see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
40 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 2

Intermediate Client Statement 1
[Crying] I’m such a burden; everyone would be better off without me.

Intermediate Client Statement 2

[Frustrated] You don’t get it—I’d use skills if I could, but when I get anxious, I go from zero
to 100. There’s no time to use skills!

Intermediate Client Statement 3

[Sad] The only friend I have doesn’t want to have anything to do with me and now I have
nobody.

Intermediate Client Statement 4

[Neutral] When I smoke weed, it just calms my brain down—I find it soothing, and it helps
me feel normal.

Intermediate Client Statement 5

[Defensive] Yeah, I lost my temper at him, but he deserved it. It was his fault for getting me
so angry in the first place.

Assess and adjust the difficulty before moving to the next difficulty level
 
(see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
Validation 41

ADVANCED-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 2

Advanced Client Statement 1
[Angry] This is bullshit. I told you what the problem is, and you just don’t want to help me.

Advanced Client Statement 2

[Withdrawn; looking down and not making eye contact] I don’t know what to say.

Advanced Client Statement 3

[Crying and hyperventilating] I can’t deal with this anymore. I’m done trying.

Advanced Client Statement 4

[Frustrated] I’m angry at myself because I’m a coward. I want to kill myself, but I’m just too
afraid.

Advanced Client Statement 5

[Angry] You’re just like the rest of them. You’re going to fire me too, aren’t you?

Assess and adjust the difficulty here (see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
 
If appropriate, follow the instructions to make the exercise even more
challenging (see Appendix A).
42 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

Example Therapist Responses: Validation

Remember: Trainees should attempt to improvise their own responses before reading
the example responses. Do not read the following responses verbatim unless you are
having trouble coming up with your own responses!

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO BEGINNER-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 2
Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 1
Sounds like it’s been a really challenging day! (Criterion 1) It can be hard to find the energy
or motivation to do hard work when you’re feeling low. (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 2

It makes sense you’re feeling frustrated. (Criterion 1) You’re working really hard, and it
can feel pretty discouraging when changes aren’t happening as quickly as you’d like.
(Criterion 2)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 3

It sounds like being in the group is feeling pretty uncomfortable for you. (Criterion 1)
If I thought everyone was judging me, I’d also have a hard time staying in a group.
(Criterion 2)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 4

It sounds like seeing your boss brought up a lot of shame. (Criterion 1) I wouldn’t want
anyone seeing me doing something that I already feel guilty or ashamed about.
(Criterion 2)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 5

It sounds like you feel like you’ve been abandoned right now. (Criterion 1) I think most
people would feel sad and frustrated if they thought nobody cared about them and they
couldn’t get the help they needed. (Criterion 2)
Validation 43

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 2
Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 1
You feel like the people you care about would have an easier time if you weren’t around.
(Criterion 1) If I was thinking everyone was experiencing me as a burden, I’d feel pretty
badly too and want to pull away. (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 2

I wonder if I’m coming off as judgmental or like I’m minimizing just how hard it is to use
skills when you’re distressed. (Criterion 1) When emotions are really intense, it can really
feel like there’s not a second to think, let alone stop and use a skill. (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 3

That sounds so painful. (Criterion 1) I think anyone thinking they were alone in the world
would be feeling the way you are right now. (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 4

It sounds like there are times you feel not so great and are looking for a way to change
how you’re feeling. (Criterion 1) It makes sense to me that you would want to smoke weed
if it helps you feel better. (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 5

It sounds like he did something that really upset you. (Criterion 1) Anger is a normal
response when people do things to us that we don’t like. (Criterion 2)
44 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO ADVANCED-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 2
Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 1
You’re feeling pretty frustrated with me, huh? (Criterion 1) It’s really hard to be in so much
distress and to feel like no one’s listening or trying to help. (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 2

It looks like you’re having a hard time speaking with me right now. (Criterion 1) When
emotions are this intense, it’s normal to have difficulty knowing what to say or do.
(Criterion 2)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 3

You’re in so much pain. (Criterion 1) It’s normal to want to end the feeling of pain. It sounds
like you’re feeling tired of trying so hard. (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 4

I hear your frustration. (Criterion 1) It’s hard to feel this level of misery and to not be able to
find relief. (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 5

Sounds like you’re worried I’m going to give up on you. (Criterion 1) It probably feels pretty
hard to trust that I’m going to stick around, especially if you’ve h ad the experience of
other therapists leaving you. (Criterion 2)
 EXERCISE

Reinforcing Adaptive Behaviors 3

Preparations for Exercise 3

1. Read the instructions in Chapter 2.

2. Download the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form and Deliberate Practice Diary Form at
https://www.apa.org/pubs/books/deliberate-practice-dialectical-behavior-therapy
(see the “Clinician and Practitioner Resources” tab; also available in Appendixes A
and B, respectively).

Skill Description

Skill Difficulty Level: Beginner

Reinforcement of specific client behaviors is used in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)

to strengthen adaptive behaviors. An important learning principle associated with
reinforcement is shaping. In shaping a behavioral response, gradual approximations
toward the target behavior are reinforced; the DBT therapist reinforces any small step
along the way toward a desired goal behavior. One of the most potent reinforcers is
the therapeutic relationship. Linehan (1993a, 1993b) described the following relation-
ship behaviors as potentially reinforcing: (a) expressions of the therapist’s approval,
care, concern, and interest; (b) therapist behaviors that communicate liking or admiring
the client, or a desire to work or interact with the client; (c) behaviors that reassure the
client that the therapist is dependable and the therapy secure; (d) validating responses;
(e) behaviors that are responsive to a client’s requests; and (f) attention from or contact
with the therapist. Behaviors that arise in the therapist’s presence allow for immediate
reinforcement by the therapist; immediate consequences are more potent than delayed
consequences. Accordingly, how a therapist responds to their client can influence
subsequent client behavior and the likelihood that behavior will recur in the future.

https://doi.org/10.1037/0000322-005
Deliberate Practice in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, by T. Boritz, S. McMain, A. Vaz, and T. Rousmaniere
Copyright © 2023 by the American Psychological Association. All rights reserved.

47
48 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

SKILL CRITERION FOR EXERCISE 3

1. The therapist conveys care, approval, appreciation, or validation in response to
any adaptive or functional behavior.

Examples of Reinforcing Adaptive Behaviors

Example 1

CLIENT: [Withdrawn] I’m just feeling done with everything. Everything’s a battle, and I’m
exhausted. It took everything in me just to come in today.

THERAPIST: I am so glad you did come, especially given how exhausted you’re feeling.

Example 2

CLIENT: [Ashamed] Sometimes I get so frustrated with myself that I hit myself to feel a
bit better. I tried to do some of the skills we talked about last week, but they didn’t seem
to help much.

THERAPIST: It’s great you tried to use skills—that’s a step in the right direction. We can
spend some time today figuring out what was helpful and what was not so helpful about
those skills.

Example 3

CLIENT: [Frustrated] You’re not listening to me. This is hard! I just want to leave this
session.

THERAPIST: I really appreciate you telling me how you’re feeling and that you are having
the urge to leave the session.
Reinforcing Adaptive Behaviors 49

INSTRUCTIONS FOR EXERCISE 3

Step 1: Role-Play and Feedback
• The client says the first beginner client statement. The therapist improvises a response
based on the skill criteria.
• The trainer (or, if not available, the client) provides brief feedback based on the skill
criteria.
• The client then repeats the same statement, and the therapist again improvises a
response. The trainer (or client) again provides brief feedback.

Step 2: Repeat
• Repeat Step 1 for all the statements at the current difficulty level (beginner,
intermediate, or advanced).

Step 3: Assess and Adjust Difficulty

• The therapist completes the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form (see Appendix A) and
decides whether to make the exercise easier or harder or to repeat the same difficulty
level.

Step 4: Repeat for Approximately 15 Minutes

• Repeat Steps 1 to 3 for at least 15 minutes.
• The trainees then switch therapist and client roles and start over.
50 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

➔ Now it’s your turn! Follow Steps 1 and 2 from the instructions.
Remember: The goal of the role-play is for trainees to practice improvising responses
to the client statements in a manner that (a) uses the skill criteria and (b) feels authentic
for the trainee. Example therapist responses for each client statement are provided
at the end of this exercise. Trainees should attempt to improvise their own responses
before reading the example responses.

BEGINNER-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 3

Beginner Client Statement 1
[Angry] The week was going well, and I felt like I was being so skillful, but then on
Wednesday I asked my partner a simple question about getting together on the weekend,
and she exploded at me.

Beginner Client Statement 2

[Sad] I feel like such a failure . . . I can’t get a job, I can’t find a partner. Everything is terrible
and I’m such a loser. I try to not let it get to me, but I’m beginning to feel like I can’t handle
anything in this life.

Beginner Client Statement 3

[Discouraged] I’ve been working hard on keeping my drinking under control. I’m kind of
nervous because my friend is having his birthday party at the bar this weekend and I really
want to go but am worried I won’t be able to resist drinking.

Beginner Client Statement 4

[Frustrated] I didn’t want to come to session today. I had to really force myself.

Beginner Client Statement 5

[Happy] I had a good week. There were a few moments where I felt really bad and started
to panic, but I was able to talk myself down. I was sort of surprised actually that the skills
worked.

Assess and adjust the difficulty before moving to the next difficulty level
 
(see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
Reinforcing Adaptive Behaviors 51

INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 3

Intermediate Client Statement 1
[Angry] I want to quit the group. I feel like they’re all judging me.

Intermediate Client Statement 2

[Sad] Last night I was feeling sad and just tried to let myself feel that feeling for a while.
Usually, I’d try to distract myself. At some point, I kind of got bored and went downstairs to
watch TV with my sister.

Intermediate Client Statement 3

[Angry] My mom just wouldn’t stop nagging me. I tried to ask for space because I was
getting really worked up, just like we talked about. But it didn’t help. She just kept
bothering me. Things sort of escalated from there and got pretty bad.

Intermediate Client Statement 4

[Hopeless] I just don’t think I can do this homework on my own. Every time I sit down to
do it, I get so overwhelmed.

Intermediate Client Statement 5

[Frustrated] When things get intense, I just act. I don’t have any thoughts; I just react.

Assess and adjust the difficulty before moving to the next difficulty level
 
(see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
52 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

ADVANCED-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 3

Advanced Client Statement 1
[Frustrated] You’re not listening to me. This is hard! I just want to leave this session.

Advanced Client Statement 2

[Ashamed] I didn’t complete my diary card. You’re probably pissed I forgot again.

Advanced Client Statement 3

[Ashamed] I’m sorry for leaving you all those messages last week. I thought you were
purposely ignoring my calls and just got really upset. When you called me back, I calmed
down and felt really guilty about the messages.

Advanced Client Statement 4

[Angry] I’m so pissed today. The shit I’ve had to deal with this week is unbelievable. I’m just
letting you know because I’m in a real mood today, so please don’t test me.

Advanced Client Statement 5

[Ashamed] Sometimes I get so frustrated with myself that I hit myself to feel a bit better.
I’m feeling so embarrassed even telling you about this.

Assess and adjust the difficulty here (see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
 
If appropriate, follow the instructions to make the exercise even more
challenging (see Appendix A).
Reinforcing Adaptive Behaviors 53

Example Therapist Responses: Reinforcing Adaptive Behaviors

Remember: Trainees should attempt to improvise their own responses before reading
the example responses. Do not read the following responses verbatim unless you are
having trouble coming up with your own responses!

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO BEGINNER-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 3
Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 1
I’m hearing that the week got hard, but before that you felt you were being skillful. I’d love
to hear more about what you were doing that felt so effective.

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 2

It’s hard when those judgments and worry thoughts seep in. It’s great that you’re actively
trying to interrupt them, hard as it may be to do.

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 3

I’m so glad you’re thinking ahead to the birthday party and some of the challenges that
might come up in that environment. This gives us a chance to think through the situation
together.

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 4

It’s especially great you made it in. It sounds like you had some pretty strong urges to
avoid and acted opposite to them.

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 5

This is fantastic news. It sounds like you were able to use skills in some really distressing
moments and found it really helpful.
54 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 3
Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 1
I’m really glad you’re bringing up your urges to quit group rather than just doing it. It’s
hard to feel comfortable in a group if you feel like you’re being judged, and maybe there’s
something we can figure out together that might help improve the situation.

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 2

Wow—it sounds like you tried to do something different this time. You let yourself feel sad,
and when the feeling passed, you let it go. This sounds like a big step!

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 3

First things first—it’s great that you tried to ask for space! It sounds like you noticed you
were getting dysregulated and tried to deescalate the situation. That’s really hard to do!

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 4

It sounds like you tried to do your homework multiple times this week, which is really
wonderful. I’m glad you’re talking about your difficulty doing the homework when you
started feeling overwhelmed—this is absolutely something we can work on together.

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 5

Sounds like you were really on top of using skills when you started feeling your emotions
getting intense. It also sounds like you were really mindful of how the breathing exercise
you tried made you feel. It’s great you were paying such close attention because now we
can figure out how adjust or change that exercise so it’s more effective for you.
Reinforcing Adaptive Behaviors 55

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO ADVANCED-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 3
Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 1
I really appreciate you telling me how you’re feeling right now. That’s not easy to do,
especially if you’re feeling like I’m not hearing you properly. I also appreciate you telling
me about your urge to leave rather than just acting on that urge.

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 2

It sounds like you’re worried about what I might be thinking about you right now. I’m glad
you’re bringing it up, rather than keeping those worry thoughts to yourself.

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 3

Thank you for your apology. It sounds like in the moment, it was really hard to get unstuck
from that upset feeling. It also sounds like you’ve had some time to reflect and are seeing
things a bit differently now. Let’s try to understand what happened together.

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 4

I’m hearing it’s been a hard week. I appreciate you telling me how you’re feeling right
now—it sounds like you’re still feeling a bit vulnerable and are worried about getting set
off in our session?

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 5

I think it’s really important that you told me, especially given that it felt embarrassing to
do so.
 EXERCISE

Problem Assessment 4
Preparations for Exercise 4

1. Read the instructions in Chapter 2.

2. Download the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form and Deliberate Practice Diary Form at
https://www.apa.org/pubs/books/deliberate-practice-dialectical-behavior-therapy
(see the “Clinician and Practitioner Resources” tab; also available in Appendixes A
and B, respectively).

Skill Description

Skill Difficulty Level: Beginner

Problem solving is the core dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) change strategy. Problem
solving involves (a) understanding problems as they occur and (b) seeking to address
them with alternative and more adaptive solutions. Problem assessment is the first
step in this process. The goal of problem assessment is to ascertain the function of a
specific problem behavior. Once insight into the problem behavior is achieved, the
client and therapist proceed to the next problem-solving task, which includes generating
and implementing problem solutions (e.g., skills training, exposure-based techniques,
cognitive modification).
The behavioral chain analysis is the main tool used in problem assessment. A behav-
ioral chain analysis is used to obtain a detailed understanding of the antecedents and
consequences (i.e., the controlling variables) of a discrete episode of a specific behavior
to determine what factors need to be problem solved. Controlling variables include
contextual factors that link (a) antecedents and the problem behavior (i.e., vulnera-
bility factors; prompting events; cognitions, emotions, actions, sensations) and (b) the
problem behavior and its consequences (i.e., the internal and environmental responses
that follow the problem behavior).

https://doi.org/10.1037/0000322-006
Deliberate Practice in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, by T. Boritz, S. McMain, A. Vaz, and T. Rousmaniere
Copyright © 2023 by the American Psychological Association. All rights reserved.

57
58 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

When assessing a problem, therapists engage with their clients in a collaborative

and nonjudgmental manner to understand the variables controlling the problem (e.g.,
the client’s thoughts, feelings, actions, or context). DBT therapists ask relevant ques-
tions to define the problem that needs to be addressed rather than assuming what the
problem is. DBT therapists help the client define the problem by using specific versus
general language. For example, if a client says their problem is that they “get angry and
lose their temper all the time,” the therapist will try to elicit a precise description of
the behavior (e.g., “What do you mean by ‘lose your temper’? What actually happens
when you get angry?”).
For the purposes of this exercise, we will focus on helping DBT trainees reflect a
specific problem behavior the client is reporting and ask relevant questions to help
them clarify what contributed to the behavior.

SKILL CRITERIA FOR EXERCISE 4

1. The therapist reflects a specific problem that the client is reporting.
2. The therapist asks relevant questions to help the client clarify what contributed
to the problem behavior (e.g., what happened prior to engaging in the problem
behavior).

COMMON MISTAKES
1. The therapist responds in a global or vague manner.
2. The therapist makes assumptions about the client’s problem.
3. The therapist engages in problem solving without clearly specifying the
problem that needs to be addressed.
4. The therapist’s tone and language demand an explanation of the problem (i.e.,
why the person responded the way they did) rather than cultivating curiosity in
the client to understand and increase awareness.

Examples of Problem Assessment

Example 1

CLIENT: [Neutral] I didn’t fill in my diary card. I thought about it, though.

THERAPIST: It sounds like you thought about your diary card this week, but something got
in the way of actually completing it. (Criterion 1) What got in the way of filling out the
diary card this week? (Criterion 2)

Common Therapist Mistake 1: The therapist responds in a global or vague manner:

What gets in the way of you doing your homework in this therapy?

Example 2

CLIENT: [Ashamed] I totally screwed up at work. I let my anger get out of control.

THERAPIST: It sounds like something happened at work that got you angry. (Criterion 1)
When you say your anger got out of control, what exactly did you do? (Criterion 2)
Problem Assessment 59

Common Therapist Mistake 2: The therapist makes assumptions about the client
problem: It sounds like your anger is a big problem and leading to all sorts of negative
outcomes in your life.

Example 3

CLIENT: [Angry] When you say that, it’s like you’re telling me I’m lying.

THERAPIST: It sounds like something I said is making you think I don’t believe you.
(Criterion 1) What was it about what I said or how I came across to you right now that
made you think that? (Criterion 2)

Common Therapist Mistake 3: The therapist engages in problem solving without

assessing the problem that needs to be addressed: I’m not thinking that at all. I am
wondering if we can work on challenging those negative thoughts when they pop up?

Example 4

CLIENT: [Anxious] I didn’t go to group this week. I just didn’t feel like it.

THERAPIST: You had group this week but didn’t go. (Criterion 1) Can you tell me more
about what you mean when you say you didn’t feel like going? (Criterion 2)

Common Therapist Mistake 4: The therapist’s tone and language demand an explana-
tion of the problem: Why didn’t you go?
60 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

INSTRUCTIONS FOR EXERCISE 4

Step 1: Role-Play and Feedback
• The client says the first beginner client statement. The therapist improvises a response
based on the skill criteria.
• The trainer (or, if not available, the client) provides brief feedback based on the skill
criteria.
• The client then repeats the same statement, and the therapist again improvises a
response. The trainer (or client) again provides brief feedback.

Step 2: Repeat
• Repeat Step 1 for all the statements at the current difficulty level (beginner,
intermediate, or advanced).

Step 3: Assess and Adjust Difficulty

• The therapist completes the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form (see Appendix A)
and decides whether to make the exercise easier or harder or to repeat the same
difficulty level.

Step 4: Repeat for Approximately 15 Minutes

• Repeat Steps 1 to 3 for at least 15 minutes.
• The trainees then switch therapist and client roles and start over.
Problem Assessment 61

➔ Now it’s your turn! Follow Steps 1 and 2 from the instructions.
Remember: The goal of the role-play is for trainees to practice improvising responses
to the client statements in a manner that (a) uses the skill criteria and (b) feels authentic
for the trainee. Example therapist responses for each client statement are provided
at the end of this exercise. Trainees should attempt to improvise their own responses
before reading the example responses.

BEGINNER-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 4

Beginner Client Statement 1
[Angry] I want to quit group. I feel like they’re all judging me.

Beginner Client Statement 2

[Sad] It was a really hard week, and if I’m being honest, I really considered cancelling our
session today.

Beginner Client Statement 3

[Irritated] I didn’t understand the homework. I tried to do it but gave up because none of
it made any sense to me.

Beginner Client Statement 4

[Withdrawn] I don’t really know what to say right now. I’m just feeling a bit numb.

Beginner Client Statement 5

[Ashamed] I got into a huge fight with my mom. She wouldn’t leave me alone, and it just
got so intense. I yelled at her and she backed off, but I came so close to hitting her.

Assess and adjust the difficulty before moving to the next difficulty level
 
(see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
62 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 4

Intermediate Client Statement 1
[Frustrated] You don’t get it—I’d use skills if I could, but when I get anxious, I go from zero
to 100. There’s no time to use skills!

Intermediate Client Statement 2

[Sad] I’ve been working really hard in this therapy. I feel like I’ve been making a lot of
changes, but I still think about dying most days.

Intermediate Client Statement 3

[Ashamed] I’m sorry I missed last session. I really value your time, I just forgot. I really hope
you’re not mad at me.

Intermediate Client Statement 4

[Angry] I was really upset after our session. You ended our session so abruptly. I was so
upset and you just sent me away.

Intermediate Client Statement 5

[Sad] I’m just feeling so overwhelmed. I can’t even focus right now. I feel like I’m going to
have a panic attack.

Assess and adjust the difficulty before moving to the next difficulty level
 
(see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
Problem Assessment 63

ADVANCED-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 4

Advanced Client Statement 1
[Angry] I’m telling you I’m suicidal and you’re telling me to grab an ice pack. How is that
going to help me?

Advanced Client Statement 2

[Sad] I’m just not sure I can do this treatment. It’s too hard. I’ve got kids. I can’t fall apart
right now.

Advanced Client Statement 3

[Ashamed] I tried using skills, but I felt suicidal all week. I tried to distract myself, but the
thoughts kept coming. It’s just too much. I can’t live like this.

Advanced Client Statement 4

[Regret] I got mad at my friend for cancelling plans and sort of lost it on her. I screwed it
all up.

Advanced Client Statement 5

[Irritated] I told you in my email I want to switch therapists. I don’t really know why we had
to have a session to talk about this.

Assess and adjust the difficulty here (see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
 
If appropriate, follow the instructions to make the exercise even more
challenging (see Appendix A).
64 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

Example Therapist Responses: Problem Assessment

Remember: Trainees should attempt to improvise their own responses before reading
the example responses. Do not read the following responses verbatim unless you are
having trouble coming up with your own responses!

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO BEGINNER-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 4
Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 1
You are feeling judged and that’s making you want to quit the group. (Criterion 1) Can we
figure out what happened that left you thinking you’re being judged and is now leading
you to want to quit group? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 2

It sounds like it’s been a tough week. (Criterion 1) What were you feeling that made you
consider not coming? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 3

It sounds like you had a difficult time with the homework. (Criterion 1) I wonder if we can
figure out together what it was about the homework that made you just want to avoid it?
(Criterion 2)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 4

It sounds like it’s hard to know what to say when everything inside is feeling kind of numb.
(Criterion 1) I wonder if we can explore that feeling a bit more together? When did you
notice that numb feeling was starting? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 5

It sounds like things got pretty heated between you and your mom. (Criterion 1) I wonder
if we can spend some time talking about what happened that got your emotions so high in
that interaction? (Criterion 2)
Problem Assessment 65

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 4
Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 1
It sounds like when I start talking about skills it feels like I’m suggesting you’re not trying.
(Criterion 1) Can you tell me more about what you were thinking or feeling when I started
bringing up skills? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 2

It sounds like you’re noticing your mind still wanders toward thoughts of suicide even
though there’s a lot of good stuff happening in your life right now. (Criterion 1) Can you tell
me a bit more about the last time you noticed your mind go toward suicide? What was
happening right before those thoughts of suicide popped up? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 3

It sounds like you were planning on coming but then something happened that derailed
the plan. (Criterion 1) I’d like to understand that better. What got in the way of making it
into session last week? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 4

It sounds like you felt very hurt by the way our last session ended. (Criterion 1) I wonder
if you can tell me a bit about how you’re feeling right now, as you’re telling me this?
(Criterion 2)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 5

It sounds like you are experiencing a lot of emotion right now. (Criterion 1) Do you have a
sense of what activated that feeling of overwhelm just now? What was happening inside
just before you started feeling that way? (Criterion 2)
66 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO ADVANCED-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 4
Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 1
It sounds like it’s feeling like you’re in a house on fire and I’m offering you a glass of water
to help with the heat. (Criterion 1) What thoughts or feelings came up when I asked you to
grab an ice pack? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 2

It sounds like you’re worried about being able to cope once we start opening stuff up in
treatment. (Criterion 1) How did you get from having those worry thoughts to wanting to
stop treatment? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 3

It sounds like despite using skills, the suicidal thoughts kept coming. (Criterion 1) What’s so
distressing or intolerable about those thoughts that makes you feel like you need to stop
them or find some way to escape them? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 4

It sounds like you wish things had gone differently. (Criterion 1) Do you have a sense of
what got activated in you when she cancelled plans, and how that then led to you “losing
it” on her? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 5

It sounds like you don’t see a reason for this session. (Criterion 1) I want to understand
better what’s going on that’s leading you to want to change therapists. Can you tell me
a bit about how you’ve been feeling in our sessions and what led you to ask for a new
therapist? (Criterion 2)
 EXERCISE

Eliciting a Commitment 5
Preparations for Exercise 5

1. Read the instructions in Chapter 2.

2. Download the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form and Deliberate Practice Diary Form at
https://www.apa.org/pubs/books/deliberate-practice-dialectical-behavior-therapy
(see the “Clinician and Practitioner Resources” tab; also available in Appendixes A
and B, respectively).

Skill Description

Skill Difficulty Level: Intermediate

In dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), therapists actively seek explicit and collaborative
agreement from the client to work toward mutually determined goals. An important task
of DBT therapists is to help clients increase their motivation to make changes, particularly
in moments when ambivalence or reluctance to change is high. Motivation and commit-
ment naturally fluctuate over time, and when this occurs, the therapist’s role is to help
the client reconnect to their original commitment and a renewed effort to change.
Commitment strategies are used to help clients make an explicit intention to change,
which increases the likelihood of taking action on a plan. When working to enhance
motivation and commitment, therapists must be careful not to impose their own goals
on the client or to demand their clients commit to a goal they had previously endorsed.
Although there are a wide range of commitment strategies therapists can use in DBT,
for the purposes of this exercise, we focus mainly on the practice of eliciting a commit-
ment via checking in with the client about their willingness to work on a specific goal,
use a particular skill, or their engage in a particular therapeutic task.

https://doi.org/10.1037/0000322-007
Deliberate Practice in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, by T. Boritz, S. McMain, A. Vaz, and T. Rousmaniere
Copyright © 2023 by the American Psychological Association. All rights reserved.

69
70 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

SKILL CRITERIA FOR EXERCISE 5

1. The therapist highlights a specific opportunity for behavioral change.
2. Based on the client’s statement, the therapist invites/asks the client to commit to
working on changing a specific behavior.

Examples of Eliciting a Commitment

Example 1

CLIENT: [Guilty] I’ve been feeling really bad about how I’ve been treating my partner. Lately
I’m just finding everything he says very annoying, and I can’t stop myself from starting
fights with him that just escalate.

THERAPIST: It sounds like in moments where you’re feeling really annoyed, you’re finding
that you can’t control your anger. (Criterion 1) I’m wondering if you’re interested in under-
standing your reaction and trying to figure out ways not to lose your cool even if you are
irritated with your partner? (Criterion 2)

Example 2

CLIENT: [Ashamed] Sometimes I get so frustrated with myself that I hit myself to feel a
bit better.

THERAPIST: It sounds like you’re overwhelmed with self-criticism and frustration and hitting
yourself is the only way you can think of to relieve the intensity of this state. (Criterion 1)
Are you willing to work with me to find more helpful ways to deal with your self-criticism
that don’t involve hitting yourself? (Criterion 2)

Example 3

CLIENT: [Worried] I’m so worried that I won’t be able to pay my bills next month, and I
don’t even know what I can do about it. It’s overwhelming, and honestly I just want to
give up and kill myself.

THERAPIST: It sounds like there’s a lot going on right now that’s leaving you feeling help-
less and your mind is escaping into thoughts of suicide. (Criterion 1) Are you willing to
work together to find ways to not act on suicide thoughts and to help you feel more in
control? (Criterion 2)
Eliciting a Commitment 71

INSTRUCTIONS FOR EXERCISE 5

Step 1: Role-Play and Feedback
• The client says the first beginner client statement. The therapist improvises a response
based on the skill criteria.
• The trainer (or, if not available, the client) provides brief feedback based on the
skill criteria.
• The client then repeats the same statement, and the therapist again improvises
a response. The trainer (or client) again provides brief feedback.

Step 2: Repeat
• Repeat Step 1 for all the statements at the current difficulty level (beginner,
intermediate, or advanced).

Step 3: Assess and Adjust Difficulty

• The therapist completes the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form (see Appendix A)
and decides whether to make the exercise easier or harder or to repeat the same
difficulty level.

Step 4: Repeat for Approximately 15 Minutes

• Repeat Steps 1 to 3 for at least 15 minutes.
• The trainees then switch therapist and client roles and start over.
72 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

➔ Now it’s your turn! Follow Steps 1 and 2 from the instructions.
Remember: The goal of the role-play is for trainees to practice improvising responses
to the client statements in a manner that (a) uses the skill criteria and (b) feels authentic
for the trainee. Example therapist responses for each client statement are provided
at the end of this exercise. Trainees should attempt to improvise their own responses
before reading the example responses.

BEGINNER-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 5

Beginner Client Statement 1
[Angry] The week was going well, but then on Wednesday, I asked my partner a simple
question about getting together on the weekend, and she exploded at me. At this point,
I don’t even know why I’m bothering to try so hard. Part of me just wants to call it quits on
the relationship.

Beginner Client Statement 2

[Sad] I feel like such a failure . . . I can’t get a job, I can’t find a partner. Everything is terrible
and I’m such a loser. I try to not let it get to me, but I’m beginning to feel like I can’t handle
anything in this life.

Beginner Client Statement 3

[Discouraged] I’ve been working hard on keeping my drinking under control. I’m kind of
nervous because my friend is having his birthday party at the bar this weekend and I really
want to go but am worried I won’t be able to resist drinking.

Beginner Client Statement 4

[Frustrated] Sometimes I get so angry at myself that I hit myself.

Beginner Client Statement 5

[Neutral] My parents said that I need to be more independent of them. They said I should
come see you to work on that.

Assess and adjust the difficulty before moving to the next difficulty level
 
(see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
Eliciting a Commitment 73

INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 5

Intermediate Client Statement 1
[Angry] My doctor said I have to come see you about my “anger problem.” Sometimes
when I get really angry, I lose control and hit people. I just get so angry when people say
stupid things!

Intermediate Client Statement 2

[Irritated] You’re the expert, why don’t you just tell me what you think I should do.

Intermediate Client Statement 3

[Anxious] I can’t commit to coming in here each week. My schedule is unpredictable,
and I don’t have a car.

Intermediate Client Statement 4

[Hopeless] I just don’t think I can do this homework on my own.

Intermediate Client Statement 5

[Frustrated] I don’t know . . . when things get intense, I just act. I don’t have any thoughts;
I just act or react.

Assess and adjust the difficulty before moving to the next difficulty level
 
(see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
74 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

ADVANCED-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 5

Advanced Client Statement 1
[Angry] I think our sessions have been helpful, but my depression is getting worse. On my
drive to session today, I pictured myself driving off a bridge. It honestly felt like a relief to
imagine not having to work so hard to feel better anymore.

Advanced Client Statement 2

[Frustrated] You don’t understand. I can’t do these things because I’m anxious all the
time. If I wasn’t anxious, I could easily do these things and I wouldn’t need to be here in
the first place.

Advanced Client Statement 3

[Ashamed] I’m sorry for leaving you all those messages last week. I thought you were
purposely ignoring my calls and just got really upset. When you called me back, I calmed
down and felt really guilty about the messages.

Advanced Client Statement 4

[Sad] I just feel like giving up. Everything feels too hard and I’m just really tired of trying.

Advanced Client Statement 5

[Anxious] I think I need to drop my classes. I’m behind on all my deadlines and
overwhelmed. And all my professors hate me.

Assess and adjust the difficulty here (see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
 
If appropriate, follow the instructions to make the exercise even more
challenging (see Appendix A).
Eliciting a Commitment 75

Example Therapist Responses: Eliciting a Commitment

Remember: Trainees should attempt to improvise their own responses before reading
the example responses. Do not read the following responses verbatim unless you are
having trouble coming up with your own responses!

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO BEGINNER-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 5
Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 1
It sounds like something in that interaction went awry, and now you’re left feeling pretty
discouraged and want to give up. (Criterion 1) Are you willing to spend some time today
looking back at what happened on Wednesday to see if we can understand it better?
(Criterion 2)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 2

It sounds like you’ve got a list going of all the things that aren’t working out and are
getting pretty down on yourself. (Criterion 1) Are you willing to spend some time today to
see if we can work on bringing down those judgments? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 3

It sounds like you’ve been working hard not to drink and here’s a situation where there will
be a lot of triggers for drinking. (Criterion 1) Given your goal is not to drink, how committed
are you to doing everything in your power to not act on urges to drink? Can we spend
some time today coming up with a solid plan for increasing the likelihood of not drinking?
(Criterion 2)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 4

It sounds like when your anger gets pretty high, it can come with urges to hit yourself,
which perhaps makes the anger settle down a bit in the moment. (Criterion 1) Is working
on finding an alternative way of managing your anger and anger behaviors something you
are willing to do in this therapy? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 5

It sounds like part of the reason you’re here is because your parents said you should come
to work on being more independent. (Criterion 1) Is being more independent something
that you want to work on? (Criterion 2)
76 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 5
Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 1
Your doctor told you to get help for your anger, and it sounds like you’re also aware that
your anger can get intense and out of control at times. (Criterion 1) Are you willing to learn
ways to not lose control of your anger? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 2

You sound frustrated and like you really want some support right now. (Criterion 1) While
I don’t have a magical solution to offer, I’m willing to work with you to find a solution if
that’s something you’re open to doing. (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 3

It sounds like you’ve got a lot going on and it seems impossible to imagine attending
therapy on a regular basis. (Criterion 1) Are you willing to work with me to find a way to get
here regularly so you can get the most out of therapy? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 4

It sounds like you view yourself as someone who is not capable of doing this work on your
own. (Criterion 1) I’m wondering if you’d be willing to act like that view of yourself—“I’m
not capable”—is a belief and not a fact? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 5

It’s so hard to interrupt those urges to act when your emotions become intense. (Criterion 1)
I’m wondering if you would be willing to work on trying to lower the intensity of your
emotions before they start feeling out of control? (Criterion 2)
Eliciting a Commitment 77

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO ADVANCED-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 5
Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 1
You sound emotionally exhausted and depressed, and I imagine it’s hard to keep yourself
motivated when you’re in this state. (Criterion 1) Are you willing to work with me to find
some ways to get some relief that don’t involve suicide? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 2

I can hear how frustrated you feel that anxiety is getting in the way of doing the things you
want to do. (Criterion 1) Are you willing to work with me to keep doing the things that will
bring you some relief in the long run, even if it means tolerating that anxiety in the short
run? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 3

It sounds like when I didn’t respond, you got overwhelmed with intense feelings and it was
hard to not call me repeatedly. (Criterion 1) Would you be willing to explore what emotions
got activated when I didn’t respond, and how you might be able to regulate those feelings
in the future? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 4

It sounds like things are feeling really hard right now and there’s a part of you that’s so
tired you just want to stop trying. (Criterion 1) Are you willing to work with me to find ways
of lightening your load without giving up? (Criteria 2)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 5

It sounds like you’re upset with yourself for being behind at school and are really judging
yourself. (Criterion 1) I’m wondering if you would be willing to notice how you’re talking to
yourself and drop those judgments? (Criterion 2)
 EXERCISE

Inviting the Client to Engage

in Problem Solving 6
Preparations for Exercise 6

1. Read the instructions in Chapter 2.

2. Download the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form and Deliberate Practice Diary Form at
https://www.apa.org/pubs/books/deliberate-practice-dialectical-behavior-therapy
(see the “Clinician and Practitioner Resources” tab; also available in Appendixes A
and B, respectively).

Skill Description

Skill Difficulty Level: Intermediate

In Exercise 4, we focused on problem assessment, which involved reflecting a specific

problem behavior and asking relevant questions to clarify which variables are controlling
the behavior. The next task in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is to proceed to
generate and implement solutions to the problem (e.g., via skills training, exposure-based
techniques, and cognitive modification). Problem solving involves helping the client
brainstorm as many solutions to the problem as possible, including specific adaptive
coping strategies to replace maladaptive coping strategies. It can be helpful for the
therapist and client to evaluate the effectiveness of solutions to identify the short- and
long-term consequences of various options. DBT therapists then help the client choose
and implement a specific solution, identify any barriers that might occur to using the
selected solution, and troubleshoot if their attempt to solve their problem goes wrong
or new problems emerge.
Although there are a wide range of problem-solving strategies that DBT therapists
can use, for the purposes of this exercise, we will focus mainly on the practice of high-
lighting a maladaptive coping strategy or problematic behavior and inviting the client
to use an adaptive coping response to replace a problematic behavior.

https://doi.org/10.1037/0000322-008
Deliberate Practice in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, by T. Boritz, S. McMain, A. Vaz, and T. Rousmaniere
Copyright © 2023 by the American Psychological Association. All rights reserved.

79
80 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

SKILL CRITERIA FOR EXERCISE 6

1. The therapist highlights a maladaptive coping strategy or problematic behavior in
a nonjudgmental manner.
2. The therapist invites the client to engage in an adaptive coping response to
replace a problematic behavior.

Examples of Inviting the Client to Engage in Problem Solving

Example 1

CLIENT: [Neutral] I didn’t fill in my diary card. Every time I looked at it, I felt overwhelmed.

THERAPIST: It sounds like when you started doing the diary card, some intense emotions
got activated, and it brought some relief to stop doing the diary card. (Criterion 1) Would
you like some help figuring out how to manage those overwhelming feelings rather than
avoiding them? (Criterion 2)

Example 2

CLIENT: [Ashamed] I totally screwed up at work. I let my anger get out of control and
yelled at my boss.

THERAPIST: That’s too bad. It sounds like something happened that set off your anger and
once it was activated, it was hard to control those anger behaviors. (Criterion 1) Perhaps
we can spend some time today figuring out some skills to help interrupt anger urges
when your emotion is really high. What do you think about that? (Criterion 2)

Example 3

CLIENT: [Angry] When you say that, it’s like you’re telling me I’m lying. I just want to leave
right now.

THERAPIST: I can see you’re feeling frustrated with me right now. I’m thinking that leaving
the session might be one way of managing that feeling. (Criterion 1) I wonder if you want
some help bringing the intensity of that feeling down a bit, so we can talk more about
what I said or did that made you feel like I didn’t believe you. (Criterion 2)
Inviting the Client to Engage in Problem Solving 81

INSTRUCTIONS FOR EXERCISE 6

Step 1: Role-Play and Feedback
• The client says the first beginner client statement. The therapist improvises a response
based on the skill criteria.
• The trainer (or, if not available, the client) provides brief feedback based on the skill
criteria.
• The client then repeats the same statement, and the therapist again improvises a
response. The trainer (or client) again provides brief feedback.

Step 2: Repeat
• Repeat Step 1 for all the statements at the current difficulty level (beginner,
intermediate, or advanced).

Step 3: Assess and Adjust Difficulty

• The therapist completes the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form (see Appendix A)
and decides whether to make the exercise easier or harder or to repeat the same
difficulty level.

Step 4: Repeat for Approximately 15 Minutes

• Repeat Steps 1 to 3 for at least 15 minutes.
• The trainees then switch therapist and client roles and start over.
82 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

➔ Now it’s your turn! Follow Steps 1 and 2 from the instructions.
Remember: The goal of the role-play is for trainees to practice improvising responses
to the client statements in a manner that (a) uses the skill criteria and (b) feels authentic
for the trainee. Example therapist responses for each client statement are provided
at the end of this exercise. Trainees should attempt to improvise their own responses
before reading the example responses.

BEGINNER-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 6

Beginner Client Statement 1
[Angry] I want to quit group. I feel like they’re all judging me.

Beginner Client Statement 2

[Sad] It was a really hard week, and if I’m being honest, I really considered cancelling our
session today. I don’t think you’re going to be able to help me.

Beginner Client Statement 3

[Irritated] I didn’t understand the homework. I tried to do it but gave up because none of
it made any sense to me.

Beginner Client Statement 4

[Withdrawn] I don’t really know what to say right now. I’m just feeling a bit numbed out
and fuzzy.

Beginner Client Statement 5

[Ashamed] I got into a huge fight with my mom last night. She wouldn’t leave me
alone, and it just got so intense. I yelled at her and she backed off, but I came so close
to hitting her.

Assess and adjust the difficulty before moving to the next difficulty level
 
(see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
Inviting the Client to Engage in Problem Solving 83

INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 6

Intermediate Client Statement 1
[Frustrated] I feel like I get bullied a lot by my family. Like I’m the butt of every joke. They
only stop when I lose my temper. But now they’re like, “You have an anger problem.” They
don’t get it.

Intermediate Client Statement 2

[Sad] I’ve been working really hard in this therapy. I feel like I’ve been making a lot of good
changes, but I still think about dying most days. And once I start thinking about suicide, it
just opens the gate and I can’t stop the thoughts.

Intermediate Client Statement 3

[Anxious] I’m just not sure I can do this treatment. It’s too hard. I’ve got kids. I can’t fall
apart right now.

Intermediate Client Statement 4

[Sad] I got mad at my friend for cancelling plans and sort of lost it on her. I’m pretty sure
I ruined that relationship. Nothing new. I suck at keeping friends.

Intermediate Client Statement 5

[Ashamed] I just felt empty. Nothing else was helping so I cut myself and the pain felt
good. Like I could feel something.

Assess and adjust the difficulty before moving to the next difficulty level
 
(see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
84 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

ADVANCED-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 6

Advanced Client Statement 1
[Anxious] You said you were going to be there for me and now you’re telling me you’re
going on vacation for 2 weeks? Maybe I should just quit now.

Advanced Client Statement 2

[Angry] I’m so pissed today. The shit I’ve had to deal with this week is unbelievable. I’m just
letting you know because I’m in a real mood today so please don’t test me.

Advanced Client Statement 3

[Sad] I tried so hard to make things better with my boyfriend, but it wasn’t enough. He
broke up with me anyway. I’m just ready to give up.

Advanced Client Statement 4

[Angry] This is bullshit! I told you what the problem is, and you just don’t want to help me.
Breathing is not going to help me with my eviction notice. That is what I need help with.

Advanced Client Statement 5

[Ashamed] I tried using skills, but this week was just too hard. It’s just too much. I can’t live
like this. I don’t want to be here anymore.

Assess and adjust the difficulty here (see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
 
If appropriate, follow the instructions to make the exercise even more
challenging (see Appendix A).
Inviting the Client to Engage in Problem Solving 85

Example Therapist Responses: Inviting the Client to Engage

in Problem Solving

Remember: Trainees should attempt to improvise their own responses before reading
the example responses. Do not read the following responses verbatim unless you are
having trouble coming up with your own responses!

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO BEGINNER-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 6
Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 1
If I thought I was being judged, I might want to avoid something too. (Criterion 1) Quitting
group is one way to solve the problem, but we could also try to figure out together some
skills you can use in group so it doesn’t feel so aversive. What do you think about that?
(Criterion 2)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 2

It sounds like there’s a part of you that’s feeling a bit hopeless that I’ll be able to help.
(Criterion 1) Since you showed up today, I’m guessing there’s the other part, though,
that’s acting opposite to the urge to give up. How can we keep that “not giving up” part
mobilized so we can talk more about what made this week so hard and see if we can
problem solve some of those challenges together? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 3

It sounds like you were trying to do the homework and at some point, it just started to feel
super frustrating. (Criterion 1) I wonder if we can make a plan for homework this week that
includes what to do if it’s confusing or your frustration is getting too high and you have
urges to just stop doing it? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 4

It sounds like the numbed-out, dissociative feeling is making it a bit hard to engage with
me right now. (Criterion 1) Do you want some help using skills to get more present with
me? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 5

It sounds like you’re feeling pretty badly about what happened last night. (Criterion 1) It
also sounds like it might be helpful for us to spend some time today focusing on how to
manage those anger urges and communicate more effectively with your mom. Does that
seem like something that could be a helpful focus for today? (Criterion 2)
86 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 6
Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 1
It makes sense that you kind of maintain that angry state around them, if you feel that’s the
only way you’re able to get some relief from the bullying and feel safe. (Criterion 1) What
do you think about spending time today coming up with a plan for how to communicate
this pattern to your family to see if it’s something that can be worked on? Is that something
you would want to do? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 2

It sounds like you’re noticing your mind still wanders toward thoughts of suicide—almost
like a habitual response—but then it gets hard to stop more thoughts, and that feels pretty
discouraging. (Criterion 1) Do you want to some help figuring out how to interrupt the
suicide thoughts when they come up instead of sinking further into them? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 3

This sounds really important. You’re worried that doing this treatment is going to make it
hard to be there for your kids. (Criterion 1) Do you think it would help if we came up with a
plan for helping you cope if things get tough for you in treatment? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 4

Something about your friend cancelling plans really upset you. (Criterion 1) I wonder if we
can spend some time today figuring out what was so upsetting and a more effective way
of handling that feeling when it gets activated? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 5

It sounds like for you that empty feeling is really unbearable, and cutting helped get rid
of it. (Criterion 1) Do you want to spend some time today figuring out a different way of
dealing with that empty feeling? (Criterion 2)
Inviting the Client to Engage in Problem Solving 87

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO ADVANCED-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 6
Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 1
It makes sense you’re feeling a bit worried about me going away. (Criterion 1) Do you think
it would help if we came up with a plan in advance for skills you can use or other supports
we can put in place while I’m away? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 2

It sounds like you’re feeling pretty vulnerable after a tough week and don’t want to feel
any worse today. (Criterion 1) Is there anything I can do right now to help you feel less
overwhelmed? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 3

It sounds like you’re feeling really sad about your breakup and are feeling kind of hopeless.
(Criterion 1) I wonder if we can look at ways to help you grieve your relationship without
moving into that giving-up state? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 4

It’s really hard to be in so much distress and to feel like no one’s listening or trying to help.
(Criterion 1) Would it be helpful if we spent some time figuring out the eviction notice
together and planning what you’re going to do next? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 5

It sounds like you’re in a lot of pain, and thinking about not being here anymore feels like
the only escape. (Criterion 1) If we can come up with some other ways to help you with
that suffering, would you be open to doing some problem solving with me? (Criterion 2)
 EXERCISE

Skills Training 7
Preparations for Exercise 7

1. Read the instructions in Chapter 2.

2. Download the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form and Deliberate Practice Diary Form at
https://www.apa.org/pubs/books/deliberate-practice-dialectical-behavior-therapy
(see the “Clinician and Practitioner Resources” tab; also available in Appendixes A
and B, respectively).

Skill Description

Skill Difficulty Level: Intermediate

Skills training is used in problem solving when a solution requires skills not currently
in a client’s behavioral repertoire (e.g., when the client does not yet have the ability
to generate or effectively produce a specific behavior). An essential aim of dialectical
behavior therapy (DBT) is to help clients replace ineffective or maladaptive behaviors
with skillful or effective responses. The use of the term effective in this context refers
to the consequences of the behavior—for example, behaviors that lead to “a maximum
of positive outcomes with a minimum of negative outcomes” (Linehan, 1993a, p. 329).
During skills training in DBT, the therapist highlights opportunities for the client to
actively engage in the acquisition and practice of skills.
Although a range of coping skills are used in DBT skills training, for the purposes of
this exercise, we focus on two specific DBT skills: (a) the core mindfulness “what” skills
for enhancing awareness of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors (including action urges);
and (b) the distress tolerance STOP skills for noticing when an emotion is high and
accompanied by urges to act impulsively on ineffective behaviors.

https://doi.org/10.1037/0000322-009
Deliberate Practice in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, by T. Boritz, S. McMain, A. Vaz, and T. Rousmaniere
Copyright © 2023 by the American Psychological Association. All rights reserved.

89
90 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

Mindfulness Skills

In DBT, mindfulness is defined as paying attention in a particular way in the present

moment without judgment. The mindfulness “what” skills explain what we do when
we’re trying to be mindful: we observe (i.e., notice what we are experiencing without
judgment, reaction, or trying to change anything), describe (i.e., putting words to our
experience), and participate (i.e., actively and fully focusing on whatever we are doing
in the present moment). For each of these skills, we practice one at a time, focusing
on bringing full attention to what we’re doing in the present moment (i.e., acting
“one-mindfully”) and either observing, describing, or participating.

Distress Tolerance: The STOP Skill

The STOP skill is used when a person is in crisis or a moment of intense distress. This skill
is used to help clients get through a crisis without engaging in problematic behaviors
that will make the situation worse. The STOP skill is a mnemonic device that stands for:
Stop (i.e., freeze in your tracks, don’t move, don’t react), Take a step back (i.e., take
some time to calm down and think), Observe (i.e., notice what is happening around
you and within you), and Proceed mindfully (i.e., ask yourself what you want from the
situation, remind yourself of your goals, and evaluate which responses will make the
situation better or worse).

SKILL CRITERIA FOR EXERCISE 7

1. The therapist highlights a maladaptive behavior in a nonjudgmental manner.
2. The therapist explains the problems with the maladaptive behavior or the benefits
of adaptive coping behaviors.
3. The therapist invites the client to use one of the following coping skills to replace
a problematic/ineffective behavior:
Option 1: Invite the client to use mindfulness skills to gain awareness of
thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and urges in a nonjudgmental manner.
Option 2: Invite the client to use the STOP skill for noticing when emotion is
high and they are having urges to act impulsively on unhelpful behaviors.

Examples of Skills Training

Example 1

CLIENT: [Neutral] I didn’t fill in my diary card. Every time I looked at it, I felt overwhelmed.
So I just stopped.

THERAPIST: It sounds like when you started doing the diary card some intense emotions
got activated, and it brought you some relief to just stop doing the diary card. (Criterion 1)
While avoiding your diary card will bring relief to uncomfortable emotions in the short
term, learning to stay with and tolerate your emotions without escaping them will be
more effective in the long term. (Criterion 2)
Skills Training 91

Option 1: Next time you’re doing your diary card, it may be helpful to use the mindful-
ness skills to observe the emotions and urges that come up. What do you think about
that? (Criterion 3)

Option 2: The STOP skills might be a perfect skill to use in moments when your emo-
tions are high and you’re feeling tempted to do something that may not be helpful.
(Criterion 3)

Example 2

CLIENT: [Ashamed] I totally screwed up at work. I let my anger get out of control and
yelled at my boss.

THERAPIST: That’s too bad. It sounds like something happened that set off your anger and
once it was activated it was hard to control those anger behaviors. (Criterion 1) It might
be helpful in this case to work on feeling your emotions without acting on the urges
associated with them, so as not to make the situation worse in the moment. (Criterion 2)

Option 1: Would you like some help using mindfulness skills to notice the intensity of
your anger and the urges to act from this emotion? (Criterion 3)

Option 2: Would you like some help using the STOP skills when your anger is high so
that you don’t act impulsively and engage in anger behaviors? (Criterion 3)

Example 3

CLIENT: [Angry] It feels like you’re telling me I’m lying. I just feel like leaving right now.

THERAPIST: I can see you’re feeling frustrated with me right now. I’m thinking that leaving
the session might be one way of managing that feeling. (Criterion 1) If we can help you
bring the intensity of that feeling down a bit, we might be able to talk more about what
I said or did just now that made you feel like I wasn’t believing you. (Criterion 2)

Option 1: Can you use mindfulness skills to notice the emotions and urges coming up
for you right now? (Criterion 3)

Option 2: Would you be willing to use the STOP skill right now to interrupt that urge
to leave? (Criterion 3)
92 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

INSTRUCTIONS FOR EXERCISE 7

Step 1: Role-Play and Feedback
• The client says the first beginner client statement. The therapist improvises a response
based on the skill criteria.
• The trainer (or, if not available, the client) provides brief feedback based on the
skill criteria.
• The client then repeats the same statement, and the therapist again improvises a
response. The trainer (or client) again provides brief feedback.

Step 2: Repeat
• Repeat Step 1 for all the statements at the current difficulty level (beginner,
intermediate, or advanced).

Step 3: Assess and Adjust Difficulty

• The therapist completes the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form (see Appendix A)
and decides whether to make the exercise easier or harder or to repeat the same
difficulty level.

Step 4: Repeat for Approximately 15 Minutes

• Repeat Steps 1 to 3 for at least 15 minutes.
• The trainees then switch therapist and client roles and start over.
Skills Training 93

➔ Now it’s your turn! Follow Steps 1 and 2 from the instructions.
Remember: The goal of the role-play is for trainees to practice improvising responses
to the client statements in a manner that (a) uses the skill criteria and (b) feels authentic
for the trainee. Example therapist responses for each client statement are provided
at the end of this exercise. Trainees should attempt to improvise their own responses
before reading the example responses.

BEGINNER-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 7

Beginner Client Statement 1
[Sad] I feel like such a failure . . . I can’t get a job; I can’t find a partner. Everything is terrible
and I’m such a loser. I try to not let it get to me, but I’m beginning to feel like I can’t handle
anything in this life.

Beginner Client Statement 2

[Discouraged] I’ve been working hard on keeping my drinking under control. I’m kind of
nervous because my friend is having his birthday party at the bar this weekend and I really
want to go but am worried I won’t be able to resist drinking.

Beginner Client Statement 3

[Angry] I want to quit group. I feel like they’re all judging me.

Beginner Client Statement 4

[Angry] My mom just wouldn’t stop nagging me. I asked her to leave me alone, but she just
kept going. So I got really in her face and screamed at her. I think I scared her. But I guess it
worked because she backed off.

Beginner Client Statement 5

[Angry] My boss is such a jerk and I just want to quit this job.

Assess and adjust the difficulty before moving to the next difficulty level
 
(see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
94 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 7

Intermediate Client Statement 1
[Ashamed] I didn’t complete my diary card. You’re probably pissed I forgot again.
Maybe I shouldn’t take up a spot in this therapy anymore.

Intermediate Client Statement 2

[Frustrated] When things get intense, I just act. I don’t have any thoughts; I just react.

Intermediate Client Statement 3

[Neutral] I’ve been trying to cut out my pot use. Every time I stop using, I feel like I’m
crawling the walls and just want to use more.

Intermediate Client Statement 4

[Depressed] My life is a mess. I don’t think this therapy is helping and I think I need to
check into the hospital.

Intermediate Client Statement 5

[Anxious] I got a call from this guy I met 2 weeks ago online, and he said to me last week,
“Get your passport and let’s go to Jamaica this weekend.” I just don’t know what to do.

Assess and adjust the difficulty before moving to the next difficulty level
 
(see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
Skills Training 95

ADVANCED-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 7

Advanced Client Statement 1
[Ashamed] I’m sorry for leaving you all those messages last week. I thought you were
purposely ignoring my calls and just got really upset. When you called me back, I calmed
down and felt really guilty about the messages.

Advanced Client Statement 2

[Angry] I’m so pissed today. The shit I’ve had to deal with this week is unbelievable. I’m just
letting you know because I’m in a real mood today, so please don’t test me.

Advanced Client Statement 3

[Ashamed] Sometimes I get so frustrated with myself that I hit myself to feel a bit better.
I’m feeling so embarrassed even telling you about this.

Advanced Client Statement 4

[Irritated] You’re the expert. Why don’t you just tell me what you think I should do?

Advanced Client Statement 5

[Angry/hurt] I want to call that stupid girl and yell at her. I want to mess with her. She
abandoned me when I needed her.

Assess and adjust the difficulty here (see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
 
If appropriate, follow the instructions to make the exercise even more
challenging (see Appendix A).
96 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

Example Therapist Responses: Skills Training

Remember: Trainees should attempt to improvise their own responses before reading
the example responses. Do not read the following responses verbatim unless you are
having trouble coming up with your own responses!

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO BEGINNER-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 7
Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 1
It sounds like you’re having a lot of judgments of yourself. (Criterion 1) Do you notice when
you judge yourself harshly that you start feeling more miserable? (Criterion 2)

Option 1: Would you like some help using mindfulness skills to notice the emotion
underneath those judgments? (Criterion 3)

Option 2: Would you like some help using the STOP skill if that helplessness feeling
starts activating urges to act in an unhelpful way? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 2

It sounds like you’re struggling with urges to drink. (Criterion 1) Going to the bar will likely
intensify those urges. (Criterion 2)

Option 1: Would you want some help observing your urges? We could practice noticing
when urges come up and then shifting your attention elsewhere, to other things around
you in the room. (Criterion 3)

Option 2: If you ultimately decide to go to the bar, there’s a good chance your urges
are going to get activated. Would you like help practicing how to use the STOP skill in
that situation to interrupt urges to drink? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 3

It sounds like you’re having urges to avoid group sessions because you’re having the
thought that others are judging you. (Criterion 1) Getting stuck on thoughts that others are
judging you is likely contributing to the discomfort you’re having in group. (Criterion 2)

Option 1: I’m wondering if we can work on helping you observe those thoughts and
then shift your attention away from them so that you feel more comfortable in group.
(Criterion 3)

Option 2: I’m wondering if we can work on helping you use the STOP skill in moments
in group where you are about to act on urges to quit? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 4

When your mother doesn’t respond to you in the way that you want, your anger gets
overwhelming and it’s hard to control. (Criterion 1) In those moments, when you let
yourself go with your anger and yell, you feel relief. However, your relationship with your
mom gets worse. (Criterion 2)

Option 1: During these arguments with your mother, it would be really helpful to use
mindfulness skills to observe your anger and to notice when it’s starting to get really
overwhelming so you can intervene. (Criterion 3)

Option 2: When you have these strong urges to yell, this would be a perfect moment
to use the STOP skill. (Criterion 3)
Skills Training 97

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO BEGINNER-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 7
Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 5
It sounds like your anger is intense and you’ve got an urge to make a big decision about
your job. (Criterion 1) It sounds like your anger is fueling that urge to act immediately and
quit your job. (Criterion 2)

Option 1: Are you willing to try to use mindfulness skills right now to observe and
describe the emotions driving your urge to quit right now? (Criterion 3)

Option 2: Are you willing to try the STOP skill to get your emotions down before mak-
ing any big decision about your job? (Criterion 3)
98 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 7
Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 1
It sounds like you’re having a lot of worry thoughts that I’ll judge you. (Criterion 1) These
thoughts might get in the way of us figuring out what happened with the diary card.
(Criterion 2)

Option 1: Can you see if you can just notice those worry thoughts and shift your
attention away from them? (Criterion 3)

Option 2: Are you willing to try the STOP skill to get some space between your
emotions and your urge to remove yourself from this treatment? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 2

When you experience intense emotions, it’s hard to be aware of anything. (Criterion 1) It
sounds like when you’re in an intense emotional state, it’s hard to notice much of what is
going on around you, and you act in ways that cause you problems. (Criterion 2)

Option 1: Let’s see if we can get you to practice noticing when you’re getting sucked
into an emotion and instead shift focus to what’s going on around you.
(Criterion 3)

Option 2: Let’s see if we can get you to practice the STOP skill when your emotions
start to escalate. (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 3

You’re really struggling with intense urges to use pot. (Criterion 1) Giving in to your urges
will make it harder to quit, so it’s important that we help you ride out these urges without
acting on them. (Criterion 2)

Option 1: I think it would help if you practiced observing your urges, almost like
watching your urges as though they are waves flowing onto the beach. (Criterion 3)

Option 2: I think it would help if you practiced using the STOP skill when your urges to
use pot increase. (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 4

It sounds like you’re feeling overwhelmed and hopeless right now, and you’re having the
thought you can’t cope. (Criterion 1) While going to the hospital might seem like a solution,
it might also reinforce your belief you’re not capable of tolerating these big feelings.
(Criterion 2)

Option 1: Do you want help mindfully noticing those thoughts and paying attention to
the feelings and urges that are coming up without acting on them? (Criterion 3)

Option 2: I think it would be helpful right now to practice the STOP skill, to slow things
down so you can make a mindful decision about what you need. (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 5

You’re struggling with a big decision and feel torn about whether to go with this guy.
(Criterion 1) Making a big decision like this from an emotional state can make it hard to
consider all the consequences. (Criterion 2)

Option 1: I think using mindfulness skills right now might help you take a step back from
intense emotion instead of making an impulsive decision. (Criterion 3)

Option 2: The STOP skill might be really helpful right now in giving you some space
between your emotions and that intense urge to make a quick decision. (Criterion 3)
Skills Training 99

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO ADVANCED-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 7
Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 1
The challenge for you is that when you get upset, it’s hard not to let your behavior follow
your mood. (Criterion 1) When you act on these feelings, I know that it gets you into
trouble that you later regret. (Criterion 2)

Option 1: This would be a great situation to practice using mindfulness skills.

(Criterion 3)

Option 2: This would be a great situation to practice the STOP skill. (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 2

I can see that everything seems like a major hurdle this week. (Criterion 1) I think it would
make all the difference to your mood if, when you’re having the thought “this is shit,” we
could help you think about the situation a bit differently. (Criterion 2)

Option 1: Can you use mindfulness skills right now to notice all your judgments and let
them go? (Criterion 3)

Option 2: Can you use the STOP skill right now to intervene around your irritation and
interrupt urges to lash out at me? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 3

It is so hard not to act on your urges to harm yourself when your emotions are intense.
(Criterion 1) The problem is that acting on urges to harm provides you with relief but makes
you feel worse about yourself. (Criterion 2)

Option 1: Let’s see if we can help you use mindfulness skills to observe and describe
the emotions underlying those self-harm urges. (Criterion 3)

Option 2: Let’s see if we can help you use the STOP skill to interrupt the urge to act on
self-harm. (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 4

It sounds like I’m coming across in a way that’s leaving you thinking that your perspective
isn’t valuable. (Criterion 1) I can understand why that thought might leave you feeling
resentful and like you want to disengage from our session. (Criterion 2)

Option 1: What if instead of disengaging we helped you observe and describe what
you’re feeling right now and the urges accompanying those feelings? (Criterion 3)

Option 2: What if instead of disengaging we helped you use the STOP skill to interrupt
that urge to withdraw? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 5

It sounds like you’re hurt, and it’s hard not to want to escape those painful feelings by
letting yourself go with your anger. (Criterion 1) I imagine that expressing your anger to this
girl will help get rid of some of your pain; at the same time, harassing people is what often
destroys your relationships. (Criterion 2)

Option 1: Are you willing to use mindfulness skills right now to observe those painful
feelings underneath your anger? (Criterion 3)

Option 2: Are you willing to use the STOP skill right now? If you can use this skill,
I think it will be easier to develop the relationships that you want with other people.
(Criterion 3)
 EXERCISE

Modifying Cognitions 8
Preparations for Exercise 8

1. Read the instructions in Chapter 2.

2. Download the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form and Deliberate Practice Diary Form at
https://www.apa.org/pubs/books/deliberate-practice-dialectical-behavior-therapy
(see the “Clinician and Practitioner Resources” tab; also available in Appendixes A
and B, respectively).

Skill Description

Skill Difficulty Level: Intermediate

One of the primary tasks of a dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) practitioner is to search
for and reinforce a client’s valid thoughts, interpretations, and beliefs (e.g., through
validation strategies). Another task of the DBT therapist is to highlight and address
cognitive processes that are contributing to dysfunctional behaviors or maladaptive
emotional experiences. By modifying cognitions, DBT therapists help clients observe
and change faulty rules governing behavior (e.g., beliefs, underlying assumptions,
expectations), nondialectical thinking (e.g., rigid, dichotomous, or extreme thinking),
dysfunctional descriptions (e.g., judgments or evaluations), and problematic atten-
tional processes (e.g., rumination). When working with the client to modify cogni-
tions, the therapist’s role is to help clients enhance their ability to identify and observe
patterns of dysfunctional thinking and to generate functional and accurate thinking and
appraisals of situations.

https://doi.org/10.1037/0000322-010
Deliberate Practice in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, by T. Boritz, S. McMain, A. Vaz, and T. Rousmaniere
Copyright © 2023 by the American Psychological Association. All rights reserved.

101
102 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

SKILL CRITERIA FOR EXERCISE 8

1. The therapist highlights the client’s problematic or dysfunctional thoughts,
assumptions, or beliefs in a nonjudgmental way.
2. The therapist suggests a link between the client’s thoughts, assumptions, or
beliefs and their maladaptive emotions or behavior.
3. The therapist invites the client to challenge their maladaptive thoughts,
assumptions, or beliefs or consider alternative perspectives.

Examples of Modifying Cognitions

Example 1

CLIENT: [Anxious] I don’t really know anyone who will be at this party. I know I’ll be mis-
erable and have a terrible time.

THERAPIST: You’re pretty convinced this party will be terrible. (Criterion 1) Since you’re
having that thought, no wonder you don’t want to go. (Criterion 2) Would you like some
help interrupting those worry thoughts? (Criterion 3)

Example 2

CLIENT: [Angry] My group leader completely dismissed me. She treated me like I was
disrupting the group and completely ignored my very legitimate concerns about the
mindfulness homework. Screw her—I’m not going back to that group.

THERAPIST: It sounds like you have a lot of assumptions about the therapist’s intention
toward you. (Criterion 1) Do you notice that this assumption leads you to want to avoid
people? (Criterion 2) Do you want some help challenging that assumption? (Criterion 3)

Example 3

CLIENT: [Sad] I don’t have any friends. I’m such a worthless loser. The world would be
better off without me.

THERAPIST: Wow, it seems like your judgments of yourself are pretty strong right now.
(Criterion 1) Do you notice that when you’re especially judgmental about yourself, it influ-
ences your mood, and your thoughts get more extreme? (Criterion 2) Do you want some
help letting go of judgments? (Criterion 3)
Modifying Cognitions 103

INSTRUCTIONS FOR EXERCISE 8

Step 1: Role-Play and Feedback
• The client says the first beginner client statement. The therapist improvises a response
based on the skill criteria.
• The trainer (or, if not available, the client) provides brief feedback based on the skill
criteria.
• The client then repeats the same statement, and the therapist again improvises
a response. The trainer (or client) again provides brief feedback.

Step 2: Repeat
• Repeat Step 1 for all the statements at the current difficulty level (beginner,
intermediate, or advanced).

Step 3: Assess and Adjust Difficulty

• The therapist completes the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form (see Appendix A)
and decides whether to make the exercise easier or harder or to repeat the same
difficulty level.

Step 4: Repeat for Approximately 15 Minutes

• Repeat Steps 1 to 3 for at least 15 minutes.
• The trainees then switch therapist and client roles and start over.
104 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

➔ Now it’s your turn! Follow Steps 1 and 2 from the instructions.
Remember: The goal of the role-play is for trainees to practice improvising responses
to the client statements in a manner that (a) uses the skill criteria and (b) feels authentic
for the trainee. Example therapist responses for each client statement are provided
at the end of this exercise. Trainees should attempt to improvise their own responses
before reading the example responses.

BEGINNER-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 8

Beginner Client Statement 1
[Sad] I’m a terrible parent. My children would be better off without me.

Beginner Client Statement 2

[Anxious] I know my job interview is going to go poorly; they always do.

Beginner Client Statement 3

[Neutral] I couldn’t do the homework. I spent so much time trying to figure out how you
wanted me to answer the questions. I got worried I was doing it wrong, so I just stopped.

Beginner Client Statement 4

[Hopeless] I just can’t imagine anything changing in my life. It all feels so impossible.

Beginner Client Statement 5

[Irritated] This is stupid. I’m not really sure what we’re doing here.

Assess and adjust the difficulty before moving to the next difficulty level
 
(see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
Modifying Cognitions 105

INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 8

Intermediate Client Statement 1
[Irritated] I don’t need therapy. The problem is with my brain and I just need to find the
right medication.

Intermediate Client Statement 2

[Frustrated] I’m just not getting it. I don’t understand what you’re asking me to do.
I’m such an idiot.

Intermediate Client Statement 3

[Ashamed] I was sober for 6 months, but then I drank this weekend. I’m such a failure.

Intermediate Client Statement 4

[Sad] My partner broke up with me today. I know it’s stupid that I’m so upset about this;
I just really thought we were going to get married.

Intermediate Client Statement 5

[Hopeless] To be honest, I didn’t really expect you would really understand me.
No therapist ever has.

Assess and adjust the difficulty before moving to the next difficulty level
 
(see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
106 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

ADVANCED-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 8

Advanced Client Statement 1
[Sad] This treatment is my last hope. If it doesn’t work, I’m going to kill myself.

Advanced Client Statement 2

[Angry] You don’t get it. I can’t do these things because I’m depressed. If I wasn’t
depressed, I could easily do these things and I wouldn’t need to be here in the first place.

Advanced Client Statement 3

[Angry] Yeah, I lost my temper at him, but he deserved it. It was his fault for getting me so
angry in the first place.

Advanced Client Statement 4

[Irritated] My group leader cut me off while I was trying to share my homework. I don’t
know why they asked me to share my homework if they didn’t want to hear it. I won’t
make that mistake again. Next time I’ll just keep my mouth shut.

Advanced Client Statement 5

[Angry/hurt] I don’t understand how you can go on vacation right now. If you cared about
me, you would be there for me when I needed you.

Assess and adjust the difficulty here (see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
 
If appropriate, follow the instructions to make the exercise even more
challenging (see Appendix A).
Modifying Cognitions 107

Example Therapist Responses: Modifying Cognitions

Remember: Trainees should attempt to improvise their own responses before reading
the example responses. Do not read the following responses verbatim unless you are
having trouble coming up with your own responses!

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO BEGINNER-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 8
Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 1
That’s a pretty harsh judgment of yourself. (Criterion 1) I can see how that thought might
lead you to thinking your children are better off without you and also how that would really
intensify your sadness. (Criterion 2) Do you want some help letting go of your judgments?
(Criterion 3)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 2

You’re having a lot of worry thoughts about your interview. (Criterion 1) Do you notice how
those worry thoughts are influencing your emotions? (Criterion 2) Do you want some help
interrupting those worry thoughts? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 3

It sounds like you became overwhelmed with judgmental thoughts that you couldn’t do
your homework correctly. (Criterion 1) It also sounds like those thoughts fueled anxiety and
derailed your behavior. (Criterion 2) Do you want some help challenging those thoughts?
(Criterion 3)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 4

It sounds like you have a deeply held belief that you’re powerless to get what you want in
your life. (Criterion 1) When you see yourself as powerless, do you notice how it impacts
your behavior and urge to give up? (Criterion 2) Would you like some help challenging that
thought when it arises? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 5

Do you notice how your mind suddenly turned to judgmental thoughts about therapy?
(Criterion 1) When you have the thought that therapy is stupid, do you notice how it shifts
you from what we were discussing? (Criterion 2) Do you want some help letting go of
judgments? (Criterion 3)
108 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 8
Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 1
It sounds like you have the strong belief that you’re seriously flawed. (Criterion 1) When you
tell yourself that there is something wrong with your brain, do you notice how it impacts
your engagement in therapy? (Criterion 2) Do you want some help letting go of judgments?
(Criterion 3)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 2

That’s a harsh judgment of yourself. (Criterion 1) It sounds like when you start judging
yourself, you’re a lot less inclined to practice skills. (Criterion 2) Do you want some help
interrupting those judgmental thoughts? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 3

Do you notice that when you have an alcohol slip, you become very critical of yourself?
(Criterion 1) It seems like when you started beating yourself up just now, it had a big
impact on your feelings, and your shame intensified. (Criterion 2) Do you want some help
reframing those self-critical thoughts? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 4

You’re understandably really upset, and yet there is a part of you that’s telling yourself
that it’s not OK to have these feelings. (Criterion 1) When you squash these feelings by
telling yourself they’re unacceptable, I can imagine your sadness feels even more difficult
to manage. (Criterion 2) Do you want to try letting go of judgments and accepting any
emotions that come up? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 5

It sounds like you have a strong belief that you’re different from other people and hard to
understand. (Criterion 1) Do you notice how that belief affects the way you feel around
other people? (Criterion 2) Would you like some help challenging this belief? (Criterion 3)
Modifying Cognitions 109

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO ADVANCED-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 8
Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 1
You’re thinking that if this therapy doesn’t help, this is the end of the road for you.
(Criterion 1) I can see how having that perspective would intensify your hopelessness
and make it hard to see options other than suicide. (Criterion 2) Do you want some help
thinking about this situation a little differently? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 2

If I had the thought that “I can’t do things because I’m depressed,” I would find it hard to
do anything. (Criterion 1) Do you notice how that thought affects your behavior? (Criterion
2) Would you like some help reframing this thought? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 3

Do you notice those judgments getting activated? (Criterion 1) It seems like when those
judgments start, your anger intensifies and those urges to act on the anger come up—have
you noticed that connection? (Criterion 2) Do you want some help letting go of judgments?
(Criterion 3)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 4

It sounds like in that moment you thought that your group leader wasn’t interested in
hearing from you. (Criterion 1) I can see how having that assumption might lead you to
want to disengage from the group. (Criterion 2) Do you want some help challenging that
assumption? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 5

It sounds like you’re thinking that me going on vacation means I don’t care about
you. (Criterion 1) I can imagine that having that thought brings up a lot of strong feelings.
(Criterion 2) Do you want some help thinking about this from a different perspective?
(Criterion 3)
 EXERCISE

Informal Exposure to Emotions 9

Preparations for Exercise 9

1. Read the instructions in Chapter 2.

2. Download the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form and Deliberate Practice Diary Form at
https://www.apa.org/pubs/books/deliberate-practice-dialectical-behavior-therapy
(see the “Clinician and Practitioner Resources” tab; also available in Appendixes A
and B, respectively).

Skill Description

Skill Difficulty Level: Intermediate

Many clients in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) experience fear of their emotions and
the responses that may accompany them. Clients might fear their emotions due to
messages received from the developmental environment discouraging or punishing
the experience or expression of certain emotions. Alternatively, some clients may believe
nothing good comes from letting oneself feel negative or aversive emotion. As a result,
clients may try to avoid them by blocking their experience of them, particularly nega-
tive emotions such as shame, anger, fear, guilt, and sadness. When emotional cues
are consistently avoided and the experience of emotion inhibited, this reinforces the
client’s belief that emotions are intolerable and unmanageable. When this occurs, the
client loses touch with the adaptive information associated with their primary emotional
experience. Additionally, they lose opportunities for learning adaptive coping strate-
gies for expressing and experiencing emotion.
One of the main goals of DBT is to help clients learn to experience, tolerate, and effec-
tively express their emotional needs, without interrupting or blocking the emotions
they are feeling. Broadly speaking, informal exposure to emotion helps clients learn to
tolerate aversive emotion without escaping or avoiding it. Informal exposure involves

https://doi.org/10.1037/0000322-011
Deliberate Practice in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, by T. Boritz, S. McMain, A. Vaz, and T. Rousmaniere
Copyright © 2023 by the American Psychological Association. All rights reserved.

111
112 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

helping clients understand the principles of exposure and the adaptive function of
emotions, focusing the client on their emotions in the here and now and encouraging
them to experience their emotions without escape or avoidance. Information exposure can
also include helping the client block action tendencies associated with problem emotions
(e.g., lashing out when angry, hiding when ashamed, cutting when overwhelmed).

SKILL CRITERIA FOR EXERCISE 9

1. The therapist focuses the client on their emotional experience in the here and now.
2. The therapist validates the client’s emotion.
3. The therapist invites the client to stay with and tolerate their emotions (i.e., not to
escape or avoid emotions).

Examples of Informal Emotional Exposure

Example 1

CLIENT: [Guilty] I’ve been feeling really guilty about how I’ve been treating my partner.
I don’t know if there’s anything to do about it, maybe I’m just a jerk.

THERAPIST: It sounds like you’re feeling guilty about how you’ve been treating your
partner. (Criterion 1) It makes sense that you’re feeling guilty if you think you’ve done
something that’s hurt your partner. (Criterion 2) Instead of moving into judging yourself,
I wonder if you might try staying with those feelings of guilt. (Criterion 3)

Example 2

CLIENT: [Ashamed] Sometimes I get so frustrated with myself that I hit myself to feel a bit
better. I’m feeling so embarrassed even telling you about this.

THERAPIST: It sounds like talking to me about your self-harm brings up shame. (Criterion 1)
It makes sense you’re feeling shame if you’re thinking I might judge or reject you.
(Criterion 2) Sharing your feelings of embarrassment instead of hiding from them is a
great way of decreasing its intensity in the long run. (Criterion 3)

Example 3

CLIENT: [Sad] I don’t know if I can talk about what happened. I can’t talk about it without
crying hysterically. I’d rather shut it down and avoid.

THERAPIST: I’m hearing that a lot of sadness gets activated when you talk about what
happened, and there’s an urge to just push it down and not feel it. (Criterion 1) It makes
sense you would want to push those feelings away as the pain is so hard to feel. (Criterion 2)
I’m wondering if rather than pushing away from those feelings, you can do the opposite
and focus on feeling that sadness? (Criterion 3)
Informal Exposure to Emotions 113

INSTRUCTIONS FOR EXERCISE 9

Step 1: Role-Play and Feedback
• The client says the first beginner client statement. The therapist improvises a response
based on the skill criteria.
• The trainer (or, if not available, the client) provides brief feedback based on the skill
criteria.
• The client then repeats the same statement, and the therapist again improvises
a response. The trainer (or client) again provides brief feedback.

Step 2: Repeat
• Repeat Step 1 for all the statements at the current difficulty level (beginner,
intermediate, or advanced).

Step 3: Assess and Adjust Difficulty

• The therapist completes the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form (see Appendix A)
and decides whether to make the exercise easier or harder or to repeat the same
difficulty level.

Step 4: Repeat for Approximately 15 Minutes

• Repeat Steps 1 to 3 for at least 15 minutes.
• The trainees then switch therapist and client roles and start over.
114 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

➔ Now it’s your turn! Follow Steps 1 and 2 from the instructions.
Remember: The goal of the role-play is for trainees to practice improvising responses
to the client statements in a manner that (a) uses the skill criteria and (b) feels authentic
for the trainee. Example therapist responses for each client statement are provided
at the end of this exercise. Trainees should attempt to improvise their own responses
before reading the example responses.

BEGINNER-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 9

Beginner Client Statement 1
[Sad; looking at the floor and not making eye contact] I’m feeling so depressed. I wasn’t
even planning on coming to our session.

Beginner Client Statement 2

[Ashamed] I’m feeling so embarrassed right now. I was so anxious before I came to session
that I smoked a joint. I just didn’t think I could face you sober.

Beginner Client Statement 3

[Angry] I’m so frustrated. I’m trying to tell you about my week, and all you want to hear
about it is my diary card.

Beginner Client Statement 4

[Withdrawn] I’m not sure how I’m feeling right now. I just kind of want to get out of here.

Beginner Client Statement 5

[Anxious] I’ve got a big test coming up tomorrow, and I don’t feel prepared. I’m probably
going to fail the test and get kicked out of school.

Assess and adjust the difficulty before moving to the next difficulty level
 
(see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
Informal Exposure to Emotions 115

INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 9

Intermediate Client Statement 1
[Ashamed] I didn’t complete my diary card. You’re probably pissed I forgot again.

Intermediate Client Statement 2

[Frustrated] It feels like you have your agenda and it doesn’t matter what I want to talk
about.

Intermediate Client Statement 3

[Sad] I’m so lonely. This feeling is unbearable. I have no one in my life I can count on.

Intermediate Client Statement 4

[Anxious] I got a second job interview and I really, really want it. But then I start thinking
that nothing I want works out and I shouldn’t get my hopes up.

Intermediate Client Statement 5

[Angry] I went to the hospital because I was feeling suicidal and wanted help. They talked
to me for, like, 5 minutes then sent me home. What kind of help is that?

Assess and adjust the difficulty before moving to the next difficulty level
 
(see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
116 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

ADVANCED-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 9

Advanced Client Statement 1
[Angry] I just don’t understand why we need to keep going over this. I thought this
treatment was all about people not killing themselves. I drank, I didn’t kill myself, can we
move on?

Advanced Client Statement 2

[Crying] No one understands what it was like for me last night when I cut myself.
Everyone’s acting like I didn’t even try to use skills.

Advanced Client Statement 3

[Confused] I don’t know what I’m feeling. I never really know what I’m feeling. I just know
my mind is racing and I feel like I’m going to explode.

Advanced Client Statement 4

[Scared] I can’t talk about what happened. I don’t even want to think about it. It’s too hard.
I’m too scared.

Advanced Client Statement 5

[Ashamed] I’m such a piece of shit. If anyone really knew me, they would hate me.

Assess and adjust the difficulty here (see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
 
If appropriate, follow the instructions to make the exercise even more
challenging (see Appendix A).
Informal Exposure to Emotions 117

Example Therapist Responses: Informal Emotional Exposure

Remember: Trainees should attempt to improvise their own responses before reading
the example responses. Do not read the following responses verbatim unless you are
having trouble coming up with your own responses!

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO BEGINNER-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 9
Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 1
I can see you’re feeling really sad. (Criterion 1) Sadness can make it hard to feel energy or
motivation to do anything. (Criterion 2) Can you stay with your sadness for a moment?
There is something important about those feelings that’s worth exploring. (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 2

It looks uncomfortable to be feeling so full of shame. (Criterion 1) Shame makes you want to
pull away and hide. (Criterion 2) Can you stay with your embarrassment right now and just
observe what triggered that emotion? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 3

You’re feeling so frustrated right now. (Criterion 1) If I’m coming across to you like I’m not
interested, it’s understandable you’d be feeling angry with me. (Criterion 2) If you can shift
your mind from the thought “she doesn’t care,” what other emotions are you aware of
feeling right now? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 4

It sounds like you’ve got this unclear felt sense of something. (Criterion 1) If that feeling
is making you feel upset or uncomfortable, it would make sense you might have the urge
to leave the situation that’s setting it off. (Criterion 2) Can you try to stay with the feeling
instead and see if you can notice any physical sensations in your body? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 5

It sounds like you’re feeling really anxious. (Criterion 1) It would be hard not to feel anxious
if you’re thinking you’re going to fail and get kicked out of school. (Criterion 2) Can you try
shifting your attention from your worry thoughts to the emotions underneath them? What
emotions get activated when you start thinking about your test? (Criterion 3)
118 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 9
Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 1
You sound really worried. (Criterion 1) It makes sense you would feel scared if you thought I
was going to be angry at you or criticize you for not completing your diary card. (Criterion 2)
Can you tell me more about the feelings that are coming up when we start talking about
your diary card? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 2

I imagine that you may be feeling hurt? (Criterion 1) I’d feel hurt if I thought what I wanted
didn’t matter to my therapist. (Criterion 2) Can you try to put words to the feelings that are
coming up for you? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 3

You’re feeling so alone. (Criterion 1) This is such a painful feeling, and those ruminative
thoughts about having no one in your life only intensify that feeling. (Criterion 2) Can you
try to interrupt those thoughts and instead stay with your sadness? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 4

It sounds like anxiety is coming up when you start thinking about this job. (Criterion 1) It
also sounds like those thoughts about it not working out are a way of getting ahead of
potentially feeling disappointed if you don’t get the job. (Criterion 2) Can you let go of the
thought “nothing will work out” and just notice where in your body you feel any emotional
sensations? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 5

It sounds like you’re feeling really frustrated. (Criterion 1) It’s difficult to want more support
and not get it. (Criterion 2) Are there any other feelings you’re experiencing right now,
beneath the anger and frustration? (Criterion 3)
Informal Exposure to Emotions 119

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO ADVANCED-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 9
Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 1
Talking about your drinking brings up a lot of frustration. (Criterion 1) I can imagine feeling
frustrated if I felt like my behavior was being put under the microscope. (Criterion 2)
What other emotions come up when we start talking about your drinking? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 2

It sounds like you’re feeling hurt. (Criterion 1) It’s painful to feel misunderstood. (Criterion 2)
Can you try to stay with that hurt and sadness and put words to those feelings? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 3

It sounds like everything’s feeling mixed up and intense inside right now. (Criterion 1) It’s no
wonder you’re feeling confused if your mind is racing. (Criterion 2) As we help you figure
out what you’re feeling, can you try to notice any thoughts or sensations in your body right
now? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 4

It sounds like you’re feeling terrified. (Criterion 1) It makes sense you would want to turn
away from talking about what happened, if you’re thinking it’s going to make you feel
worse. (Criterion 2) Can you pay attention to that scared feeling and try to notice urges
that are accompanying it? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 5

It sounds like shame and disgust are coming up right now. (Criterion 1) If I was having
thoughts like “I’m a piece of shit,” I might feel shame too and worry about being accepted
by others. (Criterion 2) Can you try to let go of your judgments and just pay attention to
that feeling of shame and disgust coming up? (Criterion 3)
 EXERCISE

Coaching Clients in Distress 10

Preparations for Exercise 10

1. Read the instructions in Chapter 2.

2. Download the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form and Deliberate Practice Diary Form at
https://www.apa.org/pubs/books/deliberate-practice-dialectical-behavior-therapy
(see the “Clinician and Practitioner Resources” tab; also available in Appendixes A
and B, respectively).

Skill Description

Skill Difficulty Level: Advanced

We have previously discussed the importance of skills training for helping clients acquire
new and more adaptive coping skills for addressing emotion dysregulation and prob-
lematic behaviors (see Exercise 7). One context in which skills training can be partic-
ularly helpful is in assisting clients in crisis or moments of extreme emotional distress.
In these moments, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) clinicians can coach clients to
effectively use distress tolerance skills to down-regulate emotion such that the person
is able to refocus their attention and engage in problem solving. When coaching clients
in distress, it is important to pay attention to the client’s affect rather than the content
of the crisis. Validation strategies (Exercise 2) can then be used to reflect the client’s
emotional responses and their validity. Next, the therapist can encourage the client to
use a skill in that moment to tolerate their negative affect without escaping it via prob-
lematic behaviors or secondary emotions. While validation on its own can contribute
to a decrease in the intensity of painful emotions, coaching clients to use skills provides
additional instruction on strategies that can be used in future crisis situations.
Although there is a range of DBT skills that can be used when coaching clients in
distress, for the purposes of this exercise, we focus on distress-tolerance TIPP skills:
temperature, intense exercise, paced breathing, and paired muscle relaxation. TIPP skills

https://doi.org/10.1037/0000322-012
Deliberate Practice in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, by T. Boritz, S. McMain, A. Vaz, and T. Rousmaniere
Copyright © 2023 by the American Psychological Association. All rights reserved.

121
122 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

are used when a person is in crisis or in a moment of high distress. These skills are intended
to bring down the intensity of an emotion to a level where the client is able to cope with
difficult situations and feelings more effectively. The TIPP skills have the effect of rapidly
changing biological response patterns, leading to a reduction in emotional arousal.
Temperature involves changing the temperature of your face using cold water or ice while
holding your breath (e.g., dunking your head in a bowl of ice-cold water, putting an ice pack
or cold compress on your face, splashing cold water on your face). This induces the human
dive reflex, which slows down your heart rate and reduces physiological and emotional
arousal very quickly. Intense exercise involves engaging in a high-intensity workout to
help your body get rid of the negative energy that can sometimes be stored from strong
emotions. Intense exercise also leads to the natural release of endorphins, which can help
combat any negative emotions such as anger, anxiety, or sadness. Intense exercise can
include running, walking at a fast pace, or doing jumping jacks. Paced breathing helps the
body relax by slowing down inhalations and exhalations. Our bodies naturally relax when
we breathe out, so if we can slow our breathing down and breathe out for longer than we
breathe in then we will start to relax. Paired muscle relaxation involves deep breathing
while slowly tensing each body muscle group then relaxing.

SKILL CRITERIA FOR EXERCISE 10

1. The therapist validates the client’s affect and/or the difficulty of tolerating affect.
2. The therapist invites or instructs the client to use a distress tolerance TIPP skill
(i.e., temperature, intensive exercise, paced breathing, or paired muscle relaxation)
to reduce the intensity of emotional distress.

Examples of Coaching Clients in Distress

Example 1

CLIENT: [Intense anger] I’m so angry at my boss. I just want to quit my job.

THERAPIST: Your anger is really intense, and your impulse is to do something abrupt like
quit work. (Criterion 1) I’m wondering if we can do some paced breathing together right
now to bring your anger down, so we can then think together about whether quitting
work is the most effective decision. (Criterion 2)

Example 2

CLIENT: [Distressed] I don’t know what I’m going to do. I’m in so much debt, my parents
are going to kill me when they find out.

THERAPIST: You sound really worried. (Criterion 1) I’m wondering if you want to grab an
ice pack right now and put it on your face? It might help you bring your anxiety down so
we can figure out how to help you address this problem. (Criterion 2)

Example 3

CLIENT: [Suddenly appears tuned out] It’s hard for me to think clearly right now. I think
I’m beginning to dissociate.

THERAPIST: You look like you’re getting emotionally overwhelmed right now and I can see
it’s hard to focus. (Criterion 1) Can we help you be more present? I’m wondering if doing
some jumping jacks may help reduce your intense emotions? (Criterion 2)
Coaching Clients in Distress 123

INSTRUCTIONS FOR EXERCISE 10

Step 1: Role-Play and Feedback
• The client says the first beginner client statement. The therapist improvises a response
based on the skill criteria.
• The trainer (or, if not available, the client) provides brief feedback based on the skill
criteria.
• The client then repeats the same statement, and the therapist again improvises
a response. The trainer (or client) again provides brief feedback.

Step 2: Repeat
• Repeat Step 1 for all the statements at the current difficulty level (beginner,
intermediate, or advanced).

Step 3: Assess and Adjust Difficulty

• The therapist completes the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form (see Appendix A)
and decides whether to make the exercise easier or harder or to repeat the same
difficulty level.

Step 4: Repeat for Approximately 15 Minutes

• Repeat Steps 1 to 3 for at least 15 minutes.
• The trainees then switch therapist and client roles and start over.
124 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

➔ Now it’s your turn! Follow Steps 1 and 2 from the instructions.
Remember: The goal of the role-play is for trainees to practice improvising responses
to the client statements in a manner that (a) uses the skill criteria and (b) feels authentic
for the trainee. Example therapist responses for each client statement are provided
at the end of this exercise. Trainees should attempt to improvise their own responses
before reading the example responses.

BEGINNER-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 10

Beginner Client Statement 1
[Crying] I’m such a loser. I screw up everything. I don’t know why I’m even trying anymore.

Beginner Client Statement 2

[Withdrawn] I don’t really know what to say right now. I can’t even really remember what
you just asked me. I think I’m beginning to dissociate.

Beginner Client Statement 3

[Depressed] I just can’t cope with my life right now. Everything is getting worse, and
I don’t think this therapy is helping. Maybe I need to go back to the inpatient unit.

Beginner Client Statement 4

[Anxious] My landlord just called and told me if I don’t pay my rent today, he’s going to
evict me. I don’t know what to do. What should I do? I’m in so much trouble.

Beginner Client Statement 5

[Ashamed] I tried using skills, but this week was just too hard. It’s just too much. I can’t live
like this. I don’t want to be here anymore.

Assess and adjust the difficulty before moving to the next difficulty level
 
(see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
Coaching Clients in Distress 125

INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 10

Intermediate Client Statement 1
[Distressed] I’m just so overwhelmed right now. I can’t even think clearly.

Intermediate Client Statement 2

[Angry] One of my group members was just sitting in the corner on her phone. It was so
disrespectful. Why would you even come to group if you’re not going to participate? It’s so
rude. I’m so pissed I can’t even think about our session.

Intermediate Client Statement 3

[Sad, crying] I feel like no one in my life is here for me. I’m so alone. No one would miss me
if I was gone.

Intermediate Client Statement 4

[Ashamed] I’m so humiliated. I can’t even look at you right now. I’m a horrible person.

Intermediate Client Statement 5

[Anxious] I feel like I’m having a panic attack. I can’t breathe.

Assess and adjust the difficulty before moving to the next difficulty level
 
(see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
126 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

ADVANCED-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 10

Advanced Client Statement 1
[Angry] My psychiatrist is such a jerk. She won’t give me more pain meds even though
I can barely function right now. I’m so close to going back to her office and telling her
exactly what I think of her.

Advanced Client Statement 2

[Crying and hyperventilating] I can’t deal with this anymore. I’m done trying. I’ve got to
get out of this office.

Advanced Client Statement 3

[Crying] I’m such a burden, everyone would be better off without me. You would probably
be so relieved if I killed myself and you didn’t have to deal with me anymore.

Advanced Client Statement 4

[Withdrawn] I’m having really strong urges to self-harm. I’ve been fighting them all week,
but they’re just getting stronger. Nothing else is helping and I need some relief.

Advanced Client Statement 5

[Yelling] You’re just like the rest of them. No therapist has ever helped me. Everyone just
wants to change me. No one actually wants to help me.

Assess and adjust the difficulty here (see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
 
If appropriate, follow the instructions to make the exercise even more
challenging (see Appendix A).
Coaching Clients in Distress 127

Example Therapist Responses: Coaching Clients in Distress

Remember: Trainees should attempt to improvise their own responses before reading
the example responses. Do not read the following responses verbatim unless you are
having trouble coming up with your own responses!

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO BEGINNER-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 10
Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 1
It sounds like you’re judging yourself pretty harshly and feeling hopeless right now.
(Criterion 1) Would you be willing to do some paced breathing to see if we can get those
emotions down to a more manageable level? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 2

It looks like you’re having some difficulty concentrating right now. (Criterion 1) Now might
be a perfect time to get an ice pack and put it on your face to see if that helps refocus.
(Criterion 2)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 3

You’re feeling overwhelmed, and it’s understandable that you want to feel better. (Criterion 1)
Would you like my help bringing down that feeling of overwhelm right now? Doing some
paced breathing right now might help take the edge off of your distress. (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 4

I think that getting news like that would make anyone feel anxious! (Criterion 1) Why don’t
we do some paced breathing together right now to help bring down your distress so we
can do some problem solving together? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 5

It sounds like you’re feeling overwhelmed and hopeless right now and looking for a way to
escape that feeling. (Criterion 1) Why don’t we try doing some paired muscle relaxation?
It’s possible that will help bring a bit of relief to those feelings right now. (Criterion 2)
128 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 10
Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 1
It can be really hard to think clearly when emotions are high. (Criterion 1) Why don’t we do
10 jumping jacks together and see if that helps get your distress down? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 2

I imagine getting really distracted by this person and feeling frustrated by that. (Criterion 1)
I’m wondering if it may help to do some paired muscle relaxation right now to bring your
tension down? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 3

It sounds like you’re feeling really sad and alone right now, and these feelings are painful
and hard to bear. (Criterion 1) I want to hear more about what set off those feelings, but
I think it might be helpful to first do some paced breathing together to help decrease the
intensity of those emotions. Are you willing to do some breathing with me? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 4

When shame is really high, it often comes with the urge to hide or turn away from others or
do anything to escape the discomfort of feeling judged or rejected. (Criterion 1) I wonder
if instead of avoiding these feelings, you might grab an ice pack and practice some deep
breathing to try to take the edge off of your intense feelings? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 5

Your anxiety is getting really high right now, and it looks difficult to breathe. (Criterion 1)
Let’s do some paced breathing together to see if we can bring your anxiety down a bit.
(Criterion 2)
Coaching Clients in Distress 129

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO ADVANCED-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 10
Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 1
It sounds like you’re feeling angry and frustrated right now and you want to lash out at
your psychiatrist. While that might help bring some relief in the moment, it might also
have some negative consequences. (Criterion 1) Do you want to try instead to get your
anger down so you can make a mindful decision about how to communicate with your
psychiatrist? Would you be willing to use an ice pack to try to decrease your anger?
(Criterion 2)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 2

I can see how distressed you’re feeling right now, and it makes total sense to me you
would want to try to get rid of that feeling. (Criterion 1) Would you be willing to engage in
some intense exercise? We could run up and down the stairs a couple of times to see if that
helps bring down the intensity of that feeling of overwhelm? (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 3

You’re in a lot of pain right now and thinking you’re a burden to others. (Criterion 1) When
pain is really high, like it is for you now, it can be helpful to shift the intensity of those
emotions. Would you be willing to fill the sink with really cold water and dunk your face in
it a few times? It might help reduce the intensity to a more manageable level so we can
talk more about how you’re feeling. (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 4

It makes perfect sense to me that you would want some relief at this moment, and self-harm
works in the short term to bring down intense emotions. (Criterion 1) One thought I’m
having is we might try to do some paired muscle relaxation together to see if that brings
some of the relief you’re seeking. (Criterion 2)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 5

I’d feel angry too if I felt like I wasn’t being helped. (Criterion 1) I’d like to try to understand
better what help you’re wanting right now, but it’s going to be hard to do that if you’re
feeling really dysregulated. Would you be willing to do some paced breathing with me for
a few minutes to see if that brings down the intensity of your anger so we can try to figure
this out together? (Criterion 2)
 EXERCISE

Promoting Dialectical Thinking

Through Both–And Statements 11
Preparations for Exercise 11

1. Read the instructions in Chapter 2.

2. Download the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form and Deliberate Practice Diary Form at
https://www.apa.org/pubs/books/deliberate-practice-dialectical-behavior-therapy
(see the “Clinician and Practitioner Resources” tab; also available in Appendixes A
and B, respectively).

Skill Description

Skill Difficulty Level: Advanced

One of the primary goals of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is to increase dialectical
thinking and to help clients shift typically extreme emotions and behaviors to more
balanced, effective responses. In DBT, the therapist pushes for change in the client
while helping the client accept their emotional experience and those aspects of their
reality that cannot be changed. One way that DBT therapists support their clients in
this endeavor is by using dialectical strategies to balance problem-solving solutions
that are oriented toward change with acceptance-focused solutions that are oriented
toward helping clients tolerate reality as it is (Sayrs & Linehan, 2019). These two seem-
ingly opposing positions are balanced through the adoption of a dialectical stance (i.e.,
embraces the view that therapists can simultaneously hold the positions of accepting
the client as they are and moving them toward change) as well as through a set of
dialectical communication strategies. When taking a dialectical approach, validation
and change strategies are woven together so that both are conveyed in communica-
tion with the client.
When the therapist identifies rigid or extreme thinking (i.e., nondialectical thinking),
they highlight how both sides of an issue can be true. For example, a client may use

https://doi.org/10.1037/0000322-013
Deliberate Practice in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, by T. Boritz, S. McMain, A. Vaz, and T. Rousmaniere
Copyright © 2023 by the American Psychological Association. All rights reserved.

131
132 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

substances to help escape distressing flashbacks of past traumatic events. The validity
of this behavior is that it solves the problem of ending or numbing aversive experiences.
On the other hand, substance use creates other problems for the client that further
exacerbate their pain and suffering. In this scenario, the therapist may use dialectical
communication to highlight to the client that it makes sense they want to escape painful
emotions in the moment and that they need to develop skills for effectively managing
flashbacks to decrease pain over the long run. For this exercise, we focus on using
“both–and” language to reframe polarizing or extreme statements or to highlight
seemingly opposed parts of a client statement that are equally true and valid.

SKILL CRITERION FOR EXERCISE 11

1. The therapist balances use of acceptance-oriented strategies with change-
oriented strategies through both–and statements.

Examples of Promoting Dialectical Thinking Through

Both–And Statements

Example 1

CLIENT: [Sad] Things are just so hard right now. I’m coming to therapy, trying to make
these big changes, but I’m struggling day to day.

THERAPIST: You are working really hard to get better, and it’s really difficult.

Example 2

CLIENT: [Frustrated] I can’t believe you’re going on vacation next week. You won’t be
there for me if I need you.

THERAPIST: Yes, it would be better for you if I were not going away next week and it’s OK
that I’m going away next week.

Example 3

CLIENT: [Ashamed] If you understood how much pain I’m in, you wouldn’t ask me to stop
cutting. Cutting is the only relief I can get right now.

THERAPIST: Cutting brings you relief and it maintains your pain in the long run.
Promoting Dialectical Thinking Through Both–And Statements 133

INSTRUCTIONS FOR EXERCISE 11

Step 1: Role-Play and Feedback
• The client says the first beginner client statement. The therapist improvises a response
based on the skill criteria.
• The trainer (or, if not available, the client) provides brief feedback based on the skill
criteria.
• The client then repeats the same statement, and the therapist again improvises a
response. The trainer (or client) again provides brief feedback.

Step 2: Repeat
• Repeat Step 1 for all the statements at the current difficulty level (beginner,
intermediate, or advanced).

Step 3: Assess and Adjust Difficulty

• The therapist completes the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form (see Appendix A) and
decides whether to make the exercise easier or harder or to repeat the same difficulty
level.

Step 4: Repeat for Approximately 15 Minutes

• Repeat Steps 1 to 3 for at least 15 minutes.
• The trainees then switch therapist and client roles and start over.
134 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

➔ Now it’s your turn! Follow Steps 1 and 2 from the instructions.
Remember: The goal of the role-play is for trainees to practice improvising responses
to the client statements in a manner that (a) uses the skill criteria and (b) feels authentic
for the trainee. Example therapist responses for each client statement are provided
at the end of this exercise. Trainees should attempt to improvise their own responses
before reading the example responses.

BEGINNER-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 11

Beginner Client Statement 1
[Sad] I’m so confused. I want this relationship to work so badly, but things between me and
my partner are so difficult right now. Every time we’re around each other, we get into these
huge fights. I love them so much but being together right now isn’t working.

Beginner Client Statement 2

[Anxious] I feel so nervous all the time. Things are going well for the first time in my life.
I’ve made so many changes and I can see all the positive effects, but I keep waiting for the
other shoe to drop.

Beginner Client Statement 3

[Irritated] I’m trying so hard. I don’t think you understand how hard it is. Some days I just
don’t feel like working so hard.

Beginner Client Statement 4

[Ashamed] I did what we talked about. I texted my friend when I was feeling down last
night, but she didn’t respond. I felt really upset at the time but was able to validate my
emotions.

Beginner Client Statement 5

[Ashamed] I’m sorry for leaving the session so abruptly last week. I felt like you were
judging me, and I just needed to take some space to calm down. I didn’t mean it when I
told you I thought you were a bad therapist.

Assess and adjust the difficulty before moving to the next difficulty level
 
(see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
Promoting Dialectical Thinking Through Both–And Statements 135

INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 11

Intermediate Client Statement 1
[Frustrated] You don’t get it—I’d use skills if I could, but when I get anxious, I go from zero
to 100. There’s no time to use skills!

Intermediate Client Statement 2

[Sad] I want to leave my job, but I don’t want to disappoint my boss. He’s been really
supportive. I feel like if I leave, I’m going to let him down.

Intermediate Client Statement 3

[Confused] My friend keeps asking for my help. She’s suicidal and in constant crisis and
needs so much support. I guess because we’re both in DBT I can kind of help her figure
out which skills to use. I want to be there for her, but it can get pretty overwhelming
sometimes and trigger my own suicide urges.

Intermediate Client Statement 4

[Withdrawn] This is too hard. Talking about this stuff brings up too many bad memories.

Intermediate Client Statement 5

[Frustrated] I had a tough week. My parents were driving me crazy and then I got into a
fight with my sister because she took their side. I tried to use the skills we were learning in
group but couldn’t figure out which ones to use. I thought about calling you but thought I
should be able to figure it out by myself and didn’t want to bother you.

Assess and adjust the difficulty before moving to the next difficulty level
 
(see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
136 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

ADVANCED-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 11

Advanced Client Statement 1
[Angry] My mom just wouldn’t stop nagging me. I asked her to leave me alone, but she
just kept going. So I got really in her face and screamed at her. I think I scared her. She
backed off.

Advanced Client Statement 2

[Anxious] I don’t really know where to start. I feel like I can’t do anything right. I missed
group this week because I was too anxious to face everyone. And I’m still feeling anxious
right now. Maybe I should cancel group again today.

Advanced Client Statement 3

[Angry] You make me feel like I’m the problem. We always focus on what I did wrong or
what I could do differently, but what about everyone else and their shitty behavior?

Advanced Client Statement 4

[Guilty] I feel like I should spend the holidays with my family. I know they want to see
me, and they’re so great in so many ways. But when I go home, my family constantly
misgenders me, and I leave feeling depressed and even more disconnected.

Advanced Client Statement 5

[Angry] This is bullshit! I told you what the problem is and you just don’t want to help me.
You don’t give a shit about me.

Assess and adjust the difficulty here (see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
 
If appropriate, follow the instructions to make the exercise even more
challenging (see Appendix A).
Promoting Dialectical Thinking Through Both–And Statements 137

Example Therapist Responses: Promoting Dialectical Thinking

Through Both–And Statements

Remember: Trainees should attempt to improvise their own responses before reading
the example responses. Do not read the following responses verbatim unless you are
having trouble coming up with your own responses!

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO BEGINNER-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 11
Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 1
You love him, and you need to take a break from him right now.

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 2

You’re proud of the changes you’ve made, and you’re feeling scared about what
comes next.

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 3

You are doing your best, and you need to try harder.

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 4

You were disappointed by the situation, and you accepted it for what it was.

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 5

You really hurt my feelings, and we will work it out.
138 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 11
Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 1
It’s hard to use skills when emotions are so high, and it’s the perfect time to use them.

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 2

You care about your boss, and you don’t want to continue in the job.

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 3

Someone may have good reasons for wanting something from you, and you may have
good reasons for saying “no” or observing your limits.

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 4

It’s incredibly painful and not to avoid these feelings when they come up is necessary to
reduce them in the long run.

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 5

You can try to figure out a solution on your own, and sometimes you need help and
support from others.
Promoting Dialectical Thinking Through Both–And Statements 139

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO ADVANCED-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 11
Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 1
Screaming at your mom helped get her to back off, and there are probably more effective
strategies for achieving that goal.

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 2

Avoiding group relieves your anxiety in the short term, and learning how to feel anxious
without needing to escape it is the very thing that’s going to help you decrease your
anxiety in the long term.

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 3

You want to get a handle on your behavior, and you want to acknowledge the impact
other people’s behaviors has had on you.

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 4

You appreciate their good qualities, and you want to limit how much time you spend with
them because it’s hurtful when they misgender you.

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 5

I can care about you and refuse to do something you ask.
 EXERCISE

Responding to Suicidal Ideation 12

Preparations for Exercise 12

1. Read the instructions in Chapter 2.

2. Download the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form and Deliberate Practice Diary Form at
https://www.apa.org/pubs/books/deliberate-practice-dialectical-behavior-therapy
(see the “Clinician and Practitioner Resources” tab; also available in Appendixes A
and B, respectively).

Skill Description

Skill Difficulty Level: Advanced

Many people who are struggling with severe emotion dysregulation may engage in self-
harm and suicidal behavior. The treatment of individuals with suicidal behaviors requires
a structured protocol to guide response. For the purposes of this exercise, we will be
focusing on how to respond specifically to suicidal ideation (i.e., thoughts of death, urges
to die).
For many clients, suicidal ideation often occurs in contexts where psychological pain
feels unbearable or never ending. In such circumstances, suicide can be understood as
a desire to avoid or end “intolerable, unendurable, unacceptable anguish” (Shneidman,
1992, p. 54). Therefore, one essential therapeutic task is to assess and highlight the
emotion pain or problem that is driving a client’s suicidal thoughts. Once the therapist
has identified the emotional problem that is driving the client’s suicidal thoughts, they
should next discuss alternative solutions to the problematic situation. This may include
tolerating the painful emotion they are experiencing (e.g., using distress tolerance
skills) or using problem-solving skills to address the situation (e.g., via solution analysis).

https://doi.org/10.1037/0000322-014
Deliberate Practice in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, by T. Boritz, S. McMain, A. Vaz, and T. Rousmaniere
Copyright © 2023 by the American Psychological Association. All rights reserved.

141
142 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

It is essential to note here that how a therapist responds to any single instance of
a suicidal behavior should always be informed by information about the client’s risk
history, the client’s case formulation, their specific context and situation, and the thera-
peutic relationship. At all stages of training, supervision and consultation should be sought
when determining how best to respond and intervene if your client expresses suicidal
ideation or discloses suicidal behavior.

SKILL CRITERIA FOR EXERCISE 12

1. The therapist highlights the client’s distressing emotion.
2. The therapist links the client’s emotion with urges to escape, avoid, or find relief
from their distress through suicidal thoughts.
3. The therapist helps the client consider more effective ways to solve the emotional
problem driving their suicidal thoughts.

Examples of Responding to Suicidal Ideation

Example 1

CLIENT: [Ashamed] I tried using skills, but this week it was just too hard. It’s just too
much. I can’t live like this.

THERAPIST: It sounds like you’re feeling overwhelmed. (Criterion 1) Suicide seems like
the only way to manage these feelings. (Criterion 2) Although suicide may seem like the
only solution, I’m thinking we can find a more effective way of helping you manage your
distressing feelings right now. (Criterion 3)

Example 2

CLIENT: [Sad] I don’t have any friends. I have nobody. I really want to just kill myself.

THERAPIST: It sounds like you’re really struggling with some overwhelming feelings of
aloneness (Criterion 1) and that your brain is going toward thoughts of suicide to cope
with these feelings. (Criterion 2) I’m wondering if you want my help figuring out other
ways to help you feel less alone? (Criterion 3)

Example 3

CLIENT: [Withdrawn] I’m just feeling done with everything. Everything’s a battle, and I’m
exhausted. I want to give up and end it—I need a break.

THERAPIST: You sound emotionally exhausted. (Criterion 1) It sounds like the real issue
underlying your thoughts of suicide is a desire to find relief from these feelings. (Criterion 2)
I know that this is hard, and I want to help you find some alternative ways of finding some
relief right now. (Criterion 3)
Responding to Suicidal Ideation 143

INSTRUCTIONS FOR EXERCISE 12

Step 1: Role-Play and Feedback
• The client says the first beginner client statement. The therapist improvises a response
based on the skill criteria.
• The trainer (or, if not available, the client) provides brief feedback based on the skill
criteria.
• The client then repeats the same statement, and the therapist again improvises
a response. The trainer (or client) again provides brief feedback.

Step 2: Repeat
• Repeat Step 1 for all the statements at the current difficulty level (beginner,
intermediate, or advanced).

Step 3: Assess and Adjust Difficulty

• The therapist completes the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form (see Appendix A)
and decides whether to make the exercise easier or harder or to repeat the same
difficulty level.

Step 4: Repeat for Approximately 15 Minutes

• Repeat Steps 1 to 3 for at least 15 minutes.
• The trainees then switch therapist and client roles and start over.
144 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

➔ Now it’s your turn! Follow Steps 1 and 2 from the instructions.
Remember: The goal of the role-play is for trainees to practice improvising responses
to the client statements in a manner that (a) uses the skill criteria and (b) feels authentic
for the trainee. Example therapist responses for each client statement are provided
at the end of this exercise. Trainees should attempt to improvise their own responses
before reading the example responses.

BEGINNER-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 12

Beginner Client Statement 1
[Ashamed] I think about dying all the time. I feel relief when I think about ending this
painful existence.

Beginner Client Statement 2

[Depressed] I’m feeling so depressed today and wasn’t even planning on coming to our
session. I just want to die.

Beginner Client Statement 3

[Agitated] I feel like such a failure . . . I can’t get a job, I can’t find a partner. Everything
is terrible and I’m such a loser. I try to not let it get to me, but I’m beginning to feel like I
can’t handle anything in this life.

Beginner Client Statement 4

[Anxious] I keep having panic attacks. I feel like I’m going crazy. I can’t live like this.
Sometimes I think it might be easier to kill myself than to feel like this all the time.

Beginner Client Statement 5

[Crying] My boyfriend dumped me last night. It was so humiliating. I really thought we
were going to spend our lives together. I don’t know what there is to live for anymore.

Assess and adjust the difficulty before moving to the next difficulty level
 
(see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
Responding to Suicidal Ideation 145

INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 12

Intermediate Client Statement 1
[Crying] I’m such a burden; everyone would be better off without me.

Intermediate Client Statement 2

[Ashamed] I tried using skills, but I felt suicidal all week. I tried to distract myself, but the
thoughts kept coming. It’s just too much. I can’t live like this.

Intermediate Client Statement 3

[Crying and hyperventilating] I can’t deal with this anymore. I’m done trying.

Intermediate Client Statement 4

[Sad] I’m a terrible mother. My children would be better off without me.

Intermediate Client Statement 5

[Hopeless] I just can’t imagine anything changing in my life. It all feels so impossible. Most
of the time, I just think I’d rather be dead than keep trying to no effect.

Assess and adjust the difficulty before moving to the next difficulty level
 
(see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
146 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

ADVANCED-LEVEL CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 12

Advanced Client Statement 1
[Angry] I’m telling you I’m suicidal and you’re telling me to grab an ice pack. I’m telling you
I have no reasons left to live. How is an ice pack going to help me with that?

Advanced Client Statement 2

[Sad] I keep relapsing. Every time I get sober, I think this time it’s going to stick. And then
it doesn’t. I’m just letting everyone down. I can’t handle their disappointment. The world
would be a better place if I took myself out of it.

Advanced Client Statement 3

[Ashamed] If people knew who I really was inside. If they knew the things I did . . . It’s just a
matter of time until they realize. I can’t bear it. I think sometimes I should kill myself before
they find out I’m a monster.

Advanced Client Statement 4

[Sad] Once this session ends, I don’t know what I’ll do. I don’t think I can cope.

Advanced Client Statement 5

[Anxious] Nighttime is the worst. I feel so alone and there’s no one to call. The suicidal
thoughts start and there’s nothing I can do to stop them.

Assess and adjust the difficulty here (see Step 3 in the exercise instructions).
 
If appropriate, follow the instructions to make the exercise even more
challenging (see Appendix A).
Responding to Suicidal Ideation 147

Example Therapist Responses: Responding to Suicidal Ideation

Remember: Trainees should attempt to improvise their own responses before reading
the example responses. Do not read the following responses verbatim unless you are
having trouble coming up with your own responses!

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO BEGINNER-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 12
Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 1
You’re in a lot of pain right now. (Criterion 1) When you think about suicide, it brings some
relief because you are imagining an end to that pain. (Criterion 2) Can we work together on
finding more helpful ways to find relief from your pain? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 2

You’re struggling right now and feeling really down and depressed. (Criterion 1) Your brain
is going to thoughts of suicide as a solution to your current state. (Criterion 2) Can we help
you get your brain away from these thoughts and understand how you’re feeling and how
to solve what’s really bothering you? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 3

You’re upset with yourself and feeling a lot of shame. (Criterion 1) When you’re feeling
this way, it’s hard not to have thoughts that you can’t cope with your life. (Criterion 2) I’m
wondering if we can help you shift your attention away from thoughts that you can’t cope
and focus instead on how to help you feel more capable? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 4

As I’m listening to you, I can feel your terror and your sense of being out of control.
(Criterion 1) The thoughts of suicide seem like a way to escape these feelings. (Criterion 2)
Can we look at other ways of helping you feel more comfortable and address what you
really need right now to feel more in control? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Beginner Client Statement 5

You’re feeling rejected and alone. (Criterion 1) When you feel this way, your mind starts
telling you there’s no point in living. (Criterion 2) I’m wondering if we can help you figure
out how to manage that feeling of loneliness and cope with the breakup? (Criterion 3)
148 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO INTERMEDIATE-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 12
Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 1
You’re feeling a lot of sadness and guilt. (Criterion 1) Right now, all you can think is that
you’re such a burden and the solution is to die. (Criterion 2) I’m wondering if we can
help you find some more effective ways to address how you’re feeling? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 2

It sounds like you’re feeling overwhelmed. (Criterion 1) When you’re in this overwhelmed
state, it’s hard to get your mind off thoughts of suicide as a way of bringing relief to this
feeling. (Criterion 2) Can we help you shift your attention away from thoughts of suicide
and try to understand how to address what’s really bothering you? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 3

You sound exhausted and hopeless. (Criterion 1) You’ve been trying so hard, and suicide
seems like the only way out. (Criterion 2) There is never just one solution; even though it’s
so hard, if you keep trying and don’t give up, we can work together to find some more
helpful ways to cope with your emotions. (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 4

You sound overwhelmed with feelings of disappointment and guilt. (Criterion 1) When
you’re in such pain, it’s hard not to tell yourself that killing yourself is the best solution to
the problem. (Criterion 2) I’m wondering if we can find other ways to help you manage
those feelings? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Intermediate Client Statement 5

You’re feeling overwhelmed and hopeless. (Criterion 1) When you’re got this hopeless
feeling, the thought of death feels like a relief. (Criterion 2) I’m wondering if we can help
you find some other ways to find comfort right now? (Criterion 3)
Responding to Suicidal Ideation 149

EXAMPLE RESPONSES TO ADVANCED-LEVEL

CLIENT STATEMENTS FOR EXERCISE 12
Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 1
Underneath your frustration it sounds like you’re feeling alone and afraid you’re not getting
the support you need. (Criterion 1) When you’re feeling alone and afraid, your brain goes to
thoughts of suicide. (Criterion 2) I’m wondering if we can help you find some other ways of
coping with your distress? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 2

Relapsing brings up such intense feelings of disappointment. (Criterion 1) Those feelings
are so overwhelming that your brain escapes to thoughts of suicide. (Criterion 2) We’ve
got to help you find a way to get your mind out of those unhelpful thoughts and manage
those feelings of disappointment. (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 3

You’re feeling so ashamed. (Criterion 1) Those feelings make you just want to hide and kill
yourself so you won’t be seen and exposed. (Criterion 2) Can we look at this painful place
of shame and disgust and figure out what this is about and how to help you address what’s
really going on? (Criterion 3)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 4

You’re feeling out of control and afraid. (Criterion 1) The thought of suicide provides you
with a sense of control and helps you feel less afraid. (Criterion 2) Can we look at what
you can do right now to help you cope with those feelings of fear and powerlessness?
(Criterion 3)

Example Response to Advanced Client Statement 5

I can hear that you’re feeling so alone and it’s painful. (Criterion 1) It’s hard to tolerate those
feelings; your mind tries to cope by focusing on thoughts of suicide and ending the pain.
(Criterion 2) Can we help you figure out what you need to do to manage your loneliness
without escaping it? (Criterion 3)
 EXERCISE

13
Annotated Dialectical
Behavior Therapy Practice
Session Transcript

It is now time to put together all the skills you have learned! This exercise presents a
transcript from a dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) session. Each therapist statement
is annotated to indicate which DBT skill from Exercises 1 through 12 is used. This tran-
script provides an example of how therapists can interweave many different DBT skills
in response to clients.

Instructions

As in the previous exercises, one trainee plays the client, while the other plays the
therapist. As much as possible, the trainee who plays the client should try to adopt
an authentic emotional tone as if they were a real client. The first time through, both
partners can read verbatim from the transcript. After one complete run-through, try it
again. This time, the client can read from the script while the therapist can improvise to
the degree that they feel comfortable. At this point, you may also want to reflect upon
it with a supervisor and go through it again. Before you start, it is recommended that
both the therapist and the client read the entire transcript through on your own, until
the end. The purpose of the sample transcript is to give trainees the opportunity to
try out what it is like to offer the DBT responses in a sequence that mimics live therapy
sessions.

Note to Therapists
Remember to be aware of your vocal quality. Match your tone to the client’s
presentation. Thus, if the clients present vulnerable, soft emotions behind their
words, soften your tone to be soothing and calm. If clients on the other hand, are
aggressive and angry, match your tone to be firm.

https://doi.org/10.1037/0000322-015
Deliberate Practice in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, by T. Boritz, S. McMain, A. Vaz, and T. Rousmaniere
Copyright © 2023 by the American Psychological Association. All rights reserved.

151
152 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

Annotated DBT Transcript

THERAPIST 1: Nice to see you today. Do you have your diary card?

CLIENT 1: [pulls out diary card from bag and passes it to therapist]

THERAPIST 2: Thank you. [reading over diary card] It looks like suicide urges were really
high this week, yeah? OK and there was self-harm on most days but not all days. It looks
like after our session you had really high urges to use, to quit, and to self-harm. That
seems like something important for us to talk about. What do you think? What would you
like to talk about today? What’s on your agenda? (Skill 1: Establishing a Session Agenda)

CLIENT 2: [looks nervous, feet are pointing inward, and hands are together at the center]
In group they were talking about the STOP skill, and I just find like there’s no way for me
to pause when I’m feeling messed up. Something just triggers me too fast and I’m not
sure how to slow it down to be able to use something like that.

THERAPIST 3: OK, so it sounds like learning about that skill got you thinking about what
happens in situations for you, and you’re feeling like it’s so automatic that it’s hard to
actually imagine introducing a pocket of time where you could do something differently.
(Skill 2: Validation)

CLIENT 3: Yeah, exactly.

THERAPIST 4: OK, so let’s definitely focus on that because you’re right—it’s really hard.
It is hard to slow things down when it feels like something just happens automatically.
(Skill 2: Validation) Even though it may feel automatic, sometimes there’s a way to slow
things down just enough. I have some ideas about how to do that, so perhaps we can
put that on the agenda. If we have time, I’d also like to talk about what’s been happening
in our sessions that leaves you feeling more vulnerable afterward and sets off those high
urges. Does that sound OK to you? (Skill 1: Establishing a Session Agenda)

CLIENT 4: [whisper] OK.

THERAPIST 5: So, where do you want to begin? What would be the most helpful place for
you to begin? (Skill 1: Establishing a Session Agenda)

CLIENT 5: I’m not sure, to be honest.

THERAPIST 6: Maybe we can start by talking about the self-harm from last week and how
to slow things down when you’re feeling those really high urges to self-harm? (Skill 1:
Establishing a Session Agenda)

CLIENT 6: [slight nod]

THERAPIST 7: OK, so it looks like you self-harmed on Tuesday and Wednesday, so is

that yesterday or Tuesday and Wednesday of last week? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment,
Criterion 2)

CLIENT 7: Last week.

THERAPIST 8: OK, is there one incident that happened this week that you think would be
a good example for us to focus on? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 8: [pausing, hands together, playing with fingers] Um, with my friend. We were
at her house, she said something, and I got really upset and I just like . . . I don’t know, it
happens a lot where someone will say something and I would just freak out. And I would
Annotated Dialectical Behavior Therapy Practice Session Transcript 153

just go straight to like “I hate them,” and then I am thinking about suicide after something
that wasn’t even a big deal, but it just happens so fast that I don’t even understand.

THERAPIST 9: OK, so you were at your friend’s house and something happened that made
you feel really upset and led to thoughts of suicide. (Skill 2: Validation, Criterion 1) Can
you tell me a bit more about what happened with your friend? Did she say something or
do something that upset you? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment)

CLIENT 9: Um, she had to go out to do something and when she came back, I hadn’t
cleared the dishes from the table and she got upset that I should’ve done that.

THERAPIST 10: OK. Did she say something to you? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 10: She told me she was disappointed.

THERAPIST 11: OK, so your friend said she was disappointed. Did she say anything else?
(Skill 4: Problem Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 11: No.

THERAPIST 12: How did she say it? Was she yelling? Was her voice raised? (Skill 4: Problem
Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 12: No.

THERAPIST 13: So she said she was disappointed with you? Or she said you hadn’t cleared
the table? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 13: That I didn’t clean the table.

THERAPIST 14: OK. And then what happened? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 14: I was just like, I was just so angry, I was like . . .

THERAPIST 15: Angry? Was that the emotion you were feeling most strongly in that
moment? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 15: Yes.

THERAPIST 16: What was the anger about? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 16: I didn’t think it was fair that she was upset.

THERAPIST 17: What did you think was unfair about it? What was unfair about her being
upset about you not clearing the table? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 17: Because it wasn’t like something I was supposed to do. It was something
I could’ve done but I didn’t really notice, and she obviously thought I didn’t do it because
I was lazy.

THERAPIST 18: So it sounds like you felt like you were being judged. (Skill 2: Validation,
Criterion 1) Were there other emotions involved, other than anger? (Skill 4: Problem
Assessment)

CLIENT 18: I don’t know . . . I felt hurt.

THERAPIST 19: OK, what was the hurt about? Do you have a sense? What did you feel hurt
about? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 19: Because she was upset with me.

154 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

THERAPIST 20: And how did that make you feel hurt? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment,
Criterion 2)

CLIENT 20: Because I don’t like it when other people are upset with me.

THERAPIST 21: Yeah, that makes sense. I think it’s hard. I mean I don’t like it when other
people are upset with me either. (Skill 2: Validation) But can you say more about the hurt?
Like, “When I think of hurt, I think of sadness.” (Skill 4: Problem Assessment, Criterion 1)
Does that fit for you?

CLIENT 21: Um, just, it goes really fast and I am just like “I hate you.” I just want to break
stuff.

THERAPIST 22: OK, so there were urges to break stuff and to tell her you hated her. (Skill 2:
Validation, Criterion 1) Did you actually tell her that you hated her? (Skill 4: Problem
Assessment)

CLIENT 22: No, at that point I was by myself, it was just like anger and thinking I hate her.

THERAPIST 23: OK. So, it sounds like, if I’m understanding it correctly, your friend came
home and was upset that you hadn’t cleared the table, which then upset you because
that wasn’t something you thought was your responsibility to do. (Skill 2: Validation) It
wasn’t something you were aware of or thought about doing, and that prompted dis-
tress. Is that correct? Am I understanding that correctly? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment,
Criterion 1)

CLIENT 23: Yeah, maybe because I didn’t go in the kitchen while she was out, so I didn’t
even really notice the dishes.

THERAPIST 24: OK, and it sounds like you were thinking she was disappointed that you
didn’t clear the table and that left you feeling hurt and angry. It sounds like you were feel-
ing angry because it didn’t feel fair that she was upset with you because you didn’t really
think you had done anything wrong, and this led to urges to break stuff and lash out.
(Skill 2: Validation; Skill 8: Modifying Cognitions, Criteria 1 and 2) What happened after
that? What happened after you felt those urges? Did you express any of those feelings to
your friend? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment)

CLIENT 24: [pause] I didn’t go and tell her that I was angry, but she could see that I was.

THERAPIST 25: How could she see you were angry? What was she noticing? (Skill 4: Problem
Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 25: [pause] ’Cause I was throwing things.

THERAPIST 26: Ah, that’s too bad. You had the urge to break stuff and then you did it, you
did break some stuff. What were you throwing? (Skill 2: Validation, Criterion 1; Skill 4:
Problem Assessment)

CLIENT 26: I don’t think I broke anything.

THERAPIST 27: Oh, sorry, I misunderstood. So what were you throwing? (Skill 4: Problem
Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 27: I don’t know, just stuff around the room . . . I was just angry.

THERAPIST 28: Ah, OK, so you were feeling angry and started throwing stuff around the
room. (Skill 2: Validation, Criterion 1) Were there other anger behaviors that you were
doing? Yelling, or swearing, or doing anything like that? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment)
Annotated Dialectical Behavior Therapy Practice Session Transcript 155

CLIENT 28: [pause] Um, I don’t remember. But someone said I pushed her.

THERAPIST 29: You pushed her? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 29: I don’t remember specifically.

THERAPIST 30: And then what happened? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 30: I was just like, fuming, I hated her so much and then I was—I just wanted to die.

THERAPIST 31: Then what happened? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 31: And then I burned myself.

THERAPIST 32: So when did that happen? Was that after you were throwing stuff or was
that in between? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 32: It was after.

THERAPIST 33: OK, so you were feeling so angry and had thoughts of wanting to die. (Skill 2:
Validation, Criterion 1) How did you get to burning yourself? What was the link there? You
were having thoughts “I hate her so much” and “I want to die” and . . . and then how did
you get to burning yourself? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment; Skill 8: Modifying Cognitions,
Criteria 1 and 2)

CLIENT 33: Because I was thinking this really hurts.

THERAPIST 34: OK, so your distress went up, your pain went up. (Skill 2: Validation,
Criterion 1) And how did you get to burning yourself as a solution? What was the
connection—how did you decide to do that? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment)

CLIENT 34: ’Cause I can’t handle thinking like that.

THERAPIST 35: OK, so that was part of it, the thought “I can’t handle these thoughts.” (Skill 2:
Validation) Were there any other thoughts you are aware of? (Skill 4: Problem Assess-
ment; Skill 8: Modifying Cognitions, Criterion 1)

CLIENT 35: Just like, “Everybody hates me—why am I here trying?”

THERAPIST 36: And then what happened? Where did you hurt yourself? (Skill 4: Problem
Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 36: Um, my arms.

THERAPIST 37: With a lighter? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 37: [slight nod]

THERAPIST 38: And then what happened? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 38: I was still angry.

THERAPIST 39: You were still angry at your friend. (Skill 2: Validation, Criterion 1) Were you
less angry? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 39: Yeah.

THERAPIST 40: What else, what else happened?

CLIENT 40: It really hurt. Then I saw her, and she wasn’t angry at me anymore. She asked
me something and wasn’t angry at me anymore.
156 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

THERAPIST 41: Were you still angry at her? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 41: [nods]

THERAPIST 42: You were still angry. (Skill 2: Validation, Criterion 1) What were you still
angry about? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 42: Because she got angry at me.

THERAPIST 43: And did you tell her that, or did you keep it in? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment,
Criterion 2)

CLIENT 43: I didn’t tell her. She had to leave.

THERAPIST 44: When we started today’s session, one of your questions was how do you
find a way to introduce some kind of pause so that you can stop the urges—or not stop
the urges necessarily, but stop the actions that go with the urges. It sounds like it can feel
like a big blur once the process gets started, it’s like your emotions are a runaway train a
bit. (Skill 2: Validation, Criterion 1; Skill 6: Problem Solving, Criterion 1) No wonder it feels
in the moment like it’s all happening automatically. (Skill 2: Validation)

CLIENT 44: Yeah.

THERAPIST 45: OK, so listening to all this, I have a couple of ideas about how to do that.
But one thought I’m having . . . I’m wondering a bit about hurt and sadness, and if those
were the feelings that were causing you pain, even though the anger was the one that
you felt more strongly. It was really painful to have your friend be upset with you. (Skill 2:
Validation) But I’m also wondering if there was another emotion in the mix. Was there
shame that got activated? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment)

CLIENT 45: [nods]

THERAPIST 46: OK. So it’s almost like when you feel ashamed, it’s so hard to feel it. Almost
unbearable. (Skill 2: Validation, Criterion 1) Maybe anger feels a little bit easier than shame
to manage in some ways. (Skill 6: Problem Solving, Criterion 1) I don’t know . . . does that
sound like it fits? [pause]

CLIENT 46: Yeah.

THERAPIST 47: OK, so it was almost like the first things you felt were shame and sadness
and then anger kind of took over, which felt a little bit better than feeling such intense
shame. (Skill 2: Validation, Criterion 1) I wonder if instead of having to sit with that feeling
that your friend was upset with you—or that maybe you had done something wrong—it
was easier in a way to get angry at your friend for making you feel that way. (Skill 6:
Problem Solving, Criterion 1) I don’t know, does that fit for you? What are your thoughts
about that?

CLIENT 47: [pause] Yeah, I think that happens a lot. And I get confused because I’m not
sure if she’s right or I’m right.

THERAPIST 48: Right, because the shame gets set off and it’s so painful and there’s this
part of you that’s like, “Wait a minute—I didn’t do anything wrong, I don’t deserve this
feeling.” It makes sense that you might feel angry if you’re having the thought “How dare
you make me feel this way, I feel so bad right now and I didn’t even do anything wrong.”
(Skill 2: Validation)

CLIENT 48: Yeah, like blaming her for making me feel bad.
Annotated Dialectical Behavior Therapy Practice Session Transcript 157

THERAPIST 49: So, what’s kind of cool about us being able to identify this. [pause] (Skill 3:
Reinforcing Adaptive Behavior) Hmm . . . I’m looking at you and noticing you’ve sort of
sunken into your chair and I can’t see your face anymore. (Skill 2: Validation, Criterion 1)
I’m guessing it’s hard to talk about this stuff with me? I am wondering if the shame is
activated right here right now. Is it happening right now? (Skill 9: Informal Exposure to
Emotion, Criterion 1)

CLIENT 49: [makes eye contact, nods slightly]

THERAPIST 50: OK, I am so glad that you just made eye contact with me because that was
the perfect way of acting the opposite to shame. (Skill 3: Reinforcing Adaptive Behavior)
How intense is the shame right now? On a scale from 1 to 10? (Skill 9: Informal Exposure
to Emotion, Criterion 1)

CLIENT 50: It’s high, like an 8.

THERAPIST 51: OK, the shame is really high right now. (Skill 2: Validation, Criterion 1)
Why don’t you try taking a few deep breaths to see if that helps bring the emotion
down a bit? (Skill 10: Coaching Clients in Distress—Criterion 2, Paced Breathing skill)

CLIENT 51: [client spends a few seconds breathing]

THERAPIST 52: Is that helping?

CLIENT 52: Yeah, a bit.

THERAPIST 53: OK, so it makes sense that shame got activated because we started talking
about something that made you feel vulnerable (Skill 2: Validation) and, I don’t know,
maybe embarrassed? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment, Criterion 2) Is there anything else you
can do right now to just connect to that painful feeling without escaping it? (Skill 9: Infor-
mal Exposure to Emotion; Skill 6: Inviting the Client to Engage in Problem Solving) If the
feeling is getting too intense, you can try picking up that ice pack and holding it to your
temple (Skill 10: Coaching Clients in Distress—Criterion 2, Temperature skill)

CLIENT 53: [slight nod; picks up ice pack and applies it to their temple]

THERAPIST 54: OK, so what I would like you to do is, when you’re noticing that shame feel-
ing coming up, try to just notice it, without judging it or trying to change it. (Skill 7: Skills
Training—Mindfulness) Shame is a feeling that says, “I have done something wrong, and
I am bad.” For a lot of people, it’s a feeling that’s learned—not actually related to what
you did. It makes sense that that feeling might come up if you’re having thoughts like
that. (Skill 2: Validation) Is anything like that happening for you right now?

CLIENT 54: [pause] Maybe.

THERAPIST 55: Maybe. What do you think you have done wrong? (Skill 4: Problem Assess-
ment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 55: I’m thinking maybe you think I did something wrong too. Maybe you think that
I should’ve put the dishes away too.

THERAPIST 56: Ah, so you’re having the worry thought that maybe I’m judging you as well
and thinking that you should’ve done something differently. (Skill 2: Validation, Criterion 1;
Skill 8: Modifying Cognitions, Criterion 1) That’s a painful thought to have. If I thought my
therapist was judging me, I’d probably be feeling a lot of shame too. (Skill 2: Validation;
Skill 8: Modifying Cognitions, Criteria 1 and 2)
158 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

CLIENT 56: Yeah.

THERAPIST 57: I’m wondering . . . do you want to check in with me about that? Do you
want to check that out with me directly? To see if I am actually thinking that? (Skill 6:
Problem Solving, Criterion 2; Skill 8: Modifying Cognitions, Criterion 3)

CLIENT 57: Not really.

THERAPIST 58: No, OK. It sounds like it feels too much right now. (Skill 2: Validation, Crite-
rion 1) Is the shame going up even at the thought of having to say that? (Skill 4: Problem
Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 58: [slight nod]

THERAPIST 59: OK, so what can you do to bring yourself back into the present moment
with me—to notice those worry thoughts and to try to interrupt them? (Skill 8: Modifying
Cognitions, Criterion 3) Do you want to check in with me visually? (Skill 6: Problem Solving,
Criterion 2) I’m wondering if looking at me might help. Because right now your eyes are
down, and it’s probably helping bring that shame down a bit and easier to stay stuck in
those worry thoughts. (Skill 11: Promoting Dialectical Thinking Through Both–And State-
ments) If you can, can you look at me? Shame might get more intense, and if you can
try to stay with the feeling without escaping or avoiding it. (Skill 9: Informal Exposure to
Emotion)

CLIENT 59: [looks at therapist]

THERAPIST 60: Good—you’re doing great. (Skill 3: Reinforcing Adaptive Behavior) Now, if
you can, can you try to describe what you see? What is my face doing? What does my
voice sound like? What words am I saying?

CLIENT 60: [keeps looking at therapist, silently]

THERAPIST 61: That’s great. Keep those eyes on me if you can. (Skill 9: Informal Exposure
to Emotion) Do I look like I am angry or disappointed? Do I look upset at you? Do I sound
upset at you?

CLIENT 61: No.

THERAPIST 62: OK, well that’s important information to pay attention to. Sometimes we
can have thoughts or really strong feelings about what’s happening that are different
from what actually is happening. Does that make sense? That you can feel an emotion
really strongly, and it might be valid—like it might make sense given the thoughts you’re
having, or given past experiences—but it might not totally fit what’s actually happening
in the moment? (Skill 8: Modifying Cognitions)

CLIENT 62: Yes.

THERAPIST 63: Given some of the things you’ve told me about how you grew up, it sounds
like there were a lot of times you got told you were doing something wrong, or when
people got angry at you for no reason, and it makes perfect sense to me that that fear
comes up now. With other people, but also with me—that at any moment I’m going to
turn around and blame you for something. (Skill 2: Validation) Does that make sense to
you? That it’s like perfectly natural to have that fear or concern if that was the message
you got growing up. (Skill 2: Validation)

CLIENT 63: [slight head nod]

Annotated Dialectical Behavior Therapy Practice Session Transcript 159

THERAPIST 64: So even here in our sessions, it sounds like it sort of comes up automatically
before you’ve even had the chance to notice the emotion or think it through. (Skill 4:
Problem Assessment, Criterion 2) What are you feeling right now as we are talking? (Skill 9:
Informal Exposure to Emotion, Criterion 1)

CLIENT 64: [Pause] It’s kind of hard.

THERAPIST 65: Yeah, what’s hard?

CLIENT 65: Something I am doing makes things hard.

THERAPIST 66: Ah, OK. I think I understand that too. Does it sound like a criticism? Like
I’m saying you’re doing something wrong here by feeling that way? (Skill 4: Problem
Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 66: Kind of. I don’t know.

THERAPIST 67: OK, so I think maybe that’s the shame getting activated again. (Skill 9:
Informal Exposure to Emotion, Criterion 1) Like maybe it’s feeling like I’m saying you
should be doing something differently?

CLIENT 67: Yeah, like I’m not supposed to think that way. Like there’s something wrong
with me. When I start feeling that way, I just want to die. It’s like, what’s the point? I’m
so broken.

THERAPIST 68: Mmm . . . yeah that feeling is so intense, almost unbearable. It sounds like
thinking about being dead brings some relief to that painful feeling. No wonder your
mind goes there. (Skill 2: Validation) I’d like to work with you to find a better way to find
relief from your pain. Is that something you would want? (Skill 12: Responding to Suicidal
Ideation; Skill 5: Eliciting a Commitment)

CLIENT 68: Yes. I don’t want to feel this way all the time.

THERAPIST 69: I’m really glad to hear you say that. (Skill 3: Reinforcing Adaptive Behavior)
You know, it’s interesting. It sounds like what set off those thoughts were feelings of
shame that I was judging you. (Skill 8: Modifying Cognitions, Criteria 1 and 2) I was
actually having a completely different thought. What I am thinking right now is that it’s
pretty fantastic you’ve been able to identify those thoughts and feelings and talk to me
about them even though it’s been hard, because now we can actually work on this stuff
together. (Skill 3: Reinforcing Adaptive Behavior)

CLIENT 69: I guess so.

THERAPIST 70: I’m wondering if this is something you would be willing to work on with
me? Trying to notice what you’re thinking or feeling without judging or criticizing it? Is
that something you would be willing to practice? (Skill 5: Eliciting a Commitment; Skill 6:
Problem Solving)

CLIENT 70: I can try.

THERAPIST 71: That’s great. (Skill 3: Reinforcing Adaptive Behavior) Something we can
also continue working on down the road is getting you to not just notice when an
emotion like shame comes up, but to then ask yourself if it’s related to something
that’s happening here and now, or if it’s an old response, an automatic response, which
makes sense given your history but either doesn’t fit or it’s too intense for the present
situation.
160 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

CLIENT 71: I think that will be hard to do.

THERAPIST 72: Yes, I’m sure it will be hard at first. It’s not easy to catch these automatic
responses. And I saw you begin to do it today, so I feel really confident that if you keep
working at it, it’ll get easier to do. (Skill 3: Reinforcing Adaptive Behavior)

CLIENT 72: OK.

THERAPIST 73: So, I’m wondering if we can turn our focus back to self-harm. You said that
after that fight with your friend you burned yourself. We kind of worked through how
your emotions got so intense and led to urges to self-harm. You also mentioned that you
had the thought “I can’t handle this,” which makes sense and maybe tipped you over the
edge. (Skill 2: Validation; Skill 4: Problem Assessment, Criterion 1)

CLIENT 73: [nods]

THERAPIST 74: One thing I was wondering about was ways to decrease the likelihood
of self-harm when you’re feeling so intense and having strong urges. Last week, the
self-harm—was it just burning, or was there cutting too? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment,
Criterion 2)

CLIENT 74: No, just burning.

THERAPIST 75: OK, and always with a lighter? Or with other things too? (Skill 4: Problem
Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 75: Just with the lighter. And like, I don’t need it around. I don’t smoke.

THERAPIST 76: I’m so glad to hear you say that. (Skill 3: Reinforcing Adaptive Behavior)
I was thinking the same thing! It sounds like those lighters don’t need to be around the
house. When they’re there, it’s like a cue for self-harm thoughts. Can we get rid of them?
(Skill 6: Problem Solving)

CLIENT 76: I mean, I don’t smoke, but we use them for the BBQ .

THERAPIST 77: OK, it sounds like you’re saying you’re not sure if you can get rid of them?
(Skill 4: Problem Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 77: [silent]

THERAPIST 78: OK, let me take a step back to see if I understand. If we could figure out the
BBQ thing, is getting rid of the lighters or any of the things you use to self-harm some-
thing you would be willing to do? To help buy you time to use skills when your urges are
really high? (Skill 5: Eliciting a Commitment; Skill 6: Problem Solving)

CLIENT 78: I don’t know. Maybe.

THERAPIST 79: OK, I can work with that. [smiles] One thought is that if you’re not ready to
get rid of them completely, you could put them in a place that’s hard to get to. Where in
your house would lighters be hard to get to? (Skill 6: Problem Solving)

CLIENT 79: I guess the basement. I don’t like to go down there. It’s full of bugs and creeps
me out.

THERAPIST 80: That’s a great idea! (Skill 3: Reinforcing Adaptive Behavior) Could you put
them in a box and move them to the basement? (Skill 6: Problem Solving, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 80: Yeah, I could do that.

Annotated Dialectical Behavior Therapy Practice Session Transcript 161

THERAPIST 81: Amazing. (Skill 3: Reinforcing Adaptive Behavior) If you wanted to go a step
further, you could put even more obstacles to getting them. Like locking them in a box in
the basement or wrapping them up in a bag with tape so they’re not so easy to get out.
Could you do that? (Skill 6: Problem Solving, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 81: I think I can do that.

THERAPIST 82: Yeah? Fantastic. (Skill 3: Reinforcing Adaptive Behavior) What could get in
the way of you actually doing that when you leave here today? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment,
Criterion 2)

CLIENT 82: I don’t know. I can do it with my lighters, but what about the other lighters in
my house? My roommates have them everywhere.

THERAPIST 83: Ah, this is a great question! (Skill 3: Reinforcing Adaptive Behavior) Are your
roommates people you could talk to about what you’re doing and why you’re doing it?
Are they people that could support you around doing it? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment,
Criterion 2)

CLIENT 83: [pause] They don’t know I use the lighter.

THERAPIST 84: They don’t know? Do they know that you self-harm? (Skill 4: Problem
Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 84: [nod]

THERAPIST 85: OK, so it sounds like if you told them you self-harm with lighters maybe it
wouldn’t be such a surprise? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 85: It’s so embarrassing.

THERAPIST 86: Yeah, I can imagine it wouldn’t be the most comfortable conversation and
it might be worth doing it anyway. (Skill 11: Promoting Dialectical Thinking Through Both–
And Statements) I mean in some ways it ties in really nicely with what we’ve been talking
about today. Acting opposite to shame . . . and maybe showing yourself that you can do
hard things even if it brings up change.

CLIENT 86: I guess so. I’ll think about it.

THERAPIST 87: OK, it sounds like you’re committed to getting rid of your lighters but
are a bit less sure about talking to your roommates about getting rid of their lighters.
I can understand that. (Skill 2: Validation) I think it’s really great that you’re willing to
get rid of yours, (Skill 3: Reinforcing Adaptive Behavior) and perhaps next week we
can focus a bit more on how to get rid of the ones that don’t belong to you or that
your roommates bring into the house. So it sounds like between now and next week
you’ll put your lighters in the basement and will consider talking to your roommates.
Is that correct?

CLIENT 87: Yes, I will do that.

THERAPIST 88: Great! If it would be helpful, you can email me after you’ve done it to let me
know. Do you think that would increase the likelihood of you doing it? (Skill 3: Reinforcing
Adaptive Behavior)

CLIENT 88: I think so.

THERAPIST 89: OK, fantastic. I’ll look forward to getting that email. (Skill 3: Reinforcing
Adaptive Behavior) So I think the last thing we should focus on before we wrap up today
162 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

is this thought: “I can’t handle these thoughts.” It sounds like when that thought popped
up last week it left you feeling kind of hopeless and like you had no option but to self-
harm. (Skill 8: Modifying Cognitions) Can you remind me, have you learned distress toler-
ance skills in your group yet?

CLIENT 89: [head shake]

THERAPIST 90: No? OK, these might be the perfect skills to use when you have the thought
“I can’t handle this.” Because one of the things we’re doing when we use distress toler-
ance skills is saying “my emotions are really intense right now, but feelings pass, they’re
like waves.” So maybe in those moments where you notice the thought “I can’t handle
this,” you can try to validate yourself by acknowledging “this is so hard” or “this is such a
painful feeling, and it’s hard to feel.” I wonder if that would help you feel more motivated
in the moment to try to use a skill. Like grabbing an ice pack or taking a cold shower.
Have you tried doing either of those things when you’re feeling distressed? (Skill 6:
Problem Solving; Skill 7: Skills Training; Skill 10: Coaching Clients in Distress—Criterion 2,
Temperature skill)

CLIENT 90: Yeah, I tried that a bit last week.

THERAPIST 91: That’s amazing! (Skill 3: Reinforcing Adaptive Behavior) Was it helpful?

CLIENT 91: I mean, I don’t know. I still self-harmed.

THERAPIST 92: Uh huh. I see. So it didn’t help interrupt the action. Did it buy you any time
in between the urge and action? (Skill 4: Problem Assessment)

CLIENT 92: [pause] Yes.

THERAPIST 93: OK. That’s a great start. (Skill 3: Reinforcing Adaptive Behavior) What we
can talk about next time is other skills you can use in that brief period of time that might
tip the balance. How does that sound to you?

CLIENT 93: That sounds good. It’s just difficult.

THERAPIST 94: It is difficult. It is absolutely difficult. (Skill 2: Validation) The goal here is
not to become an expert overnight. It’s to keep practicing and seeing what works and
then readjusting and adding new things if what you’re doing isn’t working or if it needs
to be tweaked. This is hard stuff, and I know you can do it. (Skill 11: Promoting Dialectical
Thinking Through Both–And Statements) And I’m here to help you do it. So we have a
bunch of stuff that we need to revisit on the agenda next week ’cause I really do want to
understand what’s happening in our sessions that is increasing your urges to use, and to
quit therapy and self-harm. Are you having those high urges right now? (Skill 4: Problem
Assessment, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 94: [pause] It’s hard.

THERAPIST 95: Yeah? Are you having those high urges right now though?

CLIENT 95: It’s like, I’ve never had a chance to understand how to grow, but it’s scary at
the same time.

THERAPIST 96: Yeah, that makes total sense to me. It’s scary to try to do new things,
especially when you don’t know what to expect or are worried it’s not going to work for
you. (Skill 2: Validation) And I think it’s amazing that you keep coming and trying despite
how scared you feel. Just showing up sometimes takes a lot of effort and courage. (Skill 3:
Reinforcing Adaptive Behavior)
Annotated Dialectical Behavior Therapy Practice Session Transcript 163

CLIENT 96: Yeah.

THERAPIST 97: So, there’s a lot on your plate this week. You’re going to get rid of or put
the lighters away and let me know once you’ve done that. Are there any other pieces
from today that you are thinking would be helpful to focus on this coming week? Perhaps
one other thing that we talked about that you think you’d like to focus on? (Skill 6: Problem
Solving, Criterion 2)

CLIENT 97: [pause] Maybe tracking when I am feeling embarrassed.

THERAPIST 98: I think that’s a great idea. (Skill 3: Reinforcing Adaptive Behavior) Keeping
track of embarrassment and shame and perhaps noticing urges that go along with that
feeling?

CLIENT 98: Yeah.

THERAPIST 99: Well, I am really looking forward to hearing how that goes and what
you notice. You and I are meeting at our regular time next week, yeah? Here’s a new
diary card.

CLIENT 99: OK. Thank you.

THERAPIST 100: You’re welcome; I’ll see you next week.

CLIENT 100: See you next week.

 EXERCISE

Mock Dialectical Behavior

Therapy Sessions 14
In contrast to highly structured and repetitive deliberate practice exercises, a mock
dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) session is an unstructured and improvised role-play
therapy session. Like a jazz rehearsal, mock sessions let you practice the art and science
of appropriate responsiveness (Hatcher, 2015; Stiles & Horvath, 2017), putting your
psychotherapy skills together in a way that is helpful to your mock client. This exercise
outlines the procedure for conducting a mock DBT session. It offers different client profiles
you may choose to adopt when role-playing a client.
Mock sessions are an opportunity for trainees to practice the following:

• using psychotherapy skills responsively

• navigating challenging choice points in therapy
• choosing which interventions to use
• tracking the arc of a therapy session and the overall big-picture therapy treatment
• guiding treatment in the context of the client’s preferences
• determining realistic goals for therapy in the context of the client’s capacities
• knowing how to proceed when the therapist is unsure, lost, or confused
• recognizing and recovering from therapeutic errors
• discovering your personal therapeutic style
• building endurance for working with real clients

Mock DBT Session Overview

For the mock session, you will perform a role-play of an initial therapy session. As is
true with the exercises to build individual skills, the role-play involves three people:
One trainee role-plays the therapist, another trainee role-plays the client, and a trainer
(a professor or a supervisor) observes and provides feedback. This is an open-ended
role-play, as is commonly done in training. However, it differs in two important ways
from the role-plays used in more traditional training. First, the therapist will use their

https://doi.org/10.1037/0000322-016
Deliberate Practice in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, by T. Boritz, S. McMain, A. Vaz, and T. Rousmaniere
Copyright © 2023 by the American Psychological Association. All rights reserved.

165
166 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

hand to indicate how difficult the role-play feels. Second, the client will attempt to
make the role-play easier or harder to ensure the therapist is practicing at the right
difficulty level.

Preparation

1. Read the instructions in Chapter 2.

2. Download the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form and the Deliberate Practice Diary
Form from the “Clinician and Practitioner Resources” tab at https://www.apa.org/
pubs/books/deliberate-practice-dialectical-behavior-therapy (also available in
Appendixes A and B, respectively). Every student will need their own copy of the
Deliberate Practice Reaction Form on a separate piece of paper so they can access it
quickly.

3. Designate one student to role-play the therapist and one student to role-play the
client. The trainer will observe and provide corrective feedback.

Mock DBT Session Procedure

1. The trainees will role-play an initial (first) therapy session. The trainee role-playing the
client selects a client profile from the end of this exercise.

2. Before beginning the role-play, the therapist raises their hand to their side, at the level
of their chair seat (see Figure E14.1). They will use this hand throughout the role-play
to indicate how challenging it feels to them to help the client. Their starting hand level

FIGURE E14.1. Ongoing Difficulty Assessment Through Hand Level

Start / Easy Too Hard

Note. Left: Start of role-play. Right: Role-play is too difficult. Reprinted from Deliberate Practice in Emotion-
Focused Therapy (p. 156), by R. N. Goldman, A. Vaz, and T. Rousmaniere, 2021, American Psychological Asso-
ciation (https://doi.org/10.1037/0000227-000). Copyright 2021 by the American Psychological Association.
Mock Dialectical Behavior Therapy Sessions 167

(chair seat) indicates that the role-play feels easy. By raising their hand, the therapist
indicates that the difficulty is rising. If their hand rises above their neck level, it indi-
cates that the role-play is too difficult.

3. The therapist begins the role-play. The therapist and client should engage in the role-
play in an improvised manner, as they would engage in a real therapy session. The
therapist keeps their hand out at their side throughout this process. (This may feel
strange at first!)

4. Whenever the therapist feels that the difficulty of the role-play has changed signifi-
cantly, they should move their hand up if it feels more difficult and down if it feels
easier. If the therapist’s hand drops below the seat of their chair, the client should make
the role-play more challenging; if the therapist’s hand rises above their neck level, the
client should make the role-play easier. Instructions for adjusting the difficulty of the
role-play are described in the Varying the Level of Challenge section.

Note to Therapists
Remember to be aware of your vocal tone and pacing. Match your tone to the
client’s presentation. Thus, if clients present softer emotions, soften your tone to be
soothing and calm. If, on the other hand, clients are demonstrating more volatility,
match your tone to be firm and solid. If you choose responses that prompt client
exploration, remember to adopt a more querying, exploratory tone of voice.

5. The role-play continues for at least 15 minutes. The trainer may provide corrective
feedback during this process if the therapist gets significantly offtrack. However, trainers
should exercise restraint and keep feedback as short and tight as possible, as this will
increase the therapist’s opportunity for experiential training.

6. After the role-play is finished, the therapist and client switch roles and begin a new
mock session.

7. After both trainees have completed the mock session as a therapist, the trainees and
the trainer discuss the experience.

Varying the Level of Challenge

If the therapist indicates that the mock session is too easy, the person enacting the role
of the client can use the following modifications to make it more challenging (see also
Appendix A):

• The client can improvise with topics that are more evocative or make the therapist
uncomfortable, such as expressing currently held strong feelings (see Figure A.2).
• The client can use a distressed voice (e.g., angry, sad, sarcastic) or unpleasant facial
expression. This increases the emotional tone.
• The client can blend complex mixtures of opposing feelings (e.g., love and rage).
• The client can become confrontational, questioning the purpose of therapy
or the therapist’s fitness for the role.
168 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

If the therapist indicates that the mock session is too hard:

• The client can be guided by Figure A.2 to

– present topics that are less evocative,
– present material on any topic but without expressing feelings, or
– present material concerning the future or the past or events outside therapy.

• The client can ask the questions in a soft voice or with a smile. This softens the emo-
tional stimulus.

• The therapist can take short breaks during the role-play.

• The trainer can expand the “feedback phase” by discussing DBT or psychotherapy
theory.

Mock Session Client Profiles

Following are six client profiles for trainees to use during mock sessions, presented in
order of difficulty. The choice of client profile may be determined by the trainee playing
the therapist, the trainee playing the client, or assigned by the trainer.
The most important aspect of role-plays is for trainees to convey the emotional
tone indicated by the client profile (e.g., “angry” or “sad”). The demographics of the
client and specific content of the client profiles are not important. Thus, trainees should
adjust the client profile to be most comfortable and easy for the trainee to role-play.
For example, a trainee may change the gender, age, or cultural background included
in the client profile.

Beginner Profile: Working With Sadness With a Receptive Client

Annie is a 28-year-old Asian woman who recently broke up with her boyfriend. She has
been feeling sadness about the end of her relationship. Her sadness is complicated by
feelings of anger that her boyfriend betrayed her by breaking up with her “out of the
blue.” She described feeling very attached to her boyfriend when they were together
despite a lot of volatility in the relationship (e.g., frequent conflict and arguments). She
feels rejected by her boyfriend and has tried many times to convince him to take her
back, including multiple text messages and phone calls. So far, he has been unrespon-
sive to her attempts to reconcile. Annie wants help coping more effectively with her
sadness and anger.

• Symptoms: Sadness, anger, shame, and loneliness

• Client’s goals for therapy: Annie wants to cope more effectively with her emotions
related to her breakup.
• Attitude toward therapy: Annie has had good experiences in therapy in the past and
is optimistic about therapy helping again.
• Strengths: Annie is motivated to work on her own problematic behaviors.

Beginner Profile: Working With an Anxious and Engaged Client

Firaz is a 25-year-old Middle Eastern man who experiences anxiety, occasional panic
attacks, and high levels of shame. He says he has felt like a “loser” his whole life. He
was bullied in high school and often feels like people are judging him. As a result, he
tries to avoid contact with people except through online computer games. He lives
Mock Dialectical Behavior Therapy Sessions 169

at home with his parents, and they suggested that he come to therapy because they
were concerned he was spending too much time by himself. Firaz says he would like
more social connection but doesn’t think other people would be interested in being
friends with him.

• Symptoms: Anxiety and shame

• Client’s goals for therapy: Firaz wants to decrease anxiety and increase social
connections.

• Attitude toward therapy: Firaz has not received any previous treatment. He is
uncertain what to expect from therapy. He feels anxious about attending therapy
but is hopeful it will help.

• Strengths: Firaz is cautious but open-minded and motivated to engage in the

therapy tasks.

Intermediate Profile: Working With a Shame-Prone and Ambivalent Client

Dani is a 30-year-old White, nonbinary individual who experiences extreme shame,

anxiety, and depression. While growing up, they struggled to fit in with their peers in
their small town and felt they had to hide their gender identity and sexual orientation
from both family and friends. Since moving to an urban center, they are finally living
their life in a way that feels authentic and in a community they feel accepts them.
Nevertheless, they are sensitive to rejection and often respond with extreme reactions
when they feel judged or invalidated by others. For example, they will end relationships
or quit jobs impulsively then regret it afterward.

• Symptoms: Shame, anxiety, and depression

• Client’s goals for therapy: Dani wants to feel more confident socially so they can
engage in work and social relationships more reliably.

• Attitude toward therapy: Dani initially didn’t want to come to therapy because they
worried their therapist would judge them. A close friend of theirs convinced them to
give therapy a try.

• Strengths: Underneath their shame and anxiety, Dani desires a connection with other
people, including their therapist.

Intermediate Profile: Working With an Angry Client

Maria is a 55-year-old Latinx woman who was referred to DBT by her psychiatrist because
previous treatments had been unsuccessful. Maria is very smart and gets frustrated
quickly when people challenge her, patronize her, or when she feels misunderstood.
When she gets frustrated, Maria can get sarcastic or mean. Not infrequently, she can
become so enraged that she has anger outbursts that include name-calling, swearing,
and physical aggression. Maria understands that this is a problem and would like to
be more in control of her anger, but she has been unable to change her behavior. She
also feels resentful that she is the one who needs to change her behavior because she
believes her anger is often triggered by others’ mistreatment of her.

• Symptoms: Anger, shame, sadness, and loneliness

• Client’s goals for therapy: Maria wants to decrease her anger, improve her relation-
ships with others, and feel less depressed.
170 Deliberate Practice Exercises for Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills

• Attitude toward therapy: Maria has been in therapy before and is skeptical that this
new treatment will help; however, she feels it’s her last hope.
• Strengths: Maria is a smart and sensitive person and wants a better life for herself
with less suffering.

Advanced Profile: Working With a Mistrustful and Withdrawn Client

Bea is a 27-year-old Black woman and the oldest of four siblings. Bea and her siblings
were sexually and physically abused by her father when she was a child. Her father
also beat her mother frequently, and this intensified once Bea left home. She does
not generally trust the system because she has not felt her interests have been prior-
itized or protected. She experiences intense anxiety and panic when she leaves the
house and often appears withdrawn and dissociative in her therapy sessions. She uses
alcohol to manage overwhelming emotional states. She feels confused about her feel-
ings toward her mother: She feels angry that her mother did not protect her from her
father, and she feels guilty because she abandoned her mother when she left home.

• Symptoms: Anxiety, dissociation, shame, anger at parents, and guilt about

abandoning her mother

• Client’s goals for therapy: Bea wants to decrease anxiety and dissociation, process
her traumas, and resolve her anger and guilt toward her mother.

• Attitude toward therapy: Bea saw a counselor while she was in high school but
had a bad experience: When she told her counselor about her father’s abuse, her
counselor told her parents what she had said, and they denied it. Thus, Bea is very
mistrustful of therapists.

• Strengths: Bea is committed to improving her mental health. She attends sessions
regularly and completes homework reliably.

Advanced Profile: Working With a Client With Emotion Dysregulation and

Self-Harm Behaviors

Jane is a 20-year-old White woman who is having problems in her friendships. She cycles
between intense feelings of closeness with her friends and then hating them when they
do something that upsets her or when she feels left out or unimportant, like when they
make plans without her or cancel plans. When Jane feels rejected by her friends, she
feels betrayed and abandoned, gets very angry and depressed, and cuts herself. Jane
has a similar pattern with her family, where she cycles between loving them and desiring
closeness and then feeling betrayed and abandoned when they disappoint her.

• Symptoms: Mood lability, self-harm (cutting), and relationship instability

• Client’s goals for therapy: Jane wants to find strategies for regulating her emotions
and improving her relationships.

• Attitude toward therapy: Jane was in therapy before, which was helpful until the
therapist disappointed Jane by going on vacation during a time she needed support,
after which Jane felt betrayed and abandoned and quit therapy. Jane is worried that
you (her new therapist) may betray or abandon her just like her previous therapist.

• Strengths: When Jane is emotionally regulated, she is able to reflect on her emotions
and work collaboratively with her therapist.
 PA R T

Strategies for Enhancing

the Deliberate Practice
Exercises III
Part III consists of one chapter, Chapter 3, that provides additional advice and instruc-
tions for trainers and trainees so that they can reap more benefits from the deliberate
practice exercises in Part II. Chapter 3 offers six key points for getting the most out of
deliberate practice, guidelines for practicing appropriately responsive treatment, eval-
uation strategies, methods for ensuring trainee well-being and respecting their privacy,
and advice for monitoring the trainer–trainee relationship.

173
 CHAPTER

3
How to Get the Most Out
of Deliberate Practice: Additional
Guidance for Trainers and Trainees

In Chapter 2 and in the exercises themselves, we provided instructions for completing

these deliberate practice exercises. This chapter provides guidance on big-picture topics
that trainers will need to successfully integrate deliberate practice into their training
program. This guidance is based on relevant research and the experiences and feed-
back from trainers at over a dozen psychotherapy training programs who volunteered to
test the deliberate practice exercises in this book. We cover topics including evaluation,
getting the most from deliberate practice, trainee well-being, respecting trainee privacy,
trainer self-evaluation, responsive treatment, and the trainee-trainer alliance.

Six Key Points for Getting the Most From Deliberate Practice

Following are six key points of advice for trainers and trainees to get the most benefits
from the dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) deliberate practice exercises. The following
advice is gleaned from experiences vetting and practicing the exercises, sometimes in
different languages, with many trainees across many countries, on different occasions.

Key Point 1: Create Realistic Emotional Stimuli

A key component of deliberate practice is using stimuli that provoke similar reactions to
challenging real-life work settings. For example, pilots train with flight simulators that
present mechanical failures and dangerous weather conditions; surgeons practice with
surgical simulators that present medical complications with only seconds to respond.
Training with challenging stimuli will increase trainees’ capacity to perform therapy effec-
tively under stress—for example, with clients they find challenging. The stimuli used for
DBT deliberate practice exercises are role-plays of challenging client statements in
therapy. It is important that the trainee who is role-playing the client perform the
script with appropriate emotional expression and maintain eye contact with the

https://doi.org/10.1037/0000322-017
Deliberate Practice in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, by T. Boritz, S. McMain, A. Vaz, and T. Rousmaniere
Copyright © 2023 by the American Psychological Association. All rights reserved.

175
176 Strategies for Enhancing the Deliberate Practice Exercises

therapist. For example, if the client statement calls for sad emotion, the trainee should
try to express sadness eye-to-eye with the therapist. We offer the following sugges-
tions regarding emotional expressiveness:

1. The emotional tone of the role-play matters more than the exact words of each script.
Trainees role-playing the client should feel free to improvise and change the words if
it will help them be more emotionally expressive. Trainees do not need to stick 100%
exactly to the script. In fact, to read off the script during the exercise can sound flat
and prohibit eye contact. Rather, trainees in the client role should first read the client
statement silently to themselves then, when ready, say it in an emotional manner while
looking directly at the trainee playing the therapist. This will help the experience feel
more real and engaging for the therapist.

2. Trainees whose first language is not English may particularly benefit from reviewing
and changing the words in the client statement script before each role-play so they
can find words that feel congruent and facilitate emotional expression.

3. Trainees role-playing the client should try to use tonal and nonverbal expressions of
feelings. For example, if a script calls for anger, the trainee can speak with an angry
voice and make fists with their hands; if a script calls for shame or guilt, the trainee
could hunch over and wince; if a script calls for sadness, the trainee could speak in a
soft or deflated voice.

4. If trainees are having persistent difficulties acting believably when following a particular
script in the role of client, it may help to first do a “demo round” by reading directly
from paper and then, immediately after, dropping the paper to make eye contact and
repeating the same client statement from memory. Some trainees reported that this
helped them “become available as a real client” and made the role-play feel less artificial.
Some trainees did three or four “demo rounds” to get fully into their role as a client.

Key Point 2: Customize the Exercises to Fit Your Unique Training Circumstances

Deliberate practice is less about adhering to specific rules than it is about using training
principles. Every trainer has their own individual teaching style and every trainee their own
learning process. Thus, the exercises in this book are designed to be flexibly custom-
ized by trainers across different training contexts within different cultures. Trainees and
trainers are encouraged to continually adjust exercises to optimize their practice. The
most effective training will occur when deliberate practice exercises are customized to
fit the learning needs of each trainee and culture of each training site. In our experience
with many trainers and trainees across many countries, we found that everyone spon-
taneously customized the exercises for their unique training circumstances. No two
trainers followed the exact same procedure. Here are a few examples:

• One supervisor used the exercises with a trainee who found all the client statements
to be too hard, including the “beginner” stimuli. This trainee had multiple reactions
in the “too hard” category on the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form in Appendix A,
including nausea, severe shame, and self-doubt. The trainee disclosed to the super-
visor that she had experienced extremely harsh learning environments earlier in her
life and found the role-plays to be highly evocative. To help, the supervisor followed
the suggestions offered in Appendix A to make the stimuli progressively easier until
the trainee reported feeling a “good challenge” on the Deliberate Practice Reaction
Form. Over many weeks of practice, the trainee developed a sense of safety and was
How to Get the Most Out of Deliberate Practice 177

able to practice with more difficult client statements. (Note that if the supervisor had
proceeded at the too hard difficulty level, the trainee might have complied while
hiding her negative reactions, become emotionally dysregulated and overwhelmed,
leading to shame and subsequent withdrawal, and thus prohibiting her skill develop-
ment and risking dropout from training.)

• Supervisors of trainees for whom English was not their first language adjusted the
client statements to their own primary language.

• One supervisor used the exercises with a trainee who found all the stimuli to be
too easy, including the advanced client statements. This supervisor quickly moved
to improvising more challenging client statements from scratch by following the
instructions in Appendix A on how to make client statements more challenging.

Key Point 3: Discover Your Own Unique Personal Therapeutic Style

Deliberate practice in psychotherapy can be likened to the process of learning to play

jazz music. Every jazz musician prides themselves in their skillful improvisations, and the
process of “finding your own voice” is a prerequisite for expertise in jazz musicianship. Yet
improvisations are not a collection of random notes but the culmination of extensive
deliberate practice over time. Indeed, the ability to improvise is built on many hours of
dedicated practice of scales, melodies, harmonies, and so on. Much in the same way,
psychotherapy trainees are encouraged to experience the scripted interventions in this
book not as ends in themselves but as a means to promote skill in a systematic fashion.
Over time, effective therapeutic creativity can be aided, instead of constrained, by
dedicated practice in these therapeutic “melodies.”

Key Point 4: Engage in a Sufficient Amount of Rehearsal

Deliberate practice uses rehearsal to move skills into procedural memory, which helps
trainees maintain access to skills even when working with challenging clients. This only
works if trainees engage in many repetitions of the exercises. Think of a challenging
sport or musical instrument you learned: How many rehearsals would a professional
need to feel confident performing a new skill? Psychotherapy is no easier than those
other fields!

Key Point 5: Continually Adjust Difficulty

A crucial element of deliberate practice is training at an optimal difficulty level: neither

too easy nor too hard. To achieve this, do difficulty assessments and adjustments with
the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form in Appendix A. Do not skip this step! If trainees
don’t feel any of the “good challenge” reactions at the bottom of the Deliberate Prac-
tice Reaction Form, then the exercise is probably too easy; if they feel any of the “too
hard” reactions, then the exercise could be too difficult for the trainee to benefit.
Advanced trainees and therapists may find all the client statements too easy. If so, they
should follow the instructions in Appendix A on making client statements harder to
make the role-plays sufficiently challenging.

Key Point 6: Putting It All Together With the Practice Transcript and Mock
Therapy Sessions

Some trainees may feel a further need for greater contextualization of the individual
therapy responses associated with each skill, feeling the need to integrate the disparate
178 Strategies for Enhancing the Deliberate Practice Exercises

pieces of their training in a more coherent manner, with a simulation that mimics a real
therapy session. The annotated transcript in Exercise 13 and the mock therapy sessions in
Exercise 14 give trainees this opportunity, allowing them to practice delivering different
responses sequentially in a more realistic therapeutic encounter.

Responsive Treatment

The exercises in this book are designed not only to help trainees acquire specific skills
of DBT but to use them in ways that are responsive to each individual client and their
context and are driven by a solid case formulation (Boritz et al., 2021, 2023; McMain
et al., 2019). Across the psychotherapy literature, this stance has been referred to as
appropriate responsiveness, wherein the therapists exercise flexible judgment, based
in their perception of the client’s emotional state, needs, and goals, and integrates tech-
niques and other interpersonal skills in pursuit of optimal client outcomes (Hatcher, 2015;
Stiles et al., 1998). The effective therapist is responsive to the emerging context. As Stiles
and Horvath (2017) argued, a therapist is effective because they are appropriately respon-
sive. Doing the “right thing” may be different each time and means providing each client
with an individually tailored response.
Appropriate responsiveness counters a misconception that deliberate practice
rehearsal is designed to promote robotic repetition of therapy techniques. Psychotherapy
researchers have shown that overadherence to a particular model while neglecting client
preferences reduces therapy effectiveness (e.g., Castonguay et al., 1996; Henry et al.,
1993; Owen & Hilsenroth, 2014). Therapist flexibility, on the other hand, has been shown
to improve outcomes (e.g., Bugatti & Boswell, 2016; Kendall & Beidas, 2007; Kendall &
Frank, 2018). It is important, therefore, that trainees practice their newly learned skills in
a manner that is flexible and responsive to the unique needs of a diverse range of clients
(Hatcher, 2015; Hill & Knox, 2013). It is thus of paramount importance for trainees to
develop the necessary perceptual skills to be able to attune to what the client is
experiencing in the moment and form their response based on the client moment
by moment context.
The supervisor must help the supervisee to specifically attune themselves to the
unique and specific needs of the clients during sessions. By enacting responsiveness
with the supervisee, the supervisor can demonstrate its value and make it more explicit.
In these ways, attention can be given to the larger picture of appropriate responsive-
ness. Here the trainee and supervisor can work together to help the trainee master not
just the techniques, but how therapists can use their judgment to put the techniques
together to foster positive change. Helping trainees keep this overarching goal in mind
while reviewing therapy sessions is a valuable feature of supervision that is difficult to
obtain otherwise (Hatcher, 2015).
It is also important that deliberate practice occurs within a context of broader DBT
training. The DBT supervision model takes into account the inherently challenging
nature of the therapeutic work with the client populations DBT is typically applied to
(Waltz et al., 1998). As noted in Chapter 1, training should be combined with theoretical
learning and observation of competent DBT psychotherapists, as well as personal thera-
peutic work with clients. Trainees learning DBT generally receive individual supervision
that includes some form of observation (e.g., audio, videotape, or live supervision).
In addition, the DBT model encourages therapists at all stages of learning to participate on
a consultation team, as doing the therapy effectively with complex client populations is
How to Get the Most Out of Deliberate Practice 179

near to impossible without the support and guidance of a consultation team. When the
trainer or trainee determines that the trainee is having difficulty acquiring DBT skills, it
is important to carefully assess what is missing or needed. Assessment can then lead
to the appropriate solution, as the trainer and trainee collaboratively determine what
is needed to solve the identified problem (similar to how we might approach solution
analysis with a DBT client).

Being Mindful of Trainee Well-Being

Although negative effects that some clients experience in psychotherapy have been
well documented (Barlow, 2010), negative effects of training and supervision on trainees
has received less attention (Ellis et al., 2014). DBT supervision, like the treatment itself,
aims to create an accepting and safe context that encourages and supports the trainee
in delivering the most effective treatment possible (Fruzzetti et al., 1997). A general
approach to DBT supervision is to try to achieve and maintain the fundamental dialec-
tical balance between acceptance and change. The supervisor does this by working to
understand and validate the supervisee’s experience. At the same time, the supervisor
may function as a coach, giving directions, providing feedback on performance, and
encouraging the therapist to persist at trying difficult things (Waltz et al., 1998).
To support strong self-efficacy, trainers must ensure that trainees are practicing at
a correct difficulty level. The exercises in this book feature guidance for frequently
assessing and adjusting the difficulty level, so trainees can rehearse at a level that
precisely targets their personal skill threshold. Trainers and supervisors must be mindful
to provide an appropriate challenge. One risk to trainees that is particularly pertinent
to this book occurs when using role-plays that are too difficult. The Deliberate Prac-
tice Reaction Form in Appendix A is provided to help trainers ensure that role-plays
are done at an appropriate challenge level. Trainers or trainees may be tempted to
skip the difficulty assessments and adjustments, out of their motivation to focus on
rehearsal to make fast progress and quickly acquire skills. But across all our test sites,
we found that skipping the difficulty assessments and adjustments caused more prob-
lems and hindered skill acquisition more than any other error. Thus, trainers are advised
to remember that one of their most important responsibilities is to remind trainees to
do the difficulty assessments and adjustments.
Additionally, the Reaction Form serves a dual purpose of helping trainees develop
the important skills of self-monitoring and self-awareness (Bennett-Levy & Finlay-Jones,
2018). This will help trainees adopt a positive and empowered stance regarding their
own self-care and should facilitate career-long professional development.

Respecting Trainee Privacy

The deliberate practice exercises in this book may stir up complex or uncomfortable
personal reactions within trainees, including, for example, memories of past traumas.
Exploring psychological and emotional reactions may make some trainees feel vulner-
able. Therapists of every career stage, from trainees to seasoned therapists with decades
of experience, commonly experience shame, embarrassment, and self-doubt in this
process. Although these experiences can be valuable for building trainees’ self-awareness,
it is important that training remain focused on professional skill development and not blur
180 Strategies for Enhancing the Deliberate Practice Exercises

into personal therapy (e.g., Ellis et al., 2014). Therefore, one trainer role is to remind
trainees to maintain appropriate boundaries.
Trainees must have the final say about what to disclose or not disclose to their
trainer. Trainees should keep in mind that the goal is for the trainee to expand their
own self-awareness and psychological capacity to stay active and helpful while experi-
encing uncomfortable reactions. The trainer does not need to know the specific details
about the trainee’s inner world for this to happen.
Trainees should be instructed to share only personal information that they feel comfort-
able sharing. The Reaction Form and difficulty assessment process are designed to help
trainees build their self-awareness while retaining control over their privacy. Trainees can
be reminded that the goal is for them to learn about their own inner world. They do not
necessarily have to share that information with trainers or peers (Bennett-Levy & Finlay-
Jones, 2018). Likewise, trainees should be instructed to respect the confidentiality of
their peers.

Trainer Self-Evaluation

The exercises in this book were tested at a wide range of training sites around the world,
including graduate courses, practicum sites, and private practice offices. Although
trainers reported that the exercises were highly effective for training, some also said
that they felt disoriented by how different deliberate practice feels compared with their
traditional methods of clinical education. Many felt comfortable evaluating their trainees’
performance but were less sure about their own performance as trainers.
The most common concern we heard from trainers was, “My trainees are doing
great, but I’m not sure if I am doing this correctly!” To address this concern, we recom-
mend trainers perform periodic self-evaluations using the following five criteria:

1. Observe trainees’ work performance.

2. Provide continual corrective feedback.
3. Ensure rehearsal of specific skills is just beyond the trainees’ current ability.
4. Ensure that the trainee is practicing at the right difficulty level (neither too easy nor
too challenging).
5. Continuously assess trainee performance with real clients.

Criterion 1: Observe Trainees’ Work Performance

Determining how well we are doing as trainers means first having valid information
about how well trainees are responding to training. This requires that we directly observe
trainees practicing skills to provide corrective feedback and evaluation. One risk of
deliberate practice is that trainees gain competence in performing therapy skills in role-
plays but those skills do not transfer to trainees’ work with real clients. Thus, trainers
will ideally also have the opportunity to observe samples of trainees’ work with real
clients, either live or via recorded video. Supervisors and consultants rely heavily—
and, too often, exclusively—on supervisees’ and consultees’ narrative accounts of their
work with clients (Goodyear & Nelson, 1997). Haggerty and Hilsenroth (2011) described
this challenge:

Suppose a loved one has to undergo surgery and you need to choose between
two surgeons, one of whom has never been directly observed by an experi-
enced surgeon while performing any surgery. He or she would perform the
How to Get the Most Out of Deliberate Practice 181

surgery and return to his or her attending physician and try to recall, some-
times incompletely or inaccurately, the intricate steps of the surgery they just
performed. It is hard to imagine that anyone, given a choice, would prefer this
over a professional who has been routinely observed in the practice of their
craft. (p. 193)

Criterion 2: Provide Continual Corrective Feedback

Trainees need corrective feedback to learn what they are doing well, what they are
doing poorly, and how to improve their skills. Feedback should be as specific and incre-
mental as possible. Examples of specific feedback are, “Your voice sounds rushed. Try
slowing down by pausing for a few seconds between your statements to the client,”
and, “That’s excellent how you are making eye contact with the client.” Examples of
vague and nonspecific feedback are, “Try to build better rapport with the client,” and,
“Try to be more open to the client’s feelings.”

Criterion 3: Specific Skill Rehearsal Just Beyond the Trainees’ Current Ability
(Zone of Proximal Development)

Deliberate practice emphasizes skill acquisition via behavioral rehearsal. Trainers should
endeavor not to get caught up in client conceptualization at the expense of focusing on
skills. For many trainers, this requires significant discipline and self-restraint. It is simply
more enjoyable to talk about psychotherapy theory (e.g., case conceptualization,
treatment planning, nuances of psychotherapy models, similar cases the supervisor has
had) than watch trainees rehearse skills. Trainees have many questions and supervisors
have an abundance of experience; the allotted supervision time can easily be filled by
sharing knowledge. The supervisor gets to sound smart, while the trainee doesn’t have
to struggle with acquiring skills at their learning edge. While answering questions is
important, trainees’ intellectual knowledge about psychotherapy can quickly surpass
their procedural ability to perform psychotherapy, particularly with clients they find
challenging. Here’s a simple rule of thumb: The trainer provides the knowledge, but the
behavioral rehearsal provides the skill (Rousmaniere, 2019).

Criterion 4: Practice at the Right Difficulty Level (Neither Too Easy

nor Too Challenging)

Deliberate practice involves optimal strain: practicing skills just beyond the trainee’s current
skill threshold so they can learn incrementally without becoming overwhelmed (Ericsson,
2006). Trainers should use difficulty assessments and adjustments throughout deliberate
practice to ensure that trainees are practicing at the right difficulty level. Note that some
trainees are surprised by their unpleasant reactions to exercises (e.g., disassociation,
nausea, blanking out) and may be tempted to “push through” exercises that are too hard.
This can happen out of fear of failing a course, fear of being judged as incompetent, or
negative self-impressions by the trainee (e.g., “This shouldn’t be so hard”). Trainers should
normalize the fact that there will be wide variation in perceived difficulty of the exercises
and encourage trainees to respect their own personal training process.

Criterion 5: Continuously Assess Trainee Performance With Real Clients

The goal of deliberately practicing psychotherapy skills is to improve trainees’ effec-

tiveness at helping real clients. One of the risks in deliberate practice training is that the
benefits will not generalize: Trainees’ acquired competence in specific skills may not
182 Strategies for Enhancing the Deliberate Practice Exercises

translate into work with real clients. Thus, it is important that trainers assess the impact
of deliberate practice on trainees’ work with real clients. Ideally, this is done through
triangulation of multiple data points:

1. Client data (verbal self-report and routine outcome monitoring data)

2. Supervisor’s report
3. Trainee’s self-report

If the trainee’s effectiveness with real clients is not improving after deliberate practice,
the trainer should do a careful assessment of the difficulty. If the supervisor or trainer feels
it is a skill acquisition issues, they may want to consider adjusting the deliberate practice
routine to better suit the trainee’s learning needs and/or style.
Therapists have traditionally been evaluated from a lens of process accountability
(Markman & Tetlock, 2000; see also Goodyear, 2015), which focuses on demonstrating
specific behaviors (e.g., fidelity to a treatment model) without regard to the impact on
clients. We propose that clinical effectiveness is better assessed through a lens tightly
focused on client outcomes and that learning objectives shift from performing behaviors
that experts have decided are effective (i.e., the competence model) to highly individ-
ualized behavioral goals tailored to each trainee’s zone of proximal development and
performance feedback. This model of assessment has been termed outcome account-
ability (Goodyear, 2015), which focuses on client changes, rather than therapist compe-
tence, independent of how the therapist might be performing expected tasks.

Guidance for Trainees

The central theme of this book has been that skill rehearsal is not automatically helpful.
Deliberate practice must be done well for trainees to benefit (Ericsson & Pool, 2016). In
this chapter and in the exercises, we offer guidance for effective deliberate practice.
We would also like to provide additional advice specifically for trainees. That advice is
drawn from what we have learned at our volunteer deliberate practice test sites around
the world. We cover how to discover your own training process, active effort, playful-
ness and taking breaks during deliberate practice, your right to control your self-disclosure
to trainers, monitoring training results, monitoring complex reactions toward the trainer,
and your own personal therapy.

Individualized DBT Training: Finding Your Zone of Proximal Development

Deliberate practice works best when training targets each trainee’s personal skill thresh-
olds. Also termed the zone of proximal development, a term first coined by Vygotsky
in reference to developmental learning theory (Zaretskii, 2009), this is the area just
beyond the trainee’s current ability, but which is possible to reach with the assistance
of a teacher or coach (Wass & Golding, 2014). If a deliberate practice exercise is
either too easy or too hard, the trainee will not benefit. To maximize training produc-
tivity, elite performers follow a “challenging but not overwhelming” principle: Tasks
that are too far beyond their capacity will prove ineffective and even harmful; it is
equally true that mindlessly repeating what they already can do confidently will prove
equally fruitless. Because of this, deliberate practice requires ongoing assessment of
the trainee’s current skill and concurrent difficulty adjustment to consistently target a
“good enough” challenge. Thus, if you are practicing Exercise 11, “Promoting Dialectical
Thinking Through Both–And Statements” and it just feels too difficult, consider moving
How to Get the Most Out of Deliberate Practice 183

back to a more comfortable skill, such as validation (Exercise 2) or problem assessment

(Exercise 4), that you may feel you have already mastered.

Active Effort

It is important for trainees to maintain an active and sustained effort while doing the
deliberate practice exercises in this book. Deliberate practice helps when trainees push
themselves up to and past their current ability. This is best achieved when trainees take
ownership of their own practice by guiding their training partners to adjust role-plays
to be as high on the difficulty scale as possible without hurting themselves. This will
look different for every trainee. Although it can feel uncomfortable or even frightening,
this is the zone of proximal development where the most gains can be made. Simply
reading and repeating the written scripts will provide little or no benefit. Trainees are
advised to remember that their effort from training should lead to more confidence and
comfort in session with real clients.

Stay the Course: Effort Versus Flow

Deliberate practice only works if trainees push themselves hard enough to break out
of their old patterns of performance, which then permits growth of new skills (Ericsson
& Pool, 2016). Because deliberate practice constantly focuses on the current edge of
one’s performance capacity, it is inevitably a straining endeavor. Indeed, professionals are
unlikely to make lasting performance improvements unless there is sufficient engage-
ment in tasks that are just at the edge of one’s current capacity (Ericsson, 2003, 2006).
From athletics or fitness training, many of us are familiar with this process of being
pushed out of our comfort zones, followed by adaptation. The same process applies to
our mental and emotional abilities.
Many trainees might feel surprised to discover that deliberate practice for DBT feels
harder than psychotherapy with a real client. This may be because when working with
a real client, a therapist can get into a state of flow (Csikszentmihalyi, 1997), where work
feels effortless. It is not uncommon for beginner DBT trainees to feel more comfortable
with either validation strategies or change strategies: It is difficult at the beginning to
focus continually on balancing acceptance and change. At times, DBT trainees may
feel overwhelmed by the task of weaving these strategies seamlessly, and this can
lead to feelings of ineffectiveness. In such cases, DBT trainees can consider returning
temporarily to offering response formats with which they are more familiar and feel
more proficient (e.g., focusing simply on providing validating), to increase a sense of
confidence and mastery before trying once again to practice more complex skills.

Discover Your Own Training Process

The effectiveness of deliberate practice is directly related to the effort and ownership
trainees exert while doing the exercises. Trainers can provide guidance, but it is important
for trainees to learn about their own idiosyncratic training processes over time. This will
let them become masters of their own training and prepare for a career-long process
of professional development. The following are a few examples of personal training
processes trainees discovered while engaging in deliberate practice:

• One trainee noticed that she is good at persisting while an exercise is challenging but
also that she requires more rehearsal than other trainees to feel comfortable with a
new skill. This trainee focused on developing patience with her own pace of progress.
184 Strategies for Enhancing the Deliberate Practice Exercises

• One trainee noticed that he could acquire new skills rather quickly, with only a
few repetitions. However, he also noticed that his reactions to evocative client
statements could jump very quickly and unpredictably from the “good challenge” to
“too hard” categories, so he needed to carefully attend to the reactions listed in the
Deliberate Practice Reaction Form.

• One trainee described herself as “perfectionistic” and felt a strong urge to “push
through” an exercise even when she had anxiety reactions in the “too hard” category,
such as nausea and disassociation. This caused the trainee not to benefit from
the exercises and risk getting demoralized. This trainee focused on going slower,
developing self-compassion regarding her anxiety reactions, and asking her training
partners to make role-plays less challenging.

Trainees are encouraged to reflect deeply on their own experiences using the exer-
cises to learn the most about themselves and their personal learning processes.

Playfulness and Taking Breaks

Psychotherapy is serious work that often involves painful feelings. However, practicing
psychotherapy can be playful and fun (Scott Miller, personal communication, 2017).
Trainees should remember that one of the main goals of deliberate practice is to exper-
iment with different approaches and styles of therapy. If deliberate practice ever feels
rote, boring, or routine, it probably isn’t going to help advance trainees’ skill. In this
case, trainees should try to liven it up. A good way to do this is to introduce an atmo-
sphere of playfulness. For example, trainees can do the following:

• Use different vocal tones, speech pacing, body gestures, or other languages. This
can expand trainees’ communication range.

• Practice while standing up or walking around outside. This can help trainees get new
perspectives on the process of therapy.

The supervisor can also ask trainees if they would like to take a 5- to 10-minute break
between questions, particularly if the trainees are dealing with difficult emotions and
are feeling overwhelmed or stressed out.

Additional Deliberate Practice Opportunities

This book focuses on deliberate practice methods that involve active, live engage-
ment between trainees and a supervisor. Importantly, deliberate practice can extend
beyond these focused training sessions and be used for homework. For example,
a trainee might read the client stimuli quietly or aloud and practice their responses
independently between sessions with a supervisor. In such cases, it is important for the
trainee to say their therapist responses aloud, rather than rehearse silently in one’s head.
Alternatively, two trainees can practice as a pair, without the supervisor. Although the
absence of a supervisor limits one source of feedback, the peer trainee who is playing
the client can perform this role, as they can when a supervisor is present. Importantly,
these additional deliberate practice opportunities are intended to take place between
focused training sessions with a supervisor. To optimize the quality of the deliberate
practice when conducted independently or without a supervisor, we have developed
a Deliberate Practice Diary Form that can be found in Appendix B or downloaded from
https://www.apa.org/pubs/books/deliberate-practice-dialectical-behavior-therapy
(see the “Clinician and Practitioner Resources” tab). This form provides a template for
the trainee to record their experience of the deliberate practice activity, and, ideally,
How to Get the Most Out of Deliberate Practice 185

it will aid in the consolidation of learning. This form can be used as part of the evalua-
tion process with the supervisor, but it is not necessarily intended for that purpose, and
trainees are certainly welcome to bring their experience with the independent practice
into the next meeting with the supervisor.

Monitoring Training Results

While trainers will evaluate trainees using a competency-focused model, trainees are
also encouraged to take ownership of their own training process and look for results
of deliberate practice themselves. Trainees should experience the results of deliberate
practice within a few training sessions. A lack of results can be demoralizing for trainees
and can result in trainees applying less effort and focus in deliberate practice. Trainees
who are not seeing results should openly discuss this problem with their trainer and
experiment with adjusting their deliberate practice process. Results can include client
outcomes and improving the trainee’s own work as a therapist, their personal develop-
ment, and their overall training.

Client Outcomes

The most important result of deliberate practice is an improvement in trainees’ client

outcomes. This can be assessed via routine outcome measurement (Lambert, 2010;
Prescott et al., 2017), qualitative data (McLeod, 2017), and informal discussions with clients.
However, trainees should note that an improvement in client outcome due to deliberate
practice can sometimes be challenging to achieve quickly, given that the largest amount
of variance in client outcome is due to client variables (Bohart & Wade, 2013). For example,
a client with severe chronic symptoms may not respond quickly to any treatment, regard-
less of how effectively a trainee practices. For some clients, an increase in patience and
self-compassion regarding their symptoms, rather than an immediate decrease in symp-
toms, may be a sign of progress. Thus, trainees are advised to keep their expectations for
client change realistic in the context of their client’s symptoms, history, and presentation.
It is important that trainees do not try to force their clients to improve in therapy for the
trainee to feel like they are making progress in their training (Rousmaniere, 2016).

Trainee’s Work as a Therapist

One important result of deliberate practice is change within the trainee regarding their
work with clients. For example, trainees at test sites reported feeling more comfort-
able sitting with evocative clients, more confident addressing uncomfortable topics in
therapy, and more responsive to a broader range of clients.

Trainee’s Personal Development

Another important result of deliberate practice is personal growth within the trainee.
For example, trainees at test sites reported becoming more in touch with their own
feelings, increased self-compassion, and enhanced motivation to work with a broader
range of clients.

Trainee’s Training Process

Another valuable result of deliberate practice is improvement in the trainees’ training

process. For example, trainees at test sites reported becoming more aware of their
personal training style, preferences, strengths, and challenges. Over time, trainees
186 Strategies for Enhancing the Deliberate Practice Exercises

should grow to feel more ownership of their training process. Training to be a psycho-
therapist is a complex process that occurs over many years. Experienced, expert ther-
apists still report continuing to grow well beyond their graduate school years (Orlinsky
et al., 2005). Furthermore, training is not a linear process. It is not uncommon for psycho-
therapists to feel they have mastered a set of skills with one client, only to be confronted
with new challenges and the need for further skill development with different clients or
in different clinical situations.

The Trainee–Trainer Alliance: Monitoring Complex Reactions

Toward the Trainer

Trainees who engage in hard deliberate practice often report experiencing complex
feelings towards their trainer. For example, one trainee said, “I know this is helping,
but I also don’t look forward to it!” Another trainee reported feeling both appreciation
and frustration simultaneously toward her trainer. Trainees are advised to remember
intensive training they have done in other fields, such as athletics or music. When a
coach pushes a trainee to the edge of their ability, it is common for trainees to have
complex reactions toward them.
This does not necessarily mean that the trainer is doing anything wrong. In fact,
intensive training inevitably stirs up reactions toward the trainer, such as frustration,
annoyance, disappointment, or anger, that coexist with the appreciation they feel. In
fact, if trainees do not experience complex reactions, it is worth considering whether
the deliberate practice is sufficiently challenging. But what we asserted earlier about
rights to privacy apply here as well. Because professional mental health training is hier-
archical and evaluative, trainers should not require or even expect trainees to share
complex reactions they may be experiencing toward them. Trainers should stay open
to their sharing, but the choice always remains with the trainee.

Trainee’s Own Therapy

When engaging in deliberate practice, many trainees discover aspects of their inner
world that may benefit from attending their own psychotherapy. For example, one
trainee discovered that her clients’ anger stirred up her own painful memories of abuse,
another trainee found himself dissociating while practicing information exposure to
emotions, and another trainee experienced overwhelming shame and self-judgment
when she couldn’t master skills after just a few repetitions.
Although these discoveries were unnerving at first, they were ultimately beneficial
because they motivated the trainees to seek out their own therapy. Many therapists
attend their own therapy. In fact, Norcross and Guy (2005) found in their review of
17 studies that about 75% of the more than 8,000 therapist participants have attended
their own therapy. Orlinsky et al. (2005) found that more than 90% of therapists who
attended their own therapy reported it as helpful.

QUESTIONS FOR TRAINEES

1. Are you balancing the effort to improve your skills with patience and self-
compassion for your learning process?
2. Are you attending to any shame or self-judgment that arising from training?
3. Are you being mindful of your personal boundaries and also respecting any
complex feelings you may have toward your trainers?
 APPENDIX

Difficulty Assessments
and Adjustments A
Deliberate practice works best if the exercises are performed at a good challenge that is
neither too hard nor too easy. To ensure that they are practicing at the correct difficulty,
trainees should do a difficulty assessment and adjustment after each level of client state-
ment is completed (beginner, intermediate, and advanced). To do this, use the following
instructions and the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form (Figure A.1), which is also avail-
able in the “Clinician and Practitioner Resources” tab at https://www.apa.org/pubs/
books/deliberate-practice-dialectical-behavior-therapy. Do not skip this process!

How to Assess Difficulty

The therapist completes the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form (Figure A.1). If they

• rate the difficulty of the exercise above an 8 or had any of the reactions in the “Too
Hard” column, follow the instructions to make the exercise easier;

• rate the difficulty of the exercise below a 4 or didn’t have any of the reactions in the
“Good Challenge” column, proceed to the next level of harder client statements or
follow the instructions to make exercise harder; or

• rate the difficulty of the exercise between 4 and 8 and have at least one reaction in
the “Good Challenge” column, do not proceed to the harder client statements but
rather repeat the same level.

Making Client Statements Easier

If the therapist ever rates the difficulty of the exercise above an 8 or has any of the
reactions in the “Too Hard” column, use the next level easier client statements (e.g., if
you were using advanced client statements, switch to intermediate). But if you already
were using beginner client statements, use the following methods to make the client
statements even easier:

• The person playing the client can use the same beginner client statements but this
time in a softer, calmer voice and with a smile. This softens the emotional tone.

189
190 Appendix A

FIGURE A.1. Deliberate Practice Reaction Form

Question 1: How challenging was it to fulfill the skill criteria for this exercise?

Question 2: Did you have any reactions in “good challenge” or “too hard” categories? (yes/no)
Good Challenge Too Hard
Emotions and Thoughts Body Reactions Urges Emotions and Thoughts Body Reactions Urges

Severe or Migraines, dizziness,

Manageable shame, Body tension, sighs,
Looking away, overwhelming foggy thinking, diarrhea, Shutting
self-judgment, shallow breathing,
withdrawing, shame, self- disassociation, down,
irritation, anger, increased heart rate,
changing focus judgment, rage, numbness, blanking out, giving up
sadness, etc. warmth, dry mouth
grief, guilt, etc. nausea, etc.

Too Easy Good Challenge Too Hard

Proceed to next Repeat the same Go back to previous

difficulty level difficulty level difficulty level
Note. Reprinted from Deliberate Practice in Emotion-Focused Therapy (p. 180), by R. N. Goldman, A. Vaz, and T. Rousmaniere, 2021, American
Psychological Association (https://doi.org/10.1037/0000227-000). Copyright 2021 by the American Psychological Association.

• The client can improvise with topics that are less evocative or make the therapist
more comfortable, such as talking about topics without expressing feelings,
the future/past (avoiding the here and now), or any topic outside therapy (see
Figure A.2).

• The therapist can take a short break (5–10 minutes) between questions.

• The trainer can expand the “feedback phase” by discussing dialectical behavior
therapy or psychotherapy theory and research. This should shift the trainees’ focus
toward more detached or intellectual topics and reduce the emotional intensity.

Making Client Statements Harder

If the therapist rates the difficulty of the exercise below a 4 or didn’t have any of the
reactions in the “Good Challenge” column, proceed to next level harder client state-
ments. If you were already using the advanced client statements, the client should
make the exercise even harder, using the following guidelines:
Appendix A 191

FIGURE A.2. How to Make Client Statements Easier or Harder in Role-Plays

Talking about
events in the
future/past, or
LEAST outside therapy
EVOCATIVE
(EASIER)

Talking about Expressing

anything without strong feelings
expressing feelings while talking
(content) (affect)

MOST
Talking about
EVOCATIVE
here and now,
(HARDER)
therapy, or
therapist

Note. Figure created by Jason Whipple, PhD.

• The person playing the client can use the advanced client statements again with a
more distressed voice (e.g., very angry, sad, sarcastic) or unpleasant facial expres-
sion. This should increase the emotional tone.

• The client can improvise new client statements with topics that are more evocative
or make the therapist uncomfortable, such as expressing strong feelings or talking
about the here and now, therapy, or the therapist (see Figure A.2).

Note. The purpose of a deliberate practice session is not to get through all the
client statements and therapist responses but rather to spend as much time as
possible practicing at the correct difficulty level. This may mean that trainees
repeat the same statements or responses many times, which is OK, as long
as the difficulty remains at the “good challenge” level.
 APPENDIX

Deliberate Practice Diary Form B

This book focuses on deliberate practice methods that involve active, live engage-
ment between trainees and a supervisor. Importantly, deliberate practice can extend
beyond these focused training sessions. For example, a trainee might read the client
stimuli quietly or aloud and practice their responses independently between sessions
with a supervisor. In such cases, it is important for the trainee to speak aloud rather
than rehearse silently in one’s head. Alternatively, two trainees can practice without
the supervisor. Although the absence of a supervisor limits one source of feedback, the
peer trainee who is playing the client can serve this role, as they can when a supervisor
is present. Importantly, these additional deliberate practice opportunities are intended to
take place between focused training sessions with a supervisor. To optimize the quality
of the deliberate practice when conducted independently or without a supervisor, we
have developed a Deliberate Practice Diary Form that can also be downloaded from
the “Clinician and Practitioner Resources” tab at https://www.apa.org/pubs/books/
deliberate-practice-dialectical-behavior-therapy. This form provides a template for the
trainee to record their experience of the deliberate practice activity and, hopefully, will
aid in the consolidation of learning. This form can also be used as part of the evaluation
process with the supervisor but is not necessarily intended for that purpose, and trainees
are certainly welcome to bring their experience with the independent practice into the
next meeting with the supervisor.

193
194 Appendix B

Deliberate Practice Diary Form

Use this form to consolidate learnings from the deliberate practice exercises. Please
protect your personal boundaries by only sharing information that you are comfortable
disclosing.

Name: Date:
Exercise:

Question 1. What was helpful or worked well this deliberate practice session? In what way?

Question 2. What was unhelpful or didn’t go well this deliberate practice session? In
what way?

Question 3. What did you learn about yourself, your current skills, and skills you’d like
to keep improving? Feel free to share any details, but only those you are comfortable
disclosing.
 APPENDIX

C
Sample Dialectical Behavior
Therapy Syllabus With Embedded
Deliberate Practice Exercises

This appendix provides a sample one-semester, three-unit course dedicated to teach-

ing dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). This course is appropriate for graduate students
(masters and doctoral) at all levels of training, including first-year students who have not
yet worked with clients. If offering a full DBT course is not possible, aspects of the sylla-
bus and associated exercises can be adapted for use in other courses, practica, didactic
training events at externships and internships, workshops, and continuing education for
postgraduate therapists.

Course Title: Dialectical Behavior Therapy: Theory, Case Formulation, and Deliberate
Practice

Course Description

This course teaches theory, principles, and core clinical skills of DBT. As a course with
both didactic and practicum elements, it will review the theory and research on DBT,
frameworks used to formulate and understand client problems, and the use of delib-
erate practice to enable students to acquire 12 key DBT skills.

Course Objectives

Students who complete this course will be able to do the following:

1. Describe the core theory, research, and skills of DBT

2. Apply the principles of deliberate practice for career-long clinical skill development
3. Demonstrate key DBT skills
4. Evaluate how they can fit DBT skills into their developing therapeutic framework
5. Employ DBT with clients from diverse cultural backgrounds

Format of Class

Classes are 3 hours long. Course time is split evenly between learning DBT theory (lecture/
discussion) and acquiring DBT skills (DBT skills lab):
Lecture/Discussion Class: Each week, there will be one lecture/discussion class for
1.5 hours focusing on DBT theory and related research.

197
198 Appendix C

Date Lecture and Discussion Skills Lab Readings

Week Introduction to dialectical behavior Introduction to principles of Chapman and Wilks (in press); McMain et al.
1 therapy (DBT): history, theory, and deliberate practice (2019); Sonley et al. (in press); Swenson
research; case formulation in DBT (in press)
Week Developing a DBT working alliance; Exercise 1: Establishing a Boritz et al. (2023); Heard and Swales (2016,
2 establishing a session agenda Session Agenda Chapter 2); Rizvi (2011)
Week Validation skills Exercise 2: Validation Koerner and Linehan (2003); Linehan (1997)
3
Week Learning principles; reinforcing adaptive Exercise 3: Reinforcing Chapman (2018); Heard and Swales (2016,
4 behaviors Adaptive Behaviors Chapter 1)
Week Problem assessment; behavioral chain Exercise 4: Problem Landes (2018, pp. 259–273)
5 analysis Assessment
Week Commitment strategies Exercise 5: Eliciting a Pederson (2015, Chapter 15)
6 Commitment
Week Midterm paper due, self-evaluation, skill Exercise 14: Mock sessions No readings
7 coaching feedback (beginner profiles)
Week Problem solving; solution analysis Exercise 6: Inviting the Client Heard and Swales (2016, Chapter 4);
8 to Engage in Problem Solving Landes (2018, pp. 273–282)
Week DBT skills training Exercise 7: Skills Training Heard and Swales (2016, Chapter 5);
9 Swales and Dunkley (2020)
Week Modifying cognitions Exercise 8: Modifying Heard and Swales (2016, Chapter 7)
10 Cognitions
Week Informal exposure to emotion Exercise 9: Informal Exposure McMain et al. (2001)
11 to Emotions
Week Coaching clients in distress Exercise 10: Coaching Clients Linehan and Schmidt (1995)
12 in Distress
Week Dialectical strategies Exercise 11: Promoting Chapman (2019)
13 Dialectical Thinking Through
Both–And Statements
Week Responding to suicidal ideation Exercise 12: Responding to Linehan (2016); Mehlum (2018)
14 Suicidal Ideation
Week Final paper due, final exam, self-evaluation, Exercise 14: Mock sessions Annotated therapy transcript (Exercise 13)
15 skill coaching feedback (intermediate and advanced
profiles)
Appendix C 199

DBT Skills Lab: Each week there will be one DBT skills lab for 1.5 hours. Skills labs
are for practicing DBT skills using the exercises in this book. The exercises use therapy
simulations (role-plays) with the following goals:

1. Build trainees’ skill and confidence for using DBT skills with real clients
2. Provide a safe space for experimenting with different therapeutic interventions,
without fear of making mistakes
3. Provide plenty of opportunity to explore and “try on” different styles of therapy, so
trainees can ultimately discover their own personal, unique therapy style

Mock Sessions: Twice in the semester (Weeks 7 and 15), trainees will do a psycho-
therapy mock session in the DBT skills lab. In contrast to highly structured and repetitive
deliberate practice exercises, a psychotherapy mock session is an unstructured and
improvised role-played therapy session. Mock sessions allow trainees to

1. practice using DBT skills responsively,

2. experiment with clinical decision making in an unscripted context,
3. discover their personal therapeutic style, and
4. build endurance for working with real clients.

Homework

Homework will be assigned each week and will include reading, 1 hour of skills practice
with an assigned practice partner, and occasional writing assignments. For the skills
practice homework, trainees will repeat the exercise they did for that week’s DBT skills
lab. Because the instructor will not be there to evaluate performance, trainees should
instead complete the Deliberate Practice Reaction Form, as well as the Deliberate Practice
Diary Form, for themselves as a self-evaluation.

Writing Assignments

Students are to write two papers: one due at midterm and one due on the last day of
class. The first paper will explore one aspect of DBT theory or the empirical literature
on DBT. The second paper will involve the completion of a DBT case formulation and
treatment plan.

Multicultural Orientation

Throughout this course, students are encouraged to reflect on their own cultural identity
and improve their ability to attune with their clients’ cultural identities. In this course,
students will be expected to practice within a multicultural orientation that considers
cultural safety and cultural humility. For further guidance on this topic and deliberate
practice exercises to improve multicultural skills, see the forthcoming book Deliberate
Practice in Multicultural Therapy (Harris et al., 2022).

Vulnerability, Privacy, and Boundaries

This course is aimed at developing DBT skills (including self-awareness and interpersonal
skills) in an experiential framework relevant to clinical work. This course is not psycho-
therapy or a substitute for psychotherapy: When engaging in role-playing or experiential
exercises, students should consider the level of self-disclosure that is appropriate to
the context, personally comfortable, and effective for their own learning and that of their
classmates. Students are not evaluated on the level of personal material they choose to
reveal in the class.
200 Appendix C

In accordance with the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct

(American Psychological Association, 2017), students are not required to disclose
personal information. Because this class is about developing both interpersonal and DBT
competence, following are some important points so that students are fully informed as
they make choices to self-disclose:

• Students choose how much, when, and what to disclose. Students are not penalized
for the choice not to share personal information.

• The learning environment is susceptible to group dynamics much like any other
group space, and therefore students may be asked to share their observations and
experiences of the class environment with the singular goal of fostering a more
inclusive and productive learning environment.

Confidentiality

To create a safe learning environment that is respectful of client and therapist informa-
tion and diversity and to foster open and vulnerable conversation in class, students are
required to agree to strict confidentiality within and outside of the instruction setting.

Evaluation

Self-Evaluation: At the end of the semester (Week 15), trainees will perform a self-
evaluation. This will help trainees track their progress and identify areas for further
development. The Guidance for Trainees section in Chapter 3 of Deliberate Practice
in Dialectical Behavior Therapy highlights potential areas of focus for self-evaluation.

Grading Criteria

Students will be evaluated on the level and quality of their performance in

• the lecture/discussion,
• the skills lab (exercises and mock sessions),
• midterm and final papers, and
• a final exam.

Required Readings
Boritz, T., Varma, S., Sonley, A., & McMain, S. F. (2023). Alliance rupture and repair in dialec-
tical behavior therapy for borderline personality disorder. In C. F. Eubanks, L. W. Samstag,
& J. C. Muran (Eds.), Rupture and repair in psychotherapy: A critical process for change
(pp. 141–164). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000306-007
Chapman, A. (2018). Behavioural foundations of DBT: Applying behavioural principles to the
challenge of suicidal behaviour and non-suicidal self-injury. In M. Swales (Ed.), The Oxford
handbook of dialectical behavior therapy (pp. 69–90). Oxford University Press.
Chapman, A. (2019). Phone coaching in dialectical behavior therapy. Guilford Press.
Chapman, A., & Wilks, C. (in press). Applications of dialectical behavior therapy. In G. Gabbard
(Ed.), Textbook of psychotherapeutic treatments (2nd ed.). American Psychiatric Publishing.
Heard, H. L., & Swales, M. A. (2016). Changing behavior in DBT: Problem solving in action.
Guilford Press.
Koerner, K., & Linehan, M. M. (2003). Validation principles and strategies. In W. O’Donohue,
J. E. Fisher, & S. C. Hayes (Eds.), Cognitive behavioral therapy (pp. 229–237). John Wiley
& Sons, Inc.
Appendix C 201

Landes, S. (2018). Conducting effective behavioural and solution analyses. In M. Swales (Ed.),
The Oxford handbook of dialectical behavior therapy (pp. 259–282). Oxford University Press.
Linehan, M. M. (1997). Validation and psychotherapy. In A. C. Bohart & L. S. Greenberg (Eds.),
Empathy reconsidered: New directions in psychotherapy (pp. 353–392). American Psycho-
logical Association.
Linehan, M. M. (2016). Linehan Risk Assessment and Management Protocol (LRAMP). https://
depts.washington.edu/uwbrtc/wp-content/uploads/LSSN-LRAMP-v1.0.pdf
Linehan, M. M., & Schmidt, H. III. (1995). The dialectics of effective treatment of borderline
personality disorder. In W. O’Donohue & L. Krasner (Eds.), Theories of behavior therapy:
Exploring behavior change (pp. 553–584). American Psychological Association. https://
doi.org/10.1037/10169-020
McMain, S., Korman, L. M., & Dimeff, L. (2001). Dialectical behavior therapy and the treatment
of emotion dysregulation. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57(2), 183–196. https://doi.org/
10.1002/1097-4679(200102)57:2%3C183::AID-JCLP5%3E3.0.CO;2-Y
McMain, S., Leybman, M., Boritz, T. (2019). Case formulation in dialectical behaviour therapy.
In U. Kramer (Ed.). Case formulation for personality disorders (pp. 1–18). Academic Press.
https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-813521-1.00001-1
Mehlum, L. (2018). DBT as a suicide and self-harm treatment: Assessing and treating suicidal
behaviours. In M. Swales (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of dialectical behavior therapy
(pp. 307–324). Oxford University Press.
Pederson, L. (2015). Dialectical behavior therapy: A contemporary guide for practitioners.
Wiley-Blackwell.
Rizvi, S. L. (2011). The therapeutic relationship in dialectical behavior therapy for suicidal
individuals. In K. Michel & D. A. Jobes (Eds.), Building a therapeutic alliance with the
suicidal patient (pp. 255–271). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/
10.1037/12303-014
Sonley, A., Boritz, T., & McMain, S. (in press). Applications of dialectical behavior therapy. In
G. Gabbard (Ed.), Textbook of psychotherapeutic treatments (2nd ed.). American Psychi-
atric Publishing.
Swales, M., & Dunkley, C. (2020). Principles of skills assessment in dialectical behavior therapy.
Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 27(1), 18–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpra.2019.05.001
Swenson, C. (in press). Applications of dialectical behavior therapy. In G. Gabbard (Ed.),
Textbook of psychotherapeutic treatments (2nd ed.). American Psychiatric Publishing.

Supplemental Readings
Dimeff, L., & Koerner, K. (2007). Dialectical behavior therapy in clinical practice: Applica-
tions across disorders and settings. Guilford Press.
Koerner, K. (2012). Doing dialectical behavior therapy: A practical guide. Guilford Press.
Linehan, M. M. (1993). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of borderline personality disorder.
Guilford Press.
Linehan, M. M. (2015). DBT skills training handouts and worksheets (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
Linehan, M. M. (2015). DBT skills training manual (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
Linehan, M. M., & Wilks, C. R. (2015). The course and evolution of dialectical behavior
therapy. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 69(2), 97–110. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.
psychotherapy.2015.69.2.97
Pryor, K. (1999). Don’t shoot the dog: The new art of teaching and training. Bantam Doubleday
Dell Publishing.
Ramnero, J., & Törneke, N. (2008). The ABCs of human behavior: Behavioral principles for the
practicing clinician. New Harbinger Publications.
Swales, M. (2018). The Oxford handbook of dialectical behavior therapy. Oxford University
Press.
Swenson, C. R. (2016). DBT principles in action: Acceptance, change, and dialectics. Guilford
Press.
 References

American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of

conduct (2002, Amended June 1, 2010, and January 1, 2017). https://www.apa.org/ethics/
code/
Anderson, T., Ogles, B. M., Patterson, C. L., Lambert, M. J., & Vermeersch, D. A. (2009). Thera-
pist effects: Facilitative interpersonal skills as a predictor of therapist success. Journal of
Clinical Psychology, 65(7), 755–768. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20583
Bailey, R. J., & Ogles, B. M. (2019, August 1). Common factors as a therapeutic approach: What
is required? Practice Innovations, 4(4), 241–254. https://doi.org/10.1037/pri0000100
Barlow, D. H. (2010). Negative effects from psychological treatments: A perspective. Amer-
ican Psychologist, 65(1), 13–20. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0015643
Bedics, J. D., Atkins, D. C., Comtois, K. A., & Linehan, M. M. (2012a). Treatment differences in
the therapeutic relationship and introject during a 2-year randomized controlled trial of
dialectical behavior therapy versus nonbehavioral psychotherapy experts for borderline
personality disorder. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 80(1), 66–77. https://
doi.org/10.1037/a0026113
Bedics, J. D., Atkins, D. C., Comtois, K. A., & Linehan, M. M. (2012b). Weekly therapist ratings
of the therapeutic relationship and patient introject during the course of dialectical
behavioral therapy for the treatment of borderline personality disorder. Psychotherapy:
Theory, Research, & Practice, 49(2), 231–240. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0028254
Bedics, J. D., Atkins, D. C., Harned, M. S., & Linehan, M. M. (2015). The therapeutic alliance as a
predictor of outcome in dialectical behavior therapy versus nonbehavioral psychotherapy
by experts for borderline personality disorder. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, & Practice,
52(1), 67–77. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0038457
Bennett-Levy, J., & Finlay-Jones, A. (2018). The role of personal practice in therapist skill devel-
opment: A model to guide therapists, educators, supervisors and researchers. Cognitive
Behaviour Therapy, 47(3), 185–205. https://doi.org/10.1080/16506073.2018.1434678
Bohart, A. C., & Wade, A. G. (2013). The client in psychotherapy. In M. J. Lambert (Ed.), Bergin
and Garfield’s handbook of psychotherapy and behavior change (5th ed., pp. 219–257).
John Wiley & Sons.
Boritz, T., Varma, S., Macaulay, C., & McMain, S. F. (2021). Alliance rupture and repair in early
sessions of dialectical behavior therapy: The case of Rachel. Journal of Clinical Psychology,
77(2), 441–456. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.23101
Boritz, T., Varma, S., Sonley, A., & McMain, S. F. (2023). Alliance rupture and repair in dialec-
tical behavior therapy for borderline personality disorder. In C. F. Eubanks, L. W. Samstag,
& J. C. Muran (Eds.), Rupture and repair in psychotherapy: A critical process for change
(pp. 141–164). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000306-007
Bugatti, M., & Boswell, J. F. (2016). Clinical errors as a lack of context responsiveness. Psycho-
therapy: Theory, Research, & Practice, 53(3), 262–267. https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000080

203
204 References

Castonguay, L. G., Goldfried, M. R., Wiser, S., Raue, P. J., & Hayes, A. M. (1996). Predicting the
effect of cognitive therapy for depression: A study of unique and common factors. Journal
of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64(3), 497–504. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-
006X.64.3.497
Chapman, A. (2018). Behavioural foundations of DBT: Applying behavioural principles to the
challenge of suicidal behaviour and non-suicidal self-injury. In M. Swales (Ed.), The Oxford
handbook of dialectical behavior therapy (pp. 69–90). Oxford University Press.
Chapman, A. (2019). Phone coaching in dialectical behavior therapy. Guilford Press.
Chapman, A., & Wilks, C. (in press). Applications of dialectical behavior therapy. In G. Gabbard
(Ed.), Textbook of psychotherapeutic treatments (2nd ed.). American Psychiatric Publishing.
Coker, J. (1990). How to practice jazz. Jamey Aebersold.
Cook, R. (2005). It’s about that time: Miles Davis on and off record. Atlantic Books.
Cristea, I. A., Gentili, C., Cotet, C. D., Palomba, D., Barbui, C., & Cuijpers, P. (2017). Efficacy of
psychotherapies for borderline personality disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
JAMA Psychiatry, 74(4), 319–328. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.4287
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1997). Finding flow: The psychology of engagement with everyday life.
Harper Collins.
Dimeff, L. A., Rizvi, S. L., & Koerner, K. (2021). Dialectical behavior therapy in clinical practice:
Applications across disorders and settings. Guilford Press.
Ellis, M. V., Berger, L., Hanus, A. E., Ayala, E. E., Swords, B. A., & Siembor, M. (2014). Inadequate
and harmful clinical supervision: Testing a revised framework and assessing occurrence.
The Counseling Psychologist, 42(4), 434–472. https://doi.org/10.1177/0011000013508656
Ericsson, K. A. (2003). Development of elite performance and deliberate practice: An update
from the perspective of the expert performance approach. In J. L. Starkes & K. A. Ericsson
(Eds.), Expert performance in sports: Advances in research on sport expertise (pp. 49–81).
Human Kinetics.
Ericsson, K. A. (2004). Deliberate practice and the acquisition and maintenance of expert
performance in medicine and related domains: Invited address. Academic Medicine,
79(10, Suppl.), S70–S81. https://doi.org/10.1097/00001888-200410001-00022
Ericsson, K. A. (2006). The influence of experience and deliberate practice on the devel-
opment of superior expert performance. In K. A. Ericsson, N. Charness, P. J. Feltovich, &
R. R. Hoffman (Eds.), The Cambridge handbook of expertise and expert performance
(pp. 683–703). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511816796.038
Ericsson, K. A., Hoffman, R. R., Kozbelt, A., & Williams, A. M. (Eds.). (2018). The Cambridge
handbook of expertise and expert performance (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316480748
Ericsson, K. A., Krampe, R. T., & Tesch-Römer, C. (1993). The role of deliberate practice in the
acquisition of expert performance. Psychological Review, 100(3), 363–406. https://doi.org/
10.1037/0033-295X.100.3.363
Ericsson, K. A., & Pool, R. (2016). Peak: Secrets from the new science of expertise. Houghton
Mifflin Harcourt.
Fisher, R. P., & Craik, F. I. M. (1977). Interaction between encoding and retrieval operations
in cued recall. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Learning and Memory, 3(6),
701–711. https://doi.org/10.1037/0278-7393.3.6.701
Fruzzetti, A. E., Waltz, J. A., & Linehan, M. M. (1997). Supervision in dialectical behavior therapy.
In C. E. Watkins, Jr. (Ed.), Handbook of psychotherapy supervision (pp. 84–100). Wiley.
Gladwell, M. (2008). Outliers: The story of success. Little, Brown & Company.
Goldberg, S., Rousmaniere, T. G., Miller, S. D., Whipple, J., Nielsen, S. L., Hoyt, W., & Wampold,
B. E. (2016). Do psychotherapists improve with time and experience? A longitudinal analysis
of outcomes in a clinical setting. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 63, 1–11. https://
doi.org/10.1037/cou0000131
Goldman, R. N., Vaz, A., & Rousmaniere, T. (2021). Deliberate practice in emotion-focused
therapy. American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000227-000
Goodyear, R. K. (2015). Using accountability mechanisms more intentionally: A framework
and its implications for training professional psychologists. American Psychologist, 70(8),
736–743. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0039828
References 205

Goodyear, R. K., & Nelson, M. L. (1997). The major formats of psychotherapy supervision.
In C. E. Watkins, Jr. (Ed.), Handbook of psychotherapy supervision (pp. 328–344). John
Wiley & Sons.
Haggerty, G., & Hilsenroth, M. J. (2011). The use of video in psychotherapy supervision. British
Journal of Psychotherapy, 27(2), 193–210. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-0118.2011.01232.x
Harris, J., Jin, J., Hoffman, S., Phan, S., Prout, T. A., Rousmaniere, T., & Vaz, A. (2022). Deliberate
practice in multicultural therapy [Manuscript in preparation]. American Psychological
Association.
Hatcher, R. L. (2015). Interpersonal competencies: Responsiveness, technique, and training in
psychotherapy. American Psychologist, 70(8), 747–757. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0039803
Heard, H. L., & Swales, M. A. (2016). Changing behavior in DBT: Problem solving in action.
Guilford Press.
Henry, W. P., Strupp, H. H., Butler, S. F., Schacht, T. E., & Binder, J. L. (1993). Effects of training in
time-limited dynamic psychotherapy: Changes in therapist behavior. Journal of Consulting
and Clinical Psychology, 61(3), 434–440. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.61.3.434
Hill, C. E., Kivlighan, D. M., III, Rousmaniere, T., Kivlighan, D. M., Jr., Gerstenblith, J. A., &
Hillman, J. W. (2020). Deliberate practice for the skill of immediacy: A multiple case study
of doctoral student therapists and clients. Psychotherapy, 57(4), 587–597. https://doi.org/
10.1037/pst0000247
Hill, C. E., & Knox, S. (2013). Training and supervision in psychotherapy: Evidence for effective
practice. In M. J. Lambert (Ed.), Handbook of psychotherapy and behavior change (6th ed.,
pp. 775–811). John Wiley & Sons.
Kendall, P. C., & Beidas, R. S. (2007). Smoothing the trail for dissemination of evidence-based
practices for youth: Flexibility within fidelity. Professional Psychology, Research and
Practice, 38(1), 13–19. https://doi.org/10.1037/0735-7028.38.1.13
Kendall, P. C., & Frank, H. E. (2018). Implementing evidence-based treatment protocols: Flexi-
bility within fidelity. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 25(4), e12271. https://
doi.org/10.1111/cpsp.12271
Koerner, K., & Linehan, M. M. (2003). Validation principles and strategies. In W. O’Donohue,
J. E. Fisher, & S. C. Hayes (Eds.), Cognitive behavioral therapy (pp. 229–237). John Wiley
& Sons, Inc.
Koziol, L. F., & Budding, D. E. (2012). Procedural learning. In N. M. Seel (Ed.), Encyclopedia of
the sciences of learning (pp. 2694–2696). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-
1428-6_670
Lambert, M. J. (2010). Yes, it is time for clinicians to monitor treatment outcome. In B. L.
Duncan, S. C. Miller, B. E. Wampold, & M. A. Hubble (Eds.), Heart and soul of change:
Delivering what works in therapy (2nd ed., pp. 239–266). American Psychological Asso-
ciation. https://doi.org/10.1037/12075-008
Landes, S. (2018). Conducting effective behavioural and solution analyses. In M. Swales (Ed.),
The Oxford handbook of dialectical behavior therapy (pp. 259–282). Oxford University Press.
Linehan, M. (1993a). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of borderline personality disorder. Guilford
Press.
Linehan, M. M. (1993b). Skills training manual for treating borderline personality disorder.
Guilford Press.
Linehan, M. M. (1997). Validation and psychotherapy. In A. C. Bohart & L. S. Greenberg (Eds.),
Empathy reconsidered: New directions in psychotherapy (pp. 353–392). American Psycho-
logical Association.
Linehan, M. M. (2016). Linehan Risk Assessment and Management Protocol (LRAMP). https://
depts.washington.edu/uwbrtc/wp-content/uploads/LSSN-LRAMP-v1.0.pdf
Linehan, M. M., & Schmidt, H. III. (1995). The dialectics of effective treatment of borderline
personality disorder. In W. O’Donohue & L. Krasner (Eds.), Theories of behavior therapy:
Exploring behavior change (pp. 553–584). American Psychological Association. https://
doi.org/10.1037/10169-020
Markman, K. D., & Tetlock, P. E. (2000). Accountability and close-call counterfactuals: The
loser who nearly won and the winner who nearly lost. Personality and Social Psychology
Bulletin, 26(10), 1213–1224. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167200262004
206 References

McGaghie, W. C., Issenberg, S. B., Barsuk, J. H., & Wayne, D. B. (2014). A critical review of
simulation-based mastery learning with translational outcomes. Medical Education, 48(4),
375–385. https://doi.org/10.1111/medu.12391
McLeod, J. (2017). Qualitative methods for routine outcome measurement. In T. G. Rousmaniere,
R. Goodyear, D. D. Miller, & B. E. Wampold (Eds.), The cycle of excellence: Using deliberate
practice to improve supervision and training (pp. 99–122). John Wiley & Sons. https://
doi.org/10.1002/9781119165590.ch5
McMain, S., Korman, L. M., & Dimeff, L. (2001). Dialectical behavior therapy and the treatment
of emotion dysregulation. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 57(2), 183–196. https://doi.org/
10.1002/1097-4679(200102)57:2%3C183::AID-JCLP5%3E3.0.CO;2-Y
McMain, S., Leybman, M., & Boritz, T. (2019). Case formulation in dialectical behaviour therapy.
In U. Kramer (Ed.), Case formulation for personality disorders (pp. 1–18). Academic Press.
https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-813521-1.00001-1
McMain, S., & Wiebe, C. (2013). Dialectical behavior therapy for emotion dysregulation [Video].
Psychotherapy.net.
Mehlum, L. (2018). DBT as a suicide and self-harm treatment: Assessing and treating suicidal
behaviours. In M. Swales (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of dialectical behavior therapy
(pp. 307–324). Oxford University Press.
Norcross, J. C., & Guy, J. D. (2005). The prevalence and parameters of personal therapy in the
United States. In J. D. Geller, J. C. Norcross, & D. E. Orlinsky (Eds.), The psychotherapist’s
own psychotherapy: Patient and clinician perspectives (pp. 165–176). Oxford University
Press.
Norcross, J. C., Lambert, M. J., & Wampold, B. E. (2019). Psychotherapy relationships that
work (3rd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Orlinsky, D. E., Rønnestad, M. H., & Collaborative Research Network of the Society for Psycho-
therapy Research. (2005). How psychotherapists develop: A study of therapeutic work
and professional growth. American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/
11157-000
Owen, J., & Hilsenroth, M. J. (2014). Treatment adherence: The importance of therapist flexi-
bility in relation to therapy outcomes. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 61(2), 280–288.
https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035753
Pederson, L. (2015). Dialectical behavior therapy: A contemporary guide for practitioners.
Wiley-Blackwell.
Prescott, D. S., Maeschalck, C. L., & Miller, S. D. (2017). Feedback-informed treatment in clinical
practice: Reaching for excellence. American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/
10.1037/0000039-000
Rizvi, S. L. (2011). The therapeutic relationship in dialectical behavior therapy for suicidal indi-
viduals. In K. Michel & D. A. Jobes (Eds.), Building a therapeutic alliance with the suicidal
patient (pp. 255–271). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/
12303-014
Rousmaniere, T. G. (2016). Deliberate practice for psychotherapists: A guide to improv-
ing clinical effectiveness. Routledge Press/Taylor & Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/
9781315472256
Rousmaniere, T. G. (2019). Mastering the inner skills of psychotherapy: A deliberate practice
handbook. Gold Lantern Press.
Rousmaniere, T. G., Goodyear, R., Miller, S. D., & Wampold, B. E. (Eds.). (2017). The cycle
of excellence: Using deliberate practice to improve supervision and training. Wiley
Publishers. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119165590
Sayrs, J. H. R., & Linehan, M. M. (2019). DBT teams: Development and practice. Guilford Press.
Shearin, E. N., & Linehan, M. M. (1992). Patient–therapist ratings and relationship to prog-
ress in dialectical behavior therapy for borderline personality disorder. Behavior Therapy,
23(4), 730–741. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7894(05)80232-1
Shneidman, E. S. (1992). A conspectus of the suicidal scenario. In R. W. Maris, A. L. Berman,
J. T. Maltsberger, & R. I. Yufit (Eds.), Assessment and prediction of suicide (pp. 50–64).
Guilford Press.
References 207

Sonley, A., Boritz, T., & McMain, S. (in press). Applications of dialectical behavior therapy. In
G. Gabbard (Ed.), Textbook of psychotherapeutic treatments (2nd ed.). American Psychi-
atric Publishing.
Squire, L. R. (2004). Memory systems of the brain: A brief history and current perspective. Neuro-
biology of Learning and Memory, 82(3), 171–177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nlm.2004.06.005
Stiles, W. B., Honos-Webb, L., & Surko, M. (1998). Responsiveness in psychotherapy. Clinical
Psychology: Science and Practice, 5(4), 439–458. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2850.1998.
tb00166.x
Stiles, W. B., & Horvath, A. O. (2017). Appropriate responsiveness as a contribution to ther-
apist effects. In L. G. Castonguay & C. E. Hill (Eds.), How and why are some therapists
better than others? Understanding therapist effects (pp. 71–84). American Psychological
Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000034-005
Stoffers, J. M., Völlm, B. A., Rücker, G., Timmer, A., Huband, N., & Lieb, K. (2012). Psychological
therapies for people with borderline personality disorder. The Cochrane Database of
Systematic Reviews, 2012(8), CD005652.
Storebø, O. J., Stoffers-Winterling, J. M., Völlm, B. A., Kongerslev, M. T., Mattivi, J. T., Jørgensen,
M. S., Faltinsen, E., Todorovac, A., Sales, C. P., Callesen, H. E., Lieb, K., & Simonsen, E.
(2020). Psychological therapies for people with borderline personality disorder. Cochrane
Database of Systematic Reviews, 5(5), CD012955.
Swales, M., & Dunkley, C. (2020). Principles of skills assessment in dialectical behavior therapy.
Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 27(1), 18–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpra.2019.05.001
Swenson, C. (in press). Applications of dialectical behavior therapy. In G. Gabbard (Ed.),
Textbook of psychotherapeutic treatments (2nd ed.). American Psychiatric Publishing.
Taylor, J. M., & Neimeyer, G. J. (2017). Lifelong professional improvement: The evolution of
continuing education. In T. G. Rousmaniere, R. Goodyear, S. D. Miller, & B. Wampold (Eds.),
The cycle of excellence: Using deliberate practice to improve supervision and training
(pp. 219–248). John Wiley & Sons.
Tracey, T. J. G., Wampold, B. E., Goodyear, R. K., & Lichtenberg, J. W. (2015). Improving expertise
in psychotherapy. Psychotherapy Bulletin, 50(1), 7–13.
Tullos, J. M. (Director & Producer), & Governors State University, Division of Digital Learning
and Media Design (Producer). (2014). Dialectical behavior therapy [Video/DVD]. American
Psychological Association. https://video.alexanderstreet.com/watch/dialectical-behavior-
therapy-2
Waltz, J. L., Fruzzetti, A. E., & Linehan, M. M. (1998). The role of supervision in dialectical behavior
therapy. The Clinical Supervisor, 17(1), 101–113. https://doi.org/10.1300/J001v17n01_09
Wass, R., & Golding, C. (2014). Sharpening a tool for teaching: The zone of proximal devel­
opment. Teaching in Higher Education, 19(6), 671–684. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.
2014.901958
Yalom, V., Yalom, M.-H., Sharp, B., Grashuis, H., Linehan, M., & Read, K. (2013). 3 approaches
to personality disorders: 3-Video series. Psychotherapy.net.
Zaretskii, V. (2009). The zone of proximal development: What Vygotsky did not have time
to write. Journal of Russian & East European Psychology, 47(6), 70–93. https://doi.org/
10.2753/RPO1061-0405470604
 Index

A
Acceptance inviting the client to engage in problem solving with, 80, 82,
balance between change and, 3, 9, 10, 131 84, 85, 87
key treatment strategies for, 10 mock therapy session with, 169–170
validation as core strategy for, 11, 35 modifying cognitions with, 102, 106, 109
of what cannot be changed, 131 problem assessment with, 59, 61–66
Accountability promoting dialectical thinking through both–and statements
outcome, 182 with, 136, 139
process, 182 reinforcing adaptive behaviors with, 50–55
Active effort, 183 responding to suicidal ideation with, 146, 149
Adaptive behaviors, reinforcement of, 11, 47–48. See also skills training with, 92, 93, 95–97, 99
Reinforcing Adaptive Behaviors (exercise 3) validation with, 37, 39, 41, 42, 44
Adaptive coping strategies, 79, 111 Annotated Dialectical Behavior Therapy Practice Session
Advanced dialectical behavior therapy skills, 4, 11, 12 Transcript (exercise 13), 13–14, 151–163
in annotated session transcript, 157–159, 161, 162 demo round of, 176
coaching clients in distress, 121–129 function of, 177–178
informal exposure to emotions, 111–119 instructions for, 151
promoting dialectical thinking through both–and statements, in sample syllabus, 198
131–139 Anxious clients
responding to suicidal ideation, 141–149 in distress, coaching, 124, 125, 127, 128
Advanced-level client statements and profiles, 4, 13, 14 eliciting a commitment with, 73, 74, 76, 77
for coaching clients in distress, 126, 129 informal exposure to emotions with, 114, 115, 117, 118
for eliciting a commitment, 74, 77 inviting the client to engage in problem solving with, 83, 84,
for establishing a session agenda, 30, 33 86, 87
for informal exposure to emotions, 116, 119 mock therapy session with, 168–169
for inviting the client to engage in problem solving, 84, 87 modifying cognitions with, 102, 104, 107
for mock therapy sessions, 170 problem assessment with, 59
for modifying cognitions, 106, 109 promoting dialectical thinking through both–and statements
for problem assessment, 63, 66 with, 134, 136, 137, 139
for promoting dialectical thinking through both–and responding to suicidal ideation with, 144, 146, 147, 149
statements, 136, 139 skills training with, 94, 98
for reinforcing adaptive behaviors, 52, 55 APA (American Psychological Association), 200
for responding to suicidal ideation, 145, 149 Appropriate responsiveness, 165, 178
for skills training, 95, 99 Ashamed clients
for validation, 41, 44 in distress, coaching, 124, 125, 127, 128
Agitated clients, responding to suicidal ideation with, 144, 147 eliciting a commitment with, 70, 74, 77
Ambivalent clients, mock therapy session with, 169 establishing a session agenda with, 26, 29, 30, 32, 33
American Psychological Association (APA), 200 informal exposure to emotions with, 112, 114–119
Angry clients inviting the client to engage in problem solving with, 80, 82–87
in distress, coaching, 122, 125, 126, 128, 129 mock therapy session with, 169
eliciting a commitment with, 72–77 modifying cognitions with, 105, 108
informal exposure to emotions with, 114–119 problem assessment with, 58–59, 61–66

209
210 Index

promoting dialectical thinking through both–and statements Boritz, T., 13, 19

with, 132, 134, 137 Both–and statements, 12, 132. See also Promoting Dialectical
reinforcing adaptive behaviors with, 48, 52, 55 Thinking Through Both–And Statements (exercise 11)
responding to suicidal ideation with, 142, 144–149 Boundaries, 180
skills training with, 92, 94, 95, 98, 99 BPD. See Borderline personality disorder
validation with, 37 Breaks, taking, 184
Assessment Brief feedback, 19
of client outcomes, 185
of client problems. See Problem Assessment (exercise 4) C
of exercise difficulty. See Difficulty assessments Case formulation, 3, 178
ongoing, 182–183 “Challenging but not overwhelming” principle, 182–183
performance, 6, 7, 181–182 Change
Attachment, 9 accepting what cannot be changed, 131
Aversive emotion, 111 balance between acceptance and, 3, 10, 131
Avoidance behaviors, 9 key treatment strategies for, 10
motivation for, 69
B problem assessment as core strategy for, 11. See also Problem
Balance, between change and acceptance, 3, 9, 10, 131 Assessment (exercise 4)
Bedics, J. D., 13 problem solving as core strategy for, 57. See also Inviting the
Beginner dialectical behavior therapy skills, 4, 11 Client to Engage in Problem Solving (exercise 6)
in annotated session transcript, 152–163 promoting dialectical thinking for, 12
establishing a session agenda, 25–33 requirements for, 35
problem assessment, 57–66 trainees’ expectations for, 185
reinforcing adaptive behaviors, 47–55 willingness for, 13
validation, 35–44 Class format, 197, 199
Beginner-level client statements and profiles, 4, 13, 14 Client outcomes, 185
for coaching clients in distress, 124, 127 Client population for DBT, 3, 9
for eliciting a commitment, 72, 75 Client statements. See also specific exercises
for establishing a session agenda, 28, 31 adjusting difficulty of, 176–177, 189–191
for informal exposure to emotions, 114, 117 difficulty rating for, 14, 189, 190
for inviting the client to engage in problem solving, 82, 85 emotional expressiveness in practicing, 176
for mock therapy sessions, 168–169 in exercises, 4, 13
for modifying cognitions, 104, 107 improvising responses to, 7, 8, 19, 176, 177
for problem assessment, 61, 64 referencing self-harm and suicidal ideation, 12
for promoting dialectical thinking through both–and as “simulators,” 8
statements, 134, 137 Clinical decision making principles, 9–10
for reinforcing adaptive behaviors, 50, 53 Clinical training, 6–9, 14
for responding to suicidal ideation, 144, 147 Coaching, 12
for skills training, 93, 96–97 phone, between-session, 10
for validation, 39, 42 by supervisors, 179
Behavioral change, 9 Coaching Clients in Distress (exercise 10), 4, 11, 12, 121–129
Behavioral change analysis, 57 in annotated session transcript, 157, 162
Behavioral dysregulation, 3 client statements, 124–126
Behavioral feedback, 19 examples of, 122
Behavioral rehearsal, 6, 7, 19, 181 instructions for, 123
Behaviors preparations for, 121
adaptive, reinforcement of, 11. See also Reinforcing Adaptive in sample syllabus, 198
Behaviors (exercise 3) skill criteria, 122
associated with emotion dysregulation, 12 skill description, 121–122
life-threatening, 9, 11–13, 25. See also Responding to Suicidal therapist responses, 127–129
Ideation (exercise 12) Cognitions
prioritizing therapy session focus on, 25–26 dialectical thinking, 12. See also Promoting Dialectical
problematic, 9 Thinking Through Both–And Statements (exercise 11)
reinforcement of, 47–48. See also Reinforcing Adaptive modifying, 12. See also Modifying Cognitions (exercise 8)
Behaviors (exercise 3) Coker, Jerry, 7
shaping, 47 Collaboration
that interfere with well-being, 11 in establishing treatment focus, 26
understanding antecedents and consequences of, 11, 57 in problem definition, 58
Between-session phone coaching, 10 in working toward goals, 69
Biological response patterns, 122 Comfort zones, 183
Biosocial theory, 9 Commitment
Body gestures, 184 eliciting, 11. See also Eliciting a Commitment (exercise 5)
Borderline personality disorder (BPD), 3, 9, 12 strategies for, 69
Index 211

Communication(s). See also Language with independent deliberate practice, 184–185

dialectical, 132 for mock sessions, 166
expanding range of, 184 uses of, 20
of openness, curiosity, and nonjudgment, 13 Deliberate practice exercises
suicidal, 25 additional guidance on, 13, 14, 17, 175–186
of validation, 35–36 annotated dialectical behavior therapy practice session
vocal qualities and pacing in, 151, 167, 184 transcript, 151–163
Competence, 4, 8, 10, 181–182 client statements referencing self-harm and suicidal ideation
Complex clients, treating, 3 in, 12
Comprehensive exercises, 13–14 complex or uncomfortable personal reactions to, 179–180
annotated dialectical behavior therapy practice session customizing, 176–177
transcript, 13, 151–163 in developing skills, 3
mock dialectical behavior therapy sessions, 14, 165–170 difficulty levels for, 4, 11–14
Confidence, 4, 5 embedded, sample syllabus with, 197–201
Confidentiality, 180, 200 generalization of benefits from, 181–182
Confused clients goals of, 5
informal exposure to emotions with, 116, 119 instructions for, 13, 17–20
promoting dialectical thinking through both–and statements maximizing benefit of, 175–178
with, 135, 138 mock dialectical behavior therapy sessions, 165–170
Consultation teams, 10 overview, 4–5
Context pilot testing of, 6, 180
of client’s responses, 36 “simulators” in, 8
in responsive treatment, 178 skills presented in, 4, 11–13
of suicidal ideations, 141 Deliberate Practice in Multicultural Therapy (Harris), 6
for training, 176 Deliberate Practice Reaction Form, 14, 17, 190
Cook, R., 7 in assessing difficulty, 179
Coping skills/strategies, 12, 79, 111 completion of, 18, 189, 191
mindfulness, 89, 90 dual purpose of, 179
STOP, 89, 90 as homework, 199
Corrective feedback, 5, 166, 180, 181 for mock sessions, 166
Creativity, 8 trainee privacy and, 180
Crisis situations. See Coaching Clients in Distress (exercise 10) “Demo rounds,” 5, 176
Crying clients Depressed clients
in distress, coaching, 124–129 in distress, coaching, 124, 127
establishing a session agenda with, 26 responding to suicidal ideation with, 144, 147
informal exposure to emotions with, 116, 119 skills training with, 94, 98
responding to suicidal ideation with, 144, 145, 147, 148 Description, in mindfulness, 90
validation with, 40, 41, 43, 44 Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), 3
Curiosity, 13 acceptance strategies in, 9
Customization, of exercises, 176–177 annotated session transcript of, 151–163
central dialectic of, 9
D client population for, 3, 9
Davis, Miles, 7 common problems addressed by, 9
DBT. See Dialectical behavior therapy competency in, 4, 8
Decision making principles, 9–10 complexity of, 3
Declarative knowledge, 8, 10 core skills of, 4
Defensive clients, validation with, 40, 43 deliberate practice in context of, 178–179
Deliberate practice (generally) emotion dysregulation in, 9
additional opportunities for, 184–185 essential aim of, 89
in clinical training, 6–9 foundational theories of, 3
in context of dialectical behavior therapy, 178–179 goals of, 111
cycle of, 7 interventions in, 10
dialectical behavior therapy skills in, 11–13 managing self-harm and suicidal behaviors in, 12–13
in dialectical behavior therapy training, 10–11 modes of interventions in, 10
in “finding your own voice,” 177 responsiveness in, 178–179
goals of, 19, 184 theoretical overview of, 9–10
multicultural skills in, 6 therapeutic relationship in, 13
in psychotherapy training, 6–9, 177 treatment strategies in, 10
quality of, 7 Dialectical behavior therapy skills
sweet spot for, 8 acquisition and development of, 3, 4
Deliberate Practice Diary Form, 14, 20, 193–194 categorizing, 11
completion of, 14, 20 competence in, 4
as homework, 199 complexity of, 4
212 Index

comprehensive, 4, 5 Dysfunctional thinking patterns, 101. See also Modifying

comprehensive exercises to build, 151–163 Cognitions (exercise 8)
in deliberate practice, 11–13 Dysregulation
dialectical approach in, 10 across domains, 9
in dialectical behavior therapy training, 4–5, 10–11, 14 behavioral, 3
for flexible responses, 3 emotion. See Emotion dysregulation
foundational, 3
generalizability of, 181–182 E
Dialectical behavior therapy training, 3 Effectiveness
additional opportunities for, 184–185 appropriate responsiveness for, 178
annotated transcript and mock sessions in, 177–178 of client responses to behaviors, 89
challenge of, 9–10 decision making principles for, 9–10
customizing exercises in, 176–177 of dialectical behavior therapy, 3, 8–10
declarative and procedural knowledge in, 8 and experience, 7
deliberate practice approach to, 4–5 with real clients, 181–182
difficulty adjustments in, 177 of solutions, 79
guidelines for, 13 of therapist responses, 3
maximizing productivity of, 182–183 Effort, 8, 183
monitoring results of, 185 Eliciting a Commitment (exercise 5), 4, 11, 69–77
negative effects of, 179 in annotated session transcript, 159, 160
personal process for, 183–186 client statements, 72–74
personal therapeutic style in, 177 examples of, 70
realistic emotional stimuli in, 175–176 instructions for, 71
rehearsal in, 177 preparations for, 69
for responding flexibly, 3 in sample syllabus, 198
responding to self-harm or suicidal thoughts/behaviors in, 12 skill criteria, 70
role of deliberate practice in, 5, 10–11 skill description, 69
sample syllabus for, 5, 10, 197–201 therapist responses, 75–77
skills taught in, 4–5 Emotional arousal, 35
Dialectical philosophy, 9 Emotional avoidance, 12
Dialectical stance, 131 Emotional experience
Dialectical strategies, 5, 10 acknowledging and accepting, 9, 131
Dialectical thinking, 12. See also Promoting Dialectical Thinking openness to, 13
Through Both–And Statements (exercise 11) past, of trainees, 179–180
Difficulty adjustments, 4, 6, 14, 18 Emotional exposure, 12
completing, 18 Emotional expression, 9
continual, 177, 179, 182–183 openness to, 13
importance of, 179 in role-plays, 151, 175–176
instructions for, 17 Emotional needs, 111
making, 181, 189–191 Emotional stimuli, in practice sessions, 175–176
in mock sessions, 166–168 Emotional tone
to zone of proximal development, 182–183 of client profiles, 168
Difficulty assessments, 17 of role-plays, 176
completing, 18 Emotion dysregulation, 3, 9, 25
conducting, 181, 189 biosocial theory on, 9
continual, 177, 179, 182–183 as core dysfunction of disorders, 9
in deliberate practice, 6 extreme behaviors associated with, 12
hand as indicator in, 166–167 mock therapy session with, 170
importance of, 179, 180 pervasive, 9
instructions for, 17 self-harm and suicidal behavior with, 141
trainee privacy and, 179 treatment strategies for, 10
Discouraged clients Emotions
eliciting a commitment with, 72, 75 of client, matching therapist vocal quality to, 151
reinforcing adaptive behaviors with, 50, 53 fear of, 111
skills training with, 93, 96 informal exposure to. See Informal Exposure to Emotions
Discussion (exercise 9)
on syllabus, 197–198 Engaged clients, mock therapy session with, 168–169
in training, 19, 20 Engaging clients, 13
Distressed clients, coaching, 122, 125, 128. See also Coaching English as a second language, 176
Clients in Distress (exercise 10) Ericsson, K. Anders, 6
Distress tolerance, 121 Escape behaviors, 9
STOP skills, 89, 90 Establishing a Session Agenda (exercise 1), 4, 11, 25–33
TIPP skills, 121–122 in annotated session transcript, 152
Diversity issues, 200 client statements, 28–30
Index 213

examples of, 26 of psychotherapy, 7

instructions for, 27 of role-plays, 19
preparations for, 25 shaping behaviors toward, 47
in sample syllabus, 198 Grading criteria, 200
skill criteria, 26 Group discussion, 19, 20
skill description, 25–26 Group therapy skills training, 10
therapist responses, 31–33 Guilty clients
Evaluation, 14, 20 informal exposure to emotions with, 112
Excited clients, establishing a session agenda with, 30, 33 promoting dialectical thinking through both–and statements
Expertise, developing, 6, 7 with, 136, 139
Eye contact, in practice sessions, 175–176 Guy, J. D., 186

F H
Failure, opportunities for, 5 Haggerty, G., 180–181
Fear Happy clients
of emotions, 111 establishing a session agenda with, 29, 32
in “pushing through” exercises, 181 reinforcing adaptive behaviors with, 50, 53
Feedback Harris, J., 6
behavioral, 19 High-risk behaviors, 3
brief, 19 Hilsenroth, M. J., 180–181
corrective, 5, 166, 180, 181 Homework, 20, 199
criteria for, 19 Hopeless clients
in deliberate practice, 5, 18 eliciting a commitment with, 73, 76
expanding, 190 modifying cognitions with, 104, 105, 107, 108
incremental, 181 reinforcing adaptive behaviors with, 51, 54
responding to suicidal ideation with, 145, 148
instructions on giving/receiving, 18, 19
Horvath, A. O., 178
for learning/mastering skills, 6
Hurt clients
in mock sessions, 166
modifying cognitions with, 106, 109
on observed practice, 181
skills training with, 95, 99
from peers, 17
Hyperventilating clients
specific, 19, 181
in distress, coaching, 126, 129
from supervisors, 4
responding to suicidal ideation with, 145, 148
Final evaluation, 20
validation with, 41, 44
“Finding your own voice,” 177
Flexibility, 4 I
decision making principles for, 10
Improvisation
of responses, 19, 178
in deliberate practice exercises, 7, 8, 176, 177
of therapist responses, 3, 8 as goal of role-play, 19
Flow, 183 Incremental feedback, 181
Focus Incremental goals, 6
of practice sessions, 11 Individualized case formulation, 3
of therapy sessions, 25. See also Establishing a Session Individual therapy, 10
Agenda (exercise 1) Informal Exposure to Emotions (exercise 9), 4, 11, 12, 111–119
Frustrated clients in annotated session transcript, 157–159
eliciting a commitment with, 72–77 client statements, 114–116
informal exposure to emotions with, 115, 118 examples of, 19, 112
inviting the client to engage in problem solving with, 83, 86 instructions for, 113
modifying cognitions with, 105, 108 preparations for, 111
problem assessment with, 62, 65 in sample syllabus, 198
promoting dialectical thinking through both–and statements skill criteria, 112
with, 132, 135, 138 skill description, 111–112
reinforcing adaptive behaviors with, 48, 50–55 therapist responses, 117–119
skills training with, 94, 98 Information processing, emotional arousal interfering with, 35
validation with, 37, 39–44 Instructions, exercise, 13, 14, 17–20
Fun, 184 Intense exercise, as TIPP skill, 121, 122
Intermediate dialectical behavior therapy skills, 4, 11–12
G in annotated session transcript, 154–163
Gladwell, Malcolm, 6 eliciting a commitment, 69–77
Goals inviting the client to engage in problem solving, 79–87
agreement in working toward, 69 modifying cognitions, 101–109
of deliberate practice, 5, 19, 184 skills training, 89–99
of dialectical behavior therapy, 10, 89, 111 Intermediate-level client statements and profiles, 4, 13, 14
highly individualized, 182 for coaching clients in distress, 125, 128
incremental, 6 for eliciting a commitment, 73, 76
214 Index

for establishing a session agenda, 29, 32 Leonardo da Vinci, 6

for informal exposure to emotions, 115, 118 Life-threatening behaviors
for inviting the client to engage in problem solving, 83, 86 prioritizing, 11
for mock therapy sessions, 169–170 suicidal behaviors or ideations, 9, 12–13, 25. See also
for modifying cognitions, 105, 108 Responding to Suicidal Ideation (exercise 12)
for problem assessment, 62, 65 as therapy session priority, 25
for promoting dialectical thinking through both–and Linehan, M., 13, 47
statements, 135, 138 Linehan risk assessment and management protocol (LRAMP),
for reinforcing adaptive behaviors, 51, 54 12–13
for responding to suicidal ideation, 145, 148
for skills training, 94, 98 M
for validation, 40, 43 Maladaptive coping strategies, 79
Interventions, 10 Mastery
Invalidation, feelings of, 35 to foster positive change, 178
Inviting the Client to Engage in Problem Solving (exercise 6), 4, key activities for, 6
11–12, 79–87 of own training, 183
in annotated session transcript, 156–163 simulation-based mastery learning, 8
client statements, 82–84 McMain, Shelley, 19
examples of, 80 Memory
instructions for, 81 of declarative knowledge, 8
preparations for, 79 procedural, 5
in sample syllabus, 198 Mindfulness skills, 89, 90
skill criteria, 80 Mistrustful clients, mock therapy session with, 170
skill description, 79 Mock Dialectical Behavior Therapy Sessions (exercise 14), 14,
therapist responses, 85–87 165–170
Irritated clients client profiles, 168–170
eliciting a commitment with, 73, 76 function of, 177–178
establishing a session agenda with, 28, 30, 31, 33
overview, 165–166
inviting the client to engage in problem solving with, 82, 85
preparation for, 166
modifying cognitions with, 104–109
session procedure, 166–167
problem assessment with, 61, 63, 64, 66
varying level of challenge in, 167–168
promoting dialectical thinking through both–and statements
Mock sessions, 14
with, 134, 137
difficulty adjustments in, 166–168
skills training with, 95, 99
as opportunities for practice, 165
J in sample syllabus, 198, 199
Modifying Cognitions (exercise 8), 4, 11, 12, 101–109
Jordan, Michael, 6
in annotated session transcript, 154, 155, 157–159, 162
K client statements, 104–106
examples of, 19, 102
Kageyama, Noa, 7
Kasparov, Garry, 6 instructions for, 103
Knowledge, 8, 10, 181 preparations for, 101
in sample syllabus, 198
L skill criteria, 102
Language skill description, 101
both–and, 12, 131 therapist responses, 107–109
congruent with who therapist is, 5 Modulating emotion, 9
in conveying openness, curiosity, and nonjudgment, 13 Motivation to change, 69
playful, 184 Mozart, Wolfgang, 6
Learning Multicultural deliberate practice skills, 6
emotional arousal interfering with, 35 Multicultural orientation, 199
incremental goals for, 6
N
key activities in, 6
openness to, 13 Negative emotion, 111
personal style of, 5 Neutral clients
procedural, 8 eliciting a commitment with, 72, 75
shaping in, 47 establishing a session agenda with, 26, 28–33
shift in objectives for, 182 inviting the client to engage in problem solving with, 80
simulation-based mastery, 8 modifying cognitions with, 104, 107
state-dependent, 8 problem assessment with, 58
theoretical, 178 skills training with, 90–92, 94, 98
in zone of proximal development, 183 validation with, 39, 40, 42, 43
Learning theory, 9 Nondialectical thinking, 131–132
Lectures, on sample syllabus, 197, 198 Nonjudgment, 11, 13, 35
Index 215

Nonverbal communication preparations for, 57

body gestures, 184 in sample syllabus, 198
eye contact, 175–176 skill criteria, 58
of openness, curiosity, and nonjudgment, 13 skill description, 57–58
Norcross, J. C., 186 therapist responses, 64–66
Problems
O assessment of, 11. See also Problem Assessment (exercise 4)
Observation behavioral change analysis of, 57
of competent DBT psychotherapists, 178 defining, 58
of faulty rules governing behavior, 101. See also Modifying driving suicidal thoughts, 141
Cognitions (exercise 8) prioritizing, 11
in mindfulness, 90 Problem solving, 11–12
in mock sessions, 166 acceptance-focused, 131
of own work, 6 assessment of problems in, 57. See also Problem Assessment
of role-play, 18, 19 (exercise 4)
of trainees’ work performance, 180–181 emotional arousal interfering with, 35
Openness, 13 generating and implementing solutions, 57, 79
Optimal strain, 181 inviting clients to engage in. See Inviting the Client to Engage
Orlinsky, D. E., 186 in Problem Solving (exercise 6)
Outcome accountability, 182 openness to, 13
Outcome measurement, 185 oriented toward change, 131
Outliers (Gladwell), 6 skills training in, 89. See also Skills Training (exercise 7)
Ownership of exercises, 183, 185, 186 steps in, 57
Procedural knowledge, 8, 10
P Procedural memory, 5
Paced breathing, as TIPP skill, 121, 122 Process accountability, 182
Paired muscle relaxation, as TIPP skill, 121, 122 Proficiency, technical, 7
Participation, in mindfulness, 90 Promoting Dialectical Thinking Through Both–And Statements
Perceptual skills, 178 (exercise 11), 4, 11, 12, 131–139
Performance in annotated session transcript, 158, 161, 162
assessment of, 6, 181–182 client statements, 134–136
breaking old patterns of, 183 examples of, 132
expert, 6 instructions for, 133
of procedural knowledge, 8 preparations for, 131
with real clients, 181–182 in sample syllabus, 198
Personal development, 185 skill criteria, 132
Personal style skill description, 131–132
of interaction, 7, 19 therapist responses, 137–139
of learning, 5 Proud clients, establishing a session agenda with, 28, 31
therapeutic, 19, 177 Psychotherapy
Personal training process, 183–186 knowledge about vs. performance of, 181
Pervasive emotion dysregulation, 3, 9 playfulness and fun in, 184
Playfulness, 184 for trainees, 186
Practice sessions training in, 6–9, 177
additional guidance for, 175–186
in dialectical behavior therapy programs, 5, 13, 14 Q
in dialectical behavior therapy training, 10–11, 13–14, 177–178 Quality of life, behaviors interfering with, 26
duration of, 4, 6–7, 18 Questions
instructions for, 17–20 to define problems, 58
number of, for expertise, 6, 7 filling supervision time with, 181
structure of, 18–19
Preparation, for exercises, 18. See also individual exercises R
Presence, of therapist, 13 Reading, 5, 11
Prioritization required, 198–201
of practice session focus, 11 supplemental, 201
of therapy session focus, 25 Reality, acceptance of, 9
Privacy, 179–180, 199–200 Receptive clients, mock therapy session with, 168
Problem assessment, 11 Regretful clients, problem assessment with, 63, 66
Problem Assessment (exercise 4), 4, 11, 57–66 Rehearsal, 19, 180
in annotated session transcript, 152–162 for appropriate responsiveness, 178
client statements, 61–63 behavioral, 6, 7, 19, 181
common mistakes, 58–59 in deliberate practice, 177
examples of, 58–59 helpfulness of, 182
instructions for, 60 in zone of proximal development, 181
216 Index

Reinforcing Adaptive Behaviors (exercise 3), 4, 11, 47–55 Self-harm behaviors. See also Suicidal behaviors
in annotated session transcript, 157–163 as attempt to regulate emotion, 9
client statements, 50–52 managing, in DBT, 12–13
examples of, 48 mock therapy session for, 170
instructions for, 49 with severe emotion dysregulation, 141
preparations for, 47 as therapy session priority, 25
in sample syllabus, 198 Self-monitoring, 179
skill criteria, 48 Sessions
skill description, 47 mock, 14. See also Mock sessions
therapist responses, 53–55 practice. See Practice sessions
Repetition, for mastery, 8 therapy, establishing agenda for. See Establishing a Session
Required readings, on syllabus, 198–201 Agenda (exercise 1)
Responding to Suicidal Ideation (exercise 12), 4, 11, 12, 141–149 Shaping, 47
in annotated session transcript, 159 Shearin, E. N., 13
client statements, 144–146 Simulation-based mastery learning, 8
examples of, 142 Skill acquisition, behavioral rehearsal vs., 181
instructions for, 143 Skill criteria
preparations for, 141 exercise, 18–19. See also individual exercises
in sample syllabus, 198 feedback on, 19
skill criteria, 142 Skills
skill description, 141–142 deliberate practice of, 6–9
therapist responses, 147–149 in dialectical behavior therapy. See Dialectical behavior
Responsiveness, 4, 19 therapy skills
appropriate, 165, 178 distress tolerance, 89, 90, 121
decision making principles for, 10 feedback on, 6
in treatment, 178–179 key activities in learning/mastering, 6
Review and feedback sequence, 19 knowledge vs., 181
Rizvi, S. L., 13 perceptual, 178
Role-play, 4, 10, 17 Skills labs, on syllabus, 198, 199
difficulty levels of, 179 Skills Training (exercise 7), 4, 11, 12, 89–99
emotional expression in, 175–176 in annotated session transcript, 157, 162
goal of, 19 client statements, 93–95
guiding training partners in difficulty of, 183 examples of, 90–91
of initial therapy session. See Mock Systemic Family Therapy instructions for, 92
Sessions (exercise 14) preparations for, 89
in mock sessions, 165–166 in sample syllabus, 198
preparation for, 18 skill criteria, 90
realistic emotional expression in, 151, 175–176 skill description, 89–90
Ronnestad, M. H., 186 therapist responses, 96–99
Skills training group therapy, 10
S Specific feedback, 19, 181
Sad clients State-dependent learning, 8
in distress, coaching, 125, 128 Stiles, W. B., 178
eliciting a commitment with, 72, 74, 75, 77 STOP skills, 89, 90
establishing a session agenda with, 28–33 Structuring therapy time, 11, 25
informal exposure to emotions with, 112, 114, 115, 117, 118 Substance use
inviting the client to engage in problem solving with, 82–87 as attempt to regulate emotion, 9
mock therapy session with, 168 for escape, 132
modifying cognitions with, 99, 104–109 Suffering, 9
problem assessment with, 61–66 Suicidal behaviors
promoting dialectical thinking through both–and statements as attempt to regulate emotion, 9
with, 132, 134, 135, 137, 138 managing, in DBT, 12–13
reinforcing adaptive behaviors with, 50, 51, 53, 54 with severe emotion dysregulation, 141
responding to suicidal ideation with, 142, 145, 146, 148, 149 suicide attempts as therapy session priority, 25
skills training with, 93, 96 therapist responses to, 142
validation with, 37, 39, 40, 42, 43 as therapy session priority, 25
Sample session transcript, 14. See also Annotated Dialectical Suicidal communications, as therapy session priority, 25
Behavior Therapy Practice Session Transcript (exercise 13) Suicidal ideations
Sample syllabus, 5, 10, 11, 14 alternative solutions to, 141–142
Scared clients, informal exposure to emotions with, 116, 119 contexts of, 141
Self-awareness, 179, 180 problems driving, 131
Self-disclosure, 180, 199, 200 responding to, 12. See also Responding to Suicidal Ideation
Self-efficacy, supporting, 179 (exercise 12)
Self-evaluation, 180–182, 200 as therapy session priority, 25
Index 217

Suicide risk, additional resources on managing, 12–13 Thinking

Supervision, 4 of death. See Suicidal ideations
absence of, 184 dialectical, 12. See also Promoting Dialectical Thinking
DBT supervision model, 178–179 Through Both–And Statements (exercise 11)
negative effects of, 179 dysfunctional patterns of, 101
positive, 178 nondialectical, 131–132
in responding to suicidal ideation/behavior, 142 Thinking patterns, 101. See also Modifying Cognitions
sharing knowledge during, 181 (exercise 8)
Supervisors Time frame, exercise, 18
breaks suggested by, 184 TIPP skills, 121–122
coaching by, 179 Tired clients, establishing a session agenda with, 28, 31
enacting of responsiveness by, 178 Trainees
feedback from, 4 appropriate boundaries for, 180
Supplemental readings, 201 cultural and country backgrounds of, 6
Sustained effort, 183 deliberate practice by, 4, 13
Syllabus, sample, 5, 10, 11, 14, 197–201 further professional development of, 5
Syntheses between natural tensions, 9 guidance for, 13, 14, 182–186
instructions for, 13, 17–20
T observing work performance of, 180–181
Temperature, as TIPP skill, 121, 122 perceptual skills for, 178
10,000-hour rule, 6 performance with real clients by, 181–182, 185
Theoretical learning, 178 personal development of, 185
Therapeutic relationship, 10, 13 personal interaction style of, 19
behaviors compromising, 26 personal learning style of, 5
being fully present in, 13 personal therapeutic style of, 177
personal therapy for, 186
nonjudgmental stance in, 11, 13
privacy of, 179–180, 199–200
potentially reinforcing behaviors in, 47
self-evaluation by, 200
trainee–trainer alliance in, 186
self-monitoring and self-awareness of, 179
Therapeutic stance
trainee–trainer alliance and, 186
conveying validation with, 35
training process for, 183–186
dialectical, 131
use of term, 6
nonjudgmental, 11, 13, 35
well-being of, 179
Therapeutic style, personal, 177
Trainee–trainer alliance, 186
Therapist(s). See also Therapeutic relationship
Trainers
competence of, 10
deliberate practice exercise role of, 4, 5
decision making principles for, 9–10
guidance for, 13, 14, 180–182
deliberate practice exercise skills for, 10–14
instructions for, 13, 17–20
goal of deliberate practice for, 5 in mock sessions, 166
grasp of foundational theories by, 3 monitoring trainees’ complex reactions toward, 186
modulating emotional reactions of, 9 primary responsibilities of, 18
primary tasks of, 101 requirements for, 5
reactivity in, 3 role of, 4, 13, 18
trainees’ work as, 185 self-evaluation by, 180–182
training and skill development for, 3 support of strong self-efficacy by, 179
vocal quality of, 151 Training
vocal tone of, 151, 167 customizing exercises to, 176–177
Therapist responses. See also specific exercises deliberate practice in, 6–9
appropriate responsiveness, 165, 178 in dialectical behavior therapy. See Dialectical behavior
difficulty rating for, 14 therapy training
effectiveness of, 3 personal process for, 183–186
in exercises, 4, 13 for problem solving. See Skills Training (exercise 7)
flexibility of, 3, 8, 19 psychotherapy, 6–9
improvising, 19, 176, 177 in simulations, 8
responsiveness of, 19 Trust, promoting, 13
in role-play, 17 Tuned out clients in distress, coaching, 122
to self-harm and suicidal behavior, 12
to suicidal ideation/behavior, 142 V
as templates or possibilities, 8 Validation, 9
that influence subsequent client behavior, 47 of client’s emotional responses, 121
Therapy-interfering behaviors, as therapy session priority, 26 conveying, 35–36
Therapy sessions, in DBT, 25–26. See also Establishing a Session in conveying openness, curiosity, and nonjudgment, 13
Agenda (exercise 1) as core acceptance strategy, 11, 35
Therapy tasks, prioritizing, 11, 25–26 of the invalid, 36
218 Index

as key treatment strategy, 10 Withdrawn clients

in promoting dialectical thinking, 12 in distress, coaching, 124, 126, 127, 129
weaving change strategies together with, 131 informal exposure to emotions with, 114, 117
Validation (exercise 2), 4, 11, 35–44 inviting the client to engage in problem solving with, 82, 85
in annotated session transcript, 152–162 mock therapy session with, 170
client statements, 39–41 problem assessment with, 61, 64
common mistakes, 36, 37 promoting dialectical thinking through both–and statements
examples of, 37 with, 135, 138
instructions for, 38 reinforcing adaptive behaviors with, 48
preparations for, 35 responding to suicidal ideation with, 142
in sample syllabus, 198 validation with, 41, 44
skill criteria, 36 Work performance, 6, 7, 11, 181–182
skill description, 35–36 Worried clients, eliciting a commitment with, 70
therapist responses, 42–44 Writing assignments, 199
Video demonstrations, 5
Vocal quality, 151 Y
pacing, 151, 167, 184 Yelling clients, in distress, coaching, 126, 129
tone, 151, 167, 184
Vygotsky, Lev, 182 Z
Zen Buddhism, 9
W Zone of proximal development, 181, 182
Well-being guiding training partners to, 183
behaviors that interfere with, 11 of individual trainees, trainers’ awareness of, 183
of trainees, being mindful of, 179 in rehearsal, 181
 About the Authors

Tali Boritz, PhD, CPsych, is an assistant professor in the Depart-

ment of Psychology at York University and a collaborator scien-
tist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto,
Ontario, Canada. She is a registered clinical psychologist and
specializes in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) with individuals
with borderline personality disorder (BPD). She regularly conducts
DBT training workshops and is involved in numerous initiatives
related to the enhancement of psychotherapy training. She has
published extensively on DBT, BPD, and psychotherapy process
and outcome research. Dr. Boritz is currently president-elect
of the North American Society for Psychotherapy Research.

Shelley McMain, PhD, CPsych, is the head of the Borderline

Personality Disorder Clinic and a clinician scientist at the Centre
for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
She is the director of the Psychotherapy, Humanities and Psycho-
social Intervention Division and an associate professor in the
Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto. She is
a certified dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) individual and
group therapist. She currently serves as the president of the
International Society for Psychotherapy Research as well as the
acting president of the World DBT Association. Dr. McMain has
authored several papers on DBT and coauthored a book with instructional video on DBT
(Psychotherapy Essentials to Go: Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Emotion Dysregulation,
2013). She has delivered more than 300 conference presentations, colloquia, grand
rounds, and trainings. She is widely recognized for her excellence in DBT training. She
has received several international awards for her psychotherapy research (e.g., European
Society for the Study of Personality Disorders, American Psychoanalytic Society) and
various teaching awards.

221
222 About the Authors

Alexandre Vaz, PhD, is cofounder and chief academic officer of

Sentio University, Los Angeles, California. He provides delib-
erate practice workshops and advanced clinical training and
supervision to clinicians around the world. Dr. Vaz is the author/
coeditor of multiple books on deliberate practice and psycho-
therapy training and two series of clinical training books: The
Essentials of Deliberate Practice (American Psychological Asso-
ciation) and Advanced Therapeutics, Clinical and Interpersonal
Skills (Elsevier). He has held multiple committee roles for the
Society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration and
the Society for Psychotherapy Research. Dr. Vaz is founder and host of “Psychotherapy
Expert Talks,” an acclaimed interview series with distinguished psychotherapists and
therapy researchers.

Tony Rousmaniere, PsyD, is cofounder and program director

of Sentio University, Los Angeles, California. He provides work-
shops, webinars, and advanced clinical training and supervision
to clinicians around the world. Dr. Rousmaniere is the author/
coeditor of multiple books on deliberate practice and psycho-
therapy training and two series of clinical training books: The
Essentials of Deliberate Practice (American Psychological
Association) and Advanced Therapeutics, Clinical and Inter-
personal Skills (Elsevier). In 2017, he published the widely cited
article “What Your Therapist Doesn’t Know,” in The Atlantic
Monthly. He supports the open-data movement and publishes his aggregated clinical
outcome data, in deidentified form, on his website (https://drtonyr.com/). A Fellow of
the American Psychological Association, Dr. Rousmaniere was awarded the Early Career
Award by the Society for the Advancement of Psychotherapy (APA Division 29).