DBT in Schools

Open Enrollment Training Opportunities

Informed Counseling Strategies Information

DBT STEPS-A: Implementation and Training

The DBT STEPS-A Implementation Training provides instructors, teachers and school staff familiarity with the DBT STEPS-A curriculum. This training includes background information on how the DBT STEPS-A curriculum was developed, potential barriers and issues in implementation, solutions for student related challenges, and implementation strategies for teaching lessons.

The training is designed to establish four basic elements necessary in implementing the DBT STEPS-A curriculum effectively:

A. Background and Development of the DBT STEPS-A curriculum
B. Structure and Implementation Considerations
C. Overview and demonstration of DBT STEPS-A lessons
D. Preparation and participant practice of teaching DBT STEPS-A lessons.

Upcoming Implementation Training Opportunities

May 15- 17, 2024
6:00 AM - 1:00 PM PDT
$895 Early Bird Until 3/15
$945 Standard Pricing
June 19-21, 2024
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM UTC -3
$595 Standard Pricing
This training is in Spanish.
July 22-24 2024
7:00 AM- 2:00 PM PDT
$895 Early Bird Until 6/15
$945 Standard Pricing

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DBT Informed School Counseling Strategies

School mental health staff are provided tools to identify student goals and behavioral targets for counseling sessions as well as the rationale of using a chain analysis as a method of assessment and guide to determining effective solutions. Additionally, participants are provided step-by-step processes for providing skills coaching (based on DBT STEPS-A skills) to students “on the fly” when needed during the school day in order to increase the amount of time students spend in the classroom. The training offers an understanding of the impact of the invalidating environment on emotion dysregulation, and teaches validation skills and how they can best be used to impact school culture. Time is spent on demonstration and participant practice of “Coaching On The Fly” when needed during the school day in order to increase the amount of time students spend in the classroom. Participants will learn how the invalidating environment can impact emotion dysregulation, and will be taught validation skills and how they can be used to impact school culture.

Upcoming Counseling Strategies Training Opportunities

July 18-19, 2024
7:00 AM - 2:15 PM PDT
$645 Early bird March 15
$695 Standard Pricing

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Our Training Team

Married for 20 years with 3 biological children, Lizz and Jim often refer to DBT Steps-A as their fourth child. This is not just a business; it’s personal for both Lizz and Jim.

Jim started his journey as a school psychologist and Lizz as a clinical psychologist. Together they witnessed the shortcomings of how we as a society approach and treat young people encountering emotion dysregulation. Jim found difficulty addressing the needs of the many students in crisis and grew frustrated with his inability to impact the growing number of students requiring support. Lizz, both then and now, receives more inquiries for therapy than she or her local colleagues can handle. Together, they realized that something needed to be done to reach more kids before they were in crisis. From that mindset grew the idea for the proactive curriculum that is now DBT STEPS-A – a prevention-oriented approach to supporting and enhancing every student’s mental well-being.