Changing Behavior in DBT ─ Problem Solving in Action

This book delves into problem solving, one of the core components of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). The authors are leading DBT trainers who elucidate the therapy's principles of behavior change and use illustrative case examples to illustrate their effective application. Particular attention is given to common pitfalls that therapists encounter in analyzing target behaviors--for example, a suicide attempt or an episode of bingeing and purging--and selecting and implementing appropriate solutions. Guidelines are provided for successfully implementing the full range of DBT problem-solving strategies, including skills training, stimulus control and exposure, cognitive restructuring, and contingency management.

Heidi L. Heard, PhD, is a Senior Trainer for Behavioral Tech, which provides advanced training in DBT, and Clinical Instructor at the University of Washington in Seattle. Based in St. Louis, she is the founder and former director of British Isles DBT Training and provides consultation to DBT therapists and teams in North America and Europe. After collaborating with Marsha M. Linehan on the initial outcome trials for standard DBT and the adaptation for substance abuse and dependence, Dr. Heard has focused her research on the cost-effectiveness of DBT. She has published numerous articles and chapters related to borderline personality disorder and DBT and is coauthor (with Michaela A. Swales) ofDialectical Behaviour Therapy: Distinctive Features.

Michaela A. Swales, PhD, is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist with Betsi Cadwaldr University Health Board, the largest health organization in Wales, and Senior Lecturer at the North Wales Clinical Psychology Programme, School of Psychology, Bangor University. She is also Director of British Isles DBT Training. Dr. Swales has trained more than a thousand professionals in DBT. Her research interests are primarily in the effective implementation of evidence-based psychological therapies in routine clinical practice; she is currently investigating the efficacy of DBT for treatment-resistant depression. Dr. Swales is a participant in the Working Group on Classification of Personality Disorders that reports to the World Health Organization's International Advisory Group for the revision of the ICD-10 classification of mental and behavioral disorders.