Dialectical Behavior Therapy

DBT is a highly specialized, evidence-based treatment protocol that addresses problematic behaviors that individuals have developed to cope with overwhelming emotions. ​Some of these behaviors may be self-injury, suicidal thoughts/behaviors, sudden and intense anger, and difficulty in relationships.  DBT combines unconditional validation of an individual's emotional experience while teaching concrete strategies to manage intense emotions effectively and build "a life worth living."

​Our DBT program, which follows Marsha Linehan's treatment protocol to fidelity, includes weekly DBT Skills Groups, weekly DBT Individual Therapy, in-the-moment Skills Coaching, and a therapist Consultation Team. Learn more about Comprehensive DBT here. 

We are proud to announce that Castlebrook’s Executive Director, Kerrie Toole, LICSW and Sarah-Eve Hamel, LMHC are two of 16 DBT-LBC Certified Clinicians in Massachusetts and just over 400 Certified Clinicians nationally.

Read Kerrie's blog post about DBT here. 
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About the DBT-Linehan Board of Certification

DBT was developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan in the early 1990’s to treat individuals who were experiencing intense emotion dysregulation, and often diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. As a researcher, Dr. Linehan wanted this treatment to be replicated according to her model which had been proven to be effective by repeated randomized-control trials. Dr. Linehan created the Dialectical Behavior Therapy – Linehan Board of Certification (DBT-LBC) to ensure that clinicians would be able to demonstrate to clients, stakeholders, and therapy community that they were providing DBT with fidelity to her model.

In order to achieve DBT-LBC Certification, a clinician must submit an extensive application including training in DBT and Mindfulness as well as documentation of successful treatment of clients using DBT, pass an examination measuring proficiency in behavioral treatments and DBT, and submit videotapes of actual DBT sessions to be coded for adherence to the model. Learn more about Dr. Linehan’s work and the DBT-LBC Certification process.​