DBT-E: Introducing DBT as a treatment for eating disorders

About this event

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) was developed for the treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder. Based on behavioural principles, the treatment targets emotion dysregulation that leads to problematic behaviours in the clients presenting to treatment. Since the initial publication of the DBT text and manual by Marsha Linnehan in 1993, DBT has been trialled and adapted for other clinical populations characterised by emotion dysregulation.

DBT for Binge Eating and Bulimia was developed by Safer, Telch and Chen and presents a treatment based on an emotion dysregulation model of problem eating and adapts the standard DBT protocol for disordered eating. Other adaptations include additional orientation and commitment strategies, additional mindfulness strategies as well as the inclusion of relapse prevention strategies.

This online training, conducted over two half-days aims to introduce participants to DBT as a treatment of emotion dysregulation, and more specifically how DBT strategies and interventions can be used to treat problematic eating behaviours in both individual treatment and using the comprehensive DBT group therapy model. The workshop is designed to be demonstrative, engaging and interactive. Workshop participants will have the opportunity to learn and practice new skills and interventions in an online and supportive environment.

Workshop objectives are:
- Introduce the DBT treatment model, focusing on dialectical theory and behavioural interventions
- Provide an understanding of the underlying research outcomes
- Outline key factors and challenges that face clients presenting with both restrictive and binge eating patterns
- Introduce the emotion dysregulation model of problem eating
- Outline orientation and commitment strategies to ensure that clients engage and remain in treatment
- Discuss additional mindfulness strategies designed to manage urges and difficulties remaining abstinent from problem behaviour
- Understand how behavioural interventions can be utilised in individual therapy
- Troubleshoot difficulties that may arise in treatment
- Introduce DBT relapse prevention strategies Prior knowledge of DBT is strongly recommended.

Please contact the event organiser if you need suggestions of where to seek this out.