The following information will guide you through the process of Certification when that becomes available. Exploring this page will help inform you as to what is required as well as help you assess your readiness for application. Currently there is a mechanism for registering your interest in pursuing Certification by visiting the “Contact Us” page.
The purpose of certification in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is to insure the client and the public that the certified clinician is proficient in the understanding and delivery of DBT at a competent level. It requires the individual to have completed at least a Master’s degree or equivalent in a Behavioral Health field, and to have a license to practice in his/her field. It conveys to the public that an individual with DBT Certification has been examined and designated as having a special proficiency in the delivery of DBT. It is not a substitute for a license, as it does not define the certified practitioner’s scope of practice.
Two areas of DBT practice will be available for the practitioner seeking Certification. These are: Individual Therapist and Skills Trainer.
In addition to meeting educational and supervisory requirements, the exam process consists of two written exams: the first is the completion of an exam on the principles and practices of Behavior Therapy; the second is an exam on the principles and practices of DBT specifically. Once the written exams are passed successfully there will be an oral exam to verify competency in the ability to conceptualize the treatment and implement it effectively.