DBT Skills Manual for Adolescents

"Make no mistake: Rathus and Miller are the experts on adolescent DBT. No clinicians in this rapidly expanding field better know the ins and outs of working with teens. This volume reveals in fine detail how to deliver this treatment to teens and their families in a way that will engage them, reach them, and offer them hope. This skills manual is an essential addition to their body of work, likely to make clinicians jobs easier while enhancing outcomes, and sure to touch many lives."--from the Foreword by Marsha M. Linehan, PhD, ABPP, Professor and Director Emeritus, Behavioral Research and Therapy Clinics, University of Washington; developer of DBT "This book is a 'must' for beginners learning DBT in classrooms and in practice environments, and also includes many helpful gems for seasoned DBT clinicians. The skill descriptions, exercises, discussion points, and homework assignments reflect a deep understanding of the developmental problems and needs of teens and their parents. The skills are put into everyday, understandable situations, making this an incredibly useful manual. My copy will be dog-eared within weeks!"--Alan E. Fruzzetti, PhD, Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Reno "Rathus and Miller are excellent clinicians and gifted writers who have once again teamed up to write a practical, relevant manual. I became absorbed by the book's content and clarity. It is practical in a way that helps clinicians speak to adolescents with compassion and work with them effectively. Accessible instruction is provided for applying DBT skills to a broad range of complex and maladaptive adolescent behaviors. The skills are presented with maximal utility and a minimum of jargon. For anyone working with adolescents, this is the most comprehensive DBT manual yet."--Blaise Aguirre, MD, Medical Director, 3East Dialectical Behavior Therapy program, McLean Hospital; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School "Rathus and Miller have led the way in extending DBT to the world of adolescents. Now these true treatment pioneers provide a clear and efficient package for clinicians who want to implement the approach. DBT gives struggling teens and their families the crucial opportunity to learn skills and strategies for building a brighter future. This is a 'must-have' resource for mental health providers."--Perry D. Hoffman, PhD, Co-Founder and President, National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder "This amazing book is absolutely invaluable for clinicians who treat adolescents struggling to control their emotions and behavior. Written by the world's leading authorities on this topic, this manual outlines the state of the art in adolescent DBT, and does so in a way that is clear, accessible, and easy to implement. This is one of those rare books that every clinician should own--and use."--Matthew K. Nock, PhD, Department of Psychology, Harvard University "Self-harm and other high-risk behaviors in teenagers represent huge challenges to families and health care professionals. This manual offers an exceptional and creative set of practical tools that really work and that are well accepted by teens and their parents. If you treat adolescents with problems regulating their emotions and behaviors, this volume is indispensable."--Lars Mehlum, MD, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry and Suicidology, University of Oslo, Norway -There is a wealth of information that defines DBT for adolescents and explains what it addresses. The individual sessions outlined are very helpful. I think any school social worker who read through the (several) activities and handouts would feel enthusiastic about how practical and helpful the skills are.The sessions are laid out in an organized manner with suggestions about where leaders should jump in.The details, handouts, and activities are very valuable.--School Social Work Journal, 4/1/2

Jill H. Rathus, PhD, is Professor of Psychology at Long Island University Post, where she directs the DBT scientist-practitioner training program within the clinical psychology doctoral program. She is also Co-Director and Co-Founder of Cognitive Behavioral Associates, a group private practice in Great Neck, New York, specializing in DBT and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Her clinical and research interests include DBT, CBT, adolescent suicidality, intimate partner violence, anxiety disorders, and assessment. Dr. Rathus has developed and conducted programs in DBT for adolescents and adults as well as males referred for intimate partner violence, and has received foundation and university funding to study, adapt, and develop assessment tools for DBT. She has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and chapters on DBT, adolescent suicide, couple therapy, intimate partner violence, personality disorders, assessment, and anxiety disorders. She is the coauthor of books including DBT Skills in Schools, DBT Skills Manual for Adolescents, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy with Suicidal Adolescents. Alec L. Miller, PsyD, is Co-Founder and Clinical Director of Cognitive and Behavioral Consultants, White Plains and New York, New York, and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York. Dr. Miller served for over 20 years as Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Chief of Child and Adolescent Psychology, Director of the Adolescent Depression and Suicide Program, and Associate Director of Psychology Training at Montefiore Medical Center. He is a scientific advisor to the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention and the National Educational Alliance of Borderline Personality Disorder, a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, and past Chair of the International Society for the Improvement and Training of DBT. He has published numerous peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and books on topics including DBT, adolescent suicide, childhood maltreatment, and borderline personality disorder. He is the coauthor of DBT Skills in Schools, DBT Skills Manual for Adolescents, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy with Suicidal Adolescents. He has conducted over 400 lectures and workshops around the world, training thousands of mental health professionals in DBT.

Foreword by Marsha M. Linehan, PhD, ABPP I. Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Training Structure and Strategies 1. An Introduction to Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Skills Training 2. Structure of DBT Skills Training 3. Managing Skills Training Group Sessions 4. The Art of Conducting DBT Skills Training: Balancing DBT Strategies and Managing Dialectical Tensions II. Skills Training Modules 5. Orientation to the Multifamily Skills Training Group 6. Mindfulness Skills 7. Distress Tolerance 8. Walking the Middle Path 9. Emotion Regulation Skills 10. Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills III. Skills Training Handouts Orientation Handouts Mindfulness Handouts Distress Tolerance Handouts Walking the Middle Path Handouts Emotion Regulation Handouts Interpersonal Effectiveness Handouts