DBT and Eating Disorders: Individual DBT Treatment Strategies Applied to Complex, Multi-Diagnostic Patients with Eating Disorders.

Auckland.

Eating Disorder patients who suffer from multiple Axis I and II diagnoses, especially those that include suicidal or self-harm behaviors, tend to be a conceptual and practical treatment conundrum, often leading to therapist burnout and to patient drop out. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), originally designed to treat chronically suicidal patients suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder, is a treatment that has been applied to multi-diagnostic, difficult-to-treat patients such as these. DBT offers strategies to address prioritizing multiple treatment targets, including those that can be life threatening in patient with eating disorders as well as prioritizing behaviors that can interfere with treatment and subsequently contribute to patient drop out and therapist burn out.  Several studies have demonstrated that using DBT with those diagnosed with an eating disorder is both efficacious and effective. 

In this workshop, participants will learn how relevant aspects of DBT have been adapted for those with eating disorders, including adaptations of the biosocial model, diary cards, and targets in stage one treatment.  A focus will be placed on applying DBT individual treatment strategies to those diagnosed with eating disorders, including how to conduct a chain analysis on ED behaviors, how to apply commitment strategies with ED individuals, and how to utilize dialectical strategies in individual treatment.   Using lecture, case examples, small group exercises and role plays, participants will have the opportunity to practice and observe DBT individual treatment strategies for those diagnosed with an eating disorder.

Learning objectives:

1. Use a hierarchy to decide which behaviors should be addressed first during an individual therapy session with a complex ED patient.
2. Identify and target therapy interfering and therapy destroying behaviors in complex ED patients.
3. Understand the use of contingency management in the treatment of complex ED patients.

Who is this training intended for:

This training is primarily intended for mental health professionals with comprehensive (or similar) training in DBT who encounter client with eating disorders within their DBT practice. A firm familiarity with DBT concepts and practice is expected.

Training Level

• This is an intermediate to advanced level training.
• There are no pre-requisites for this training
• This training has not previously been offered in New Zealand

Reading

You will be expected to have read the standard DBT texts:

1. Linehan, M. M. (1993). Cognitive Behavioral Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder. New York: Guilford Press.
2. Linehan, M. M. (2014). DBT Skills Training Manual (Second Edition). New York: Guilford Press.

1. Registrations are confirmed only when payment is received by credit card (with Paypal), electronically or by cheque.
2. Payment must be made before the training. By registering you accept liability for the costs of the training.
3. Cancellations must be notified to us by email (or the website contact form) with full identifying information.
4. Cancellations received more than seven days before the event will receive a refund of the fees paid less an administration charge of $50 (for each event).
5. Refunds cannot be given after that date. Refunds will not be available until after the event.
6. A colleague may be substituted for no extra charge if we are notified at least two business days before the training event.
7. In the unlikely event the training is cancelled by the organisers, registration will be fully refunded but no liability will be accepted for travel, accommodation or other costs/expenses incurred to registrants.