Websites

You can’t talk about DBT without mentioning Dr. Marsha Linehan and the Linehan Institute. At the institute’s website you will find a number of informative articles and resources for clients, families, and clinicians. One of the highlights of the site is a free two-hour video that addresses how using the principles of DBT can help teens manage intense feelings. It is a resource for parents and other Concerned Significant Others (CSOs) to learn how they can help.

Behavioral Tech, also owned by Dr. Linehan, specializes in DBT training for mental health providers, agencies, and large systems in the United States and throughout the world.

PsychPoint is a mental health resource that offers a large selection of free DBT worksheets in PDF format. Worksheets are available for download include a variety of topics; Distress Tolerance Skills, Radical Acceptance Worksheet, DBT Interpersonal, Effectiveness Skills: FAST Worksheet, DBT Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills DEARMAN Worksheet, Emotion Regulation Skills: Opposite Action Worksheet and Emotion Regulation Skills: PLEASE Worksheet.

Therapist Aid website provides a large selection of free, simple-to-use worksheets that are easy to understand and jargon-free. Search for “DBT” on the site and you’ll find a range of worksheets on a variety of topics; DBT Distress Tolerance Skills, DBT Emotion Regulation Skills, The Wise Mind and DBT Mindfulness Skills. You will also find articles and some very reasonably priced resources for purchase.

Positive Psychology Program’s website has compiled some of the best resources available for a variety of clinical needs, including DBT. You may find some overlap with other sites, but the Positive Psychology Program website is one of the most comprehensive resources for tools and information related to the positive, person-centred approach. In addition, the Positive Psychology Program offers a free e-book containing exercises that you can use. When you join their mailing list, you’ll also receive additional resources, including free PDFs and downloads.

DBT Self Help’s website was built by and for people who have experience with or are interested in DBT. Here you will find a variety of tools, such as: Videos, Diary cards, DBT skills information, Flash cards and Articles. There are also links to a number of other resources that clients may find helpful. This is site is for self-motivated learners who want to understand how DBT can be useful in their lives.

GetSelfHelp’s website has a plethora of CBT-focused resources. This United Kingdom organization has a DBT-specific section that offers an overview of DBT and the Wise Mind theory. Here you’ll also find a number of free worksheets and educational handouts, such as; Wise Mind Worksheet, Dealing With Distress Worksheets, Mindfulness, Emotional Regulation and more.

Pinterest might not be the first place you think of when you’re looking for information on DBT. This site is becoming one of the go-to places to find all kinds of helpful resources. When you search for “DBT Worksheets” on Pinterest, you’ll find a myriad of pins and some great resources. You may even want to join some Pinterest Groups focused specifically on the types of tools you’re looking for. Some groups are more self-help based, while others are aimed at clinicians. On Pinterest, you’re bound to find something that will help your client. And the best part? It’s free to use!

Psychology Tools’ website offers many useful resources for self-motivated DBT learners. There are plenty of free self-help tools and information available here, including; A Guide to Emotions, Behavioral Activation, Thought Records and Symptom Monitoring. The site also offers a wide assortment of more clinically focused materials, including assessments and worksheets, workbooks, e-books, techniques, and more. Some of these materials are free to use, while others are available to subscribers only. The subscription fee is very reasonable, but if you’re not sure just opt for a free trial to see what’s available.

Organizations

Informational & Support Organizations

National Alliance for Mental Illness: NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. To learn about mental health conditions, learn about treatment options, find support, or get involved with NAMI, visit their website. Be sure to visit the special section on treatment and support for mental health conditions.

National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder: NEA.BPD is a volunteer-based, not-for-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness and education about BPD. Visit www.borderlinepersonalitydisorder.com to learn more.

The Family Connections program, designed by Alan Fruzzetti, PhD, and Perry Hoffman, PhD, is a 12-week program that provides support family members of people with BPD. The NEA.BPD maintains an archive of free resources featuring mental health experts on various topics: call-in Audio Archive.

The Sashbear Foundation: Sashbear is a Canadian-based organization dedicated to making waves on BPD and suicide prevention. Sashbear also operates Family Connections classes in English and French.

Treatment and Research Advancements National Association for Personality Disorder: TARA’s mission is to foster education and research in the field of personality disorder, specifically but not exclusively Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

Government & Professional Organizations

The Centre for Clinical Interventions (CCI) Australian mental health government organization has developed a number of DBT-related resources. Free resources available on their website include programs and educational materials on topics such as: Distress Tolerance/Emotional Regulation, Assertiveness, Interpersonal Effectiveness. The site also offers a number of workbooks and manuals. Some of these are free to download; others are available for a reasonable fee. To start with, it’s worth checking out the Distress Tolerance workbook.

American Psychological Association (APA) works to advance the creation, communication, and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve people’s lives. Access research and resources on a variety of topics.

MentalHealth.gov provides one-stop access to U.S. government mental health and mental health problems information. MentalHealth.gov aims to educate and guide its users on a variety of mental health topics, and it integrates information from several other government agencies.

National Institute on Drug Abuse’s (NIDA) mission is to lead the U.S. in bringing the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction. Visit their site to learn about drugs of abuse and related topics, plus the latest facts and research findings.

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is the lead federal agency for research on mental disorders. The mission of NIMH is to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through basic and clinical research, paving the way for prevention, recovery, and cure.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA’s mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’s communities.

Books

Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder by Marsha M. Linehan, 1993, Guilford Press

Skills Training Manual for Treating Borderline Personality Disorder by Marsha M. Linehan, 1993, Guilford Press

DBT Skills Training Manual by Marsha M. Linehan, 2015, Guilford Press

DBT Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets by Marsha M. Linehan, 2015, Guilford Press

Dialectical Behavior Therapy in Clinical Practice: Applications across Disorders and Settings by Linda A. Dimeff and Kelly Koerner, 2007, Guilford Press

Doing Dialectical Behavior Therapy: A Practical Guide by Kelly Koerner, 2011, Guilford Press

Loving Someone with Borderline Personality Disorder: How to Keep Out-of-Control Emotions from Destroying Your Relationship by Shari Y. Manning, 2011, Guilford Press

The High-Conflict Couple: A Dialectical Behavior Therapy Guide to Finding Peace, Intimacy, and Validation by Alan E. Fruzzetti, 2006, New Harbinger Publication

Dialectical Behavior Therapy with Suicidal Adolescents by Alec L. Miller, Jill H. Rathus, and Marsha M. Linehan, 2017, Guilford Press

Parenting a Child Who Has Intense Emotions: Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills to Help Your Child Regulate Emotional Outbursts and Aggressive Behaviors by Pat Harvey and Jeanine A. Penzo, 2009, New Harbinger Publications

Don’t Shoot the Dog: The New Art of Teaching and Training by Karen Pryor, 2006, Ringpress Books

The ABCs of Human Behavior by Jonas Ramnero and Niklas Torneke, 2011, Context Press