Dr. Jill Rathus × Psychwire
DBT Training with the Founders
Dr. Jill Rathus, partner and co-director at CBA, is a co-developer of Comprehensive DBT for Adolescents and Families, along with Dr Alec Miller and Dr. Marsha Linehan. Dr. Rathus has partnered exclusively with Psychwire to bring high-fidelity online DBT training to mental health professionals worldwide.
“These courses were built around a simple but demanding standard: when clinicians complete this training, they should be able to fully understand this complex treatment, and sit down with a family and begin delivering it. That guided every decision we made about how to teach it.”Dr. Jill Rathus
Each course pairs rigorous academic instruction with debriefed therapy demonstrations, so you don’t just learn the model, you see it applied across the range of clinical complexity you’ll actually encounter.
When you train through Psychwire, you learn directly from Dr. Jill Rathus and Dr. Alec Miller, with contributions from Dr. Marsha Linehan, the founder of DBT and one of the most consequential figures in the history of modern psychotherapy.
Training with the founders means learning the model exactly as Dr. Linehan conceived it: the underlying philosophy, the clinical reasoning, the decisions behind every intervention. There is no substitute for this level of fidelity, and there is no other online training that gives you direct access to it.
For clinicians & teams
Comprehensive DBT Training: Adolescents & Families
For clinicians and teams committed to learning how to deliver adherent DBT with adolescents. This pathway also serves as the official academic step toward DBT-Linehan Board of Certification (DBT-LBC). The following two course descriptions offer two different pathways:
Online · On demand
DBT Foundational for Adolescents & Families
The only on-demand DBT-A course taught directly by the treatment’s original developers. Dr. Rathus, Dr. Miller, and Dr. Linehan guide you through the full academic and clinical framework, the rigorous foundation you need to join an intensively-trained team and ultimately practice this model with fidelity.
For clinical teams
DBT Intensive for Adolescents & Families
For clinicians and teams committed to delivering adherent DBT, Dr. Rathus and her co-developer, Dr. Alec Miller, have designed a two-part training pathway. This pathway also serves as the official academic step toward DBT-Linehan Board of Certification (DBT-LBC). Designed for clinical teams making the transition to a functioning DBT program, the Intensive combines the on-demand Foundational course with 20 hours of expert-led consultation, so your team can focus on implementing the model and apply what they’re learning to real cases, with guidance.
“The gap between understanding DBT and being able to actually run a DBT team is real. The Intensive was designed specifically to bridge it.”Dr. Jill Rathus
For clinicians working with adults
Standard Adult DBT Foundational Training
For clinicians whose work focuses on adults, Dr. Rathus recommends the standard DBT Foundational course, also available exclusively through Psychwire.
“I am honored to serve on the faculty for this program alongside Linehan Board Certified clinicians, researchers, and adherence coders, who offer depth and diversity of expertise. When you enroll in this foundational course, you are not only learning from Dr. Marsha Linehan, Dr. Alec Miller, and me, but you are also guided by Annie McCall and Erica Tan, whose expertise in high-risk presentations is invaluable, and Melanie Harned, developer of the DBT Prolonged Exposure (DBT PE) protocol for trauma. The faculty includes additional clinical experts whose teaching reflects decades of experience.”Dr. Jill Rathus
Note that CBA and Drs. Rathus and Miller offer in-person trainings as well, based on your group’s needs. CBA offers a wealth of training opportunities and consulting in DBT and CBT.
Private Consultation Inquiries
If your organization is seeking private DBT case consultation directly from our team at Cognitive Behavioral Associates (CBA) rather than through the Psychwire Intensive platform, please reach out via our Contact Form to discuss availability.
Cognitive Behavioral Associates · 60 Cuttermill Road, Suite 404, Great Neck, NY 11021
Contact usFor licensed practitioners
Integrate DBT Skills into Your Practice
For licensed practitioners who want to incorporate evidence-based DBT skills into their clinical work, and develop additional expertise in the DBT skills training modality.
Please note: these courses offer CE/CME credits but do not fulfill DBT-LBC certification requirements.
Online · On demand
DBT Skills for Adolescents & Families
Dr. Rathus, Dr. Miller, and Dr. Linehan walk you through the nuances of teaching DBT skills to adolescents and their families, including expert demonstrations of teaching skills in Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Walking the Middle Path, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness. The online, on demand training addresses not only the content and style of teaching, but also specific challenges this population brings, and how to navigate them with skill and compassion. This course is backed by hundreds of clinician testimonials worldwide.
Online · On demand
Applied DBT Skills for Mood Disorders and Anxiety
This on-demand course is for clinicians treating complex mood dysregulation. Using the same debriefed demonstration approach, Dr. Rathus and colleagues show you how to select and apply DBT skills for clients struggling with a full range of mood disorders and anxiety presentations with precision and flexibility.
DBT-Linehan Board of Certification
Your Path to DBT Certification
For clinicians pursuing the DBT-Linehan Board of Certification (DBT-LBC), Psychwire’s training offers a clear, approved pathway:
- Step 1: Didactic. Complete DBT Foundational for Adolescents & Families (or DBT Foundational) on Psychwire to fulfill the academic requirement.
- Step 2: Consultation. Engage with a consultation team. The DBT for Adolescents and Families Intensive program on Psychwire provides an approved route to meet this requirement.
- Step 3: Exam & Work Product. Submit your application, exam, and clinical work product directly to the DBT-Linehan Board of Certification.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQs
Which DBT training is right for me?
The best DBT training depends on your professional goals and how you plan to use DBT in your practice.
- DBT Skills for Adolescents & Families is ideal for practitioners who want to integrate evidence-based DBT skills into their work with young people and families, without implementing a full DBT program.
- Applied DBT Skills for Mood Disorders is designed for clinicians who want practical strategies for working with clients experiencing anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and other forms of mood dysregulation using DBT skills.
- DBT Foundational for Adolescents & Families is ideal for clinicians who want comprehensive training in adolescent DBT and are joining an established DBT team. Taught by Dr. Marsha Linehan, Dr. Alec Miller, and Dr. Jill Rathus, it provides the foundational knowledge needed to deliver adherent DBT for adolescents and families.
- DBT Intensive for Adolescents & Families is best suited to clinical teams and organizations that want to implement a comprehensive DBT program. It combines foundational training with expert consultation to help teams apply DBT with fidelity in real-world settings.
- Standard DBT Foundational Training is recommended for clinicians whose work extends beyond adolescents and families and who want comprehensive training in the standard DBT model.
Will I receive CE/CME credits or a certificate upon completion?
Yes. Psychwire’s DBT courses offer CE/CME credits and include a certificate of completion when all course requirements are met. These certificates can often be used to support continuing professional development (CPD) requirements, although eligibility and recognition vary by profession and jurisdiction. Participants should check with their relevant licensing, registration, or accrediting body for specific requirements.
What makes Psychwire’s DBT training different from other online courses?
Psychwire’s DBT training is designed to help clinicians move beyond understanding concepts and toward applying DBT effectively in practice. Each course combines expert instruction with debriefed therapy demonstrations, allowing you to see how DBT principles are used in real clinical situations rather than simply learning them in theory.
What also sets these courses apart is the faculty. Clinicians learn directly from Dr. Marsha Linehan, the founder of DBT, alongside leading DBT experts including Dr. Jill Rathus and Dr. Alec Miller. This provides a unique opportunity to learn the model as it was originally developed, including the clinical reasoning behind key interventions and treatment decisions.
Courses are self-paced, include downloadable clinical resources, and are structured to support immediate application in practice. Whether your goal is to integrate DBT skills into your existing work or develop a comprehensive DBT program, the training is designed to build confidence, competence, and fidelity to the model. Go to Psychwire.com for full list of course offerings.
Do I need prior DBT experience to enroll in these courses?
No. Most of these courses are designed for clinicians who are new to DBT as well as those looking to deepen their existing knowledge. The DBT Foundational courses provide a comprehensive introduction to the model, while the DBT Skills courses are suitable for clinicians who want to incorporate DBT-informed strategies into their practice without implementing a full DBT program.
Please note that the DBT Foundational, DBT Foundational for Adolescents & Families and DBT Intensive for Adolescents & Families programs have eligibility requirements to help ensure participants are well positioned to benefit from the training. Eligibility criteria are outlined on the respective course pages.