South African psychologists, master Dialectical Behaviour Therapy with Dr. Ella Brent's practical framework.
In this informative and practical session, clinical psychologist Dr. Ella Brent introduces a structured and accessible model for applying Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) in clinical settings, particularly when working with clients experiencing emotional dysregulation, self-harm, or suicidal ideation.
Dr. Brent explores the foundational dialectic between acceptance and change, a central DBT principle critical to therapeutic engagement with clients in crisis. She provides a clinically relevant hierarchy of treatment targets, including managing suicidal risk, reducing self-injurious behaviours, and cultivating life-enhancing skills.
Participants will gain an actionable DBT-informed framework for case formulation and assessment, which integrates clients' emotional, behavioural, and interpersonal challenges. This framework is designed to help clinicians organise complex and emotionally charged material into a coherent treatment strategy that supports both client insight and therapist clarity
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this talk, participants will be able to:
Understand the dialectical principles underpinning DBT and how they support therapeutic progress.
Apply the DBT hierarchy of treatment targets in clinical work with high-risk clients.
Use a DBT-informed assessment model to conceptualise affect dysregulation, impulsive behaviours, relational difficulties, and experiences of emptiness.
Support clients in identifying cycles that maintain self-destructive patterns.
Maintain therapeutic structure when faced with emotionally intense content.
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