Dialectical Behavior Therapy with Suicidal Clients Vol. 1
by Marsha Linehan
Prepare to be riveted by these live demonstrations with DBT originator Marsha Linehan. From assessing suicidality to negotiating no-harm agreements to maintaining a grounded stance, the formidable clinician offers effective strategies for working with distressed borderline clients.
Borderline, suicidal, and self-harming clients can be challenging to work with, as their emotional dysregulation can lead to behaviors that unsettle even the most seasoned therapists. With this new two-video set on Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Marsha Linehan demonstrates key interventions of the renowned approach she created, in an engaging and intense reenactment of a course of therapy with a client who has recently attempted suicide. As she meticulously unearths crucial assessment information, you’ll watch the pair connect, tussle, and ultimately negotiate their way through a high-risk situation.

In Volume 1 of the set, Linehan holds two early-stage sessions with Stacy, who is in treatment because her family is sure she will die otherwise. Linehan remains empathic and even humorous in these lively sessions, while staying laser-focused on assessing Stacy’s suicidal risk, motives, and readiness for therapy. You’ll observe how she persistently negotiates the terms of participation in the face of a highly defensive and erratic client, all while maintaining a warm, compassionate stance. By affirming Stacy’s autonomy, Linehan gently challenges her to envision more adaptive coping skills.

You’ll be impressed by Linehan’s direct, plain-spoken style, which demystifies DBT as well as disarms her client. By session’s end, Stacy has agreed to remain in close contact with her therapist while they work on her goals together.

Those seeking a live demonstration of DBT, proven resources for working with suicidality, self-harming, or borderline clients, or an overview of the model from the originator herself should take a look at this video. 

What therapists are saying…

"All therapists understand the high level of risk associated with client's who have long and recent suicidal attempts or self-harming behaviors. These two video presentations take DBT techniques to a new level of application, demonstrating the straightforward approach of Linehan and the honesty, self-regulation skills, and steadiness required to work with dysregulated clients. I especially appreciated the role play which was at times raw, deliberately difficult, and very effective in demonstrating that DBT is not only a technique, but an art form."

-- Margaret Evanow, Ph.D. (ABD), LPCC, DBT, CCTP
In Depth
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Borderline, suicidal, and self-harming clients are some of the most challenging populations in our field—and a deep stock of clinical strategies is essential for success. Clinicians new to it often learn trial by fire, which can lead to ineffective—and potentially dangerous—outcomes. Even more seasoned therapists avail themselves of training to manage this difficult population. In the interests of helping both new and seasoned therapists navigate these rough waters, we’re thrilled to present this satisfying video set on Dialectical Behavior Therapy featuring its creator, Dr. Marsha Linehan. Here, you’ll find proven techniques as well as personal attributes to inform and enhance your skills.

Volume 1 of the set offers an in-depth look at common DBT assessment challenges. Linehan conducts two early-stage sessions with “client” Stacy (a student of hers who offers up one of her cases for role-play), in which she deftly confronts her “100 percent avoidance behavior” while also brokering agreements around her suicidality. You’ll observe how Linehan firmly assesses risk and ignores the trap of client obfuscation, yet also supports Stacy’s autonomy and challenges her to envision more adaptive coping skills.

Between assessing risk, managing reactivity, and negotiating agreements, this video offers the support you need to solidify your work with borderline clients. If you’re in search of essential DBT resources, this 2-video set fits the bill.

By watching this video, you will:
  • Understand common challenges DBT therapists face with suicidal clients.
  • Discover core DBT interventions for assessing risk, managing reactivity, and negotiating agreements.
  • Learn to use psychoeducation and directiveness in order to stay focused on key clinical tasks.

Length of video: 1:26:58

English subtitles available

Individual ISBN-10 #: 1-60124-520-3

Individual ISBN-13 #: 978-1-60124-520-5

Group ISBN-10 #: 1-60124-521-1

Group ISBN-13 #: 978-1-60124-521-2

Marsha Linehan, PhD, is a Professor of Psychology and adjunct Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington and is Director of the Behavioral Research and Therapy Clinics, a consortium of research projects developing new treatments and evaluating their efficacy for severely disordered and multi-diagnostic and suicidal populations. Her primary research is in the application of behavioral models to suicidal behaviors, drug abuse, and borderline personality disorder. She is also working to develop effective models for transferring science-based treatments to the clinical community.  

She is the developer of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), a treatment originally developed for the treatment of suicidal behaviors and since expanded to treatment of borderline personality disorder and other severe and complex mental disorders, particularly those that involve serious emotion dysregulation. 

See all Marsha Linehan videos.
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