Dialectical Behavior Therapy with Suicidal Adolescents

“I was struck by the discussion of how to conduct therapy with teens on an interpersonal level. I've never read a better, concise description of what it takes to work with adolescents....The treatment described is likely to be useful for a broad range of persistently and emotionally dysregulated adolescents, not just those who are suicidal....An important contribution to the literature on the treatment of self-destructive adolescents and their families.”

—Psychiatric Services


“Clinicians with and without expertise in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) will find this book useful because it covers topics ranging from basic principles to details of session content, to treatment protocol modifications for this specialized population....The attention given to the role of families in this book is a feature that is not available in general DBT books....This book's greatest strength is the practical format in which information is presented. The chapters that outline treatment protocols provide detailed information about session process and content. Many practical figures, tables, and checklists are included. The addition of reproducible handouts and checklists that can actually be used in therapy is an added bonus. There is also an appendix of mindfulness exercises that most clinicians will find helpful....A comprehensive and practical book....This book will certainly help to facilitate future research because it provides the comprehensive structure necessary for those who will go on to conduct clinical trials.”

—Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry


“This is an excellent manual covering how to apply DBT to multiproblem suicidal adolescents.”

—Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic


“This is an exciting and very important book that fills a need in the behavioral literature....The book is clearly written, full of examples and may represent the most comprehensive explanation of dialectical behavior therapy yet written. This book would be a valued addition to any advanced graduate level psychology or social work course in behavior therapy targeting adolescence or where suicidality is part of the curriculum. This book will also be a valued addition to any psychiatry residency or fellowship aligned with an adolescent treatment program. Given the importance of this book, its potential contribution and the high level of need of this targeted population, the price is a bargain!”

—Child & Family Behavior Therapy


“A remarkably well-written, comprehensive, theoretically-grounded, integrated treatment manual. It is excellent for researchers and clinicians alike—as the most comprehensive and empirically-informed approach to treating suicidal adolescents developed by experts with this population....Notable throughout this manual is the compassionate stance taken by the authors in describing the symptoms and behaviors of the multiproblem adolescents and families served by dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) treatment....I highly recommend this treatment manual for all those working with adolescents.”

—Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Book Reviews


“This book is a creative synthesis of the new and old that offers a useful treatment manual to be applied and further tested with the taxing population of suicidal adolescents....An excellent work....The ideas and tools are well explained, inviting application, skill building, and ultimately analysis of the effectiveness of this approach. This work goes a long way toward moving us forward in treating this most taxing dilemma of treating suicidal adolescents. This is a nice synthesis. Well done.”

—PsycCRITIQUES


“An excellent, practical book on a very difficult-to-treat and neglected population: teens with multiple and severe psychiatric disorders, mood dysregulation, and recurrent suicidal and/or self-harming behaviors. This book is recommended for students, psychologists, social workers, psychiatric residents, psychiatrists, and other professionals dealing with mental health issues in teenagers. Also, this book is an outstanding resource for researchers evaluating the efficacy of Dialectical Behavior Therapy for teenagers.”

—Boris Birmaher MD, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center


“This book offers the latest thinking on core elements of DBT while illustrating important strategies specific to treating adolescents. The authors' skill and expertise with this population shine, making this an essential manual for DBT practitioners and administrators working with adolescents.”

—André Ivanoff, PhD, Columbia University School of Social Work


“An outstanding text for graduate courses focused on cognitive-behavioral therapy and evidence-based approaches for youth. I have utilized this book in my graduate course on Adolescent Clinical Psychology and with advanced practicum students providing therapy services to youth at risk for self-harm behaviors. The book is well organized and provides a thorough review of the theoretical foundations of DBT. The chapters on skills training and the pragmatics of running groups are helpful resources for all practitioners, especially in combination with the appendices that provide detailed descriptions of the group activities, discussion points, and handouts.”

—Mary Louise Cashel, PhD, Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Training, Department of Psychology, Southern Illinois University Carbondale


“Outstanding. This book represents a major contribution to the prevention of adolescent suicide. It is extensively detailed to inform clinicians about the applications of this effective psychosocial treatment for adolescents who present with specific risk factors. Written by pioneering developers of DBT, this book is essential reading for mental health professionals at every level of experience and training.”

—Cynthia R. Pfeffer, MD, Department of Psychiatry, Weill Medical College of Cornell University


“This book is extremely relevant for therapists working with adolescents who engage in suicidal and other high-risk behaviors. In addition to providing an efficacious and easily understood manualized approach for this population, it offers many valuable tips for building a strong therapeutic alliance with this challenging population.”

—Lynn Ponton, MD, University of California, San Francisco


“Humane, practical, and erudite. The authors, through their dialectical approach, provide a theoretical framework that allows for an efficient, realistic, and parsimonious approach to the core difficulties in multiple health-risk behaviors in youth. Most important, they provide clear guidelines as to how therapists should conduct themselves to be maximally effective with these challenging adolescents, and how to cope with the emotional demands of work with this population. What the reader will learn is that DBT is more than a set of skills and techniques—it is a way of understanding and conceptualizing human behavior. This book should be read by every professional who works with multiproblem teens.”

—David A. Brent, MD, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Services for Teens at Risk, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine