Package Deal Levels 1 and 2 for Skills Instructors in Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (One-off purchase)

Level 1 On-Demand

Description: Level 1 of the Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy Blended Learning Course lays the foundations for becoming an RO DBT Practitioner or RO Skills Instructor. You will learn the underlying theories supporting RO DBT that are essential for understanding the treatment and for being able to explain the treatment to your clients. You will learn how to assess clients for overcontrol, as well as the basic treatment structure. 

The overall aim of Level 1 is to assess whether you have clients who are overcontrolled and may benefit from RO DBT. After completing Level 1, clinicians can choose to continue Level 2 of the RO DBT Practitioner Pathway or the Skills Instructor Pathway. For more information about the different pathways, click here.

Course Instructor: Dr. Thomas Lynch, RO DBT Treatment Developer (see 'Instructor' tab for more information). 

Level 1 was first launched on October 1st, 2019 and updated on February 19th, 2024.

Number of instructional hours, CE credits: 8 (see 'Certificate' tab for more information).

You can download the Syllabus for Level 1 here.

Level 1 consists of 6 modules, covering 8 hours of material, that is, 8 CE credits.

1. Module 1: RO DBT: An Evidence-Based Treatment
2. Module 2: Social Bonds And Self-Control
3. Module 3: The RO DBT Bio-Social Theory For Disorders Of Overcontrol
4. Module 4: The RO DBT Neuroregulatory Model
5. Module 5: Assessing Overcontrol
6. Module 6: Introduction To Treatment Structure And Targeting, And A Case Example

For a full least of Learning Objectives, click here.

Course Instructor: Dr. Thomas Lynch, RO DBT Treatment Developer (go to Trainer Bio)

Level 2 On-Demand for Skills Instructors

Level 2 for Skills Instructors consists of 17 on-demand webinars with 22.5 hours of teaching materials, divided into eight parts. Each part ends with a quiz and an evaluation, which both need to be completed in order to receive a certificate of completion.

You will have indefinite access to the Level 2 materials once you have completed the course. 

Level 2 for Skills Instructors includes the following parts (numbers refer to the full training program):

Part 1: Radical Openness & Self-Enquiry
Part 2: Effective Treatment Structuring
Part 3: The Key Mechanism of Change
Part 4: Therapeutic Use of Social Signaling
Part 5: Therapeutic Stance, Teasing and Silliness
Part 6: Skills Training in Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Part 9: Alliance Ruptures and Repairs
Part 10: Dealing with Disguised Demands

You can download the Syllabus for Level 2 of the Skills Instructor Pathway HERE.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND CREDITS 

Part 1: Radical Openness & Self-Enquiry

Created/launched: May 29, 2020. Webinar Duration: 1 hour 45 minutes. CE credits: 1.75. At the end of this course you will be able to:

1. Use the ‘Tips for Identifying Closed-Mindedness’ to assess whether you are being closed-minded.
2. Apply the ‘Flexible-Mind DEFinitely skill to teach Radically Open living’ to your clients.
3. Apply the ‘Step by Step Protocol for Self-Enquiry In the Heat of the Moment’ during challenging or emotionally charged social interactions
4. List the three different ways in which self-enquiry can be done

Part 2: Effective Treatment Structuring

Created/launched: May 29, 2020. Webinar Duration: 2 hours & 12 minutes. CE credits: 2. At the end of this course you will be able to:

1. Use the RO DBT scripts to orient your client to the treatment and ensure your client is committed to starting treatment
2. Use the RO DBT manual to sequence your individual treatment sessions and set up your treatment room the ‘RO DBT way’
3. Use the RO DBT agenda template to structure your individual treatment sessions during the working phase of treatment
4. Apply the ‘Preventing Treatment Dropout Protocol’ to reduce the risk of the client dropping out of treatment

Part 3: The Key Mechanism of Change

Created/launched: May 29, 2020. Webinar Duration: 1 hour & 36 minutes. CE credits: 1.5. At the end of this course you will be able to:

1. Select the correct metaphor (story) of the key mechanism of change script depending on your client’s social signaling style
2. Use a script to teach the key mechanism of change to your clients early on in treatment.

Part 4: Therapeutic Use of Social Signaling

Created/launched: August 27, 2020. Course length: 3 hours 32 minutes. CE credits: 3.5.  At the end of this course you will be able to:

1. Differentiate between undercontrolled and overcontrolled social signaling and their underlying motivations
2. Use politeness and discretion tactics as ways to kindly turn your client’s attention to potentially difficult topics without ‘rubbing their nose in it’. 
3. Explain how the combination of (1) the emotional response timeline, (2) our built-in signal detection error and (3) overcontrolled heightened-bio-temperamental threat sensitivity makes it more difficult for overcontrolled clients to activate their social safety system.
4. Use gestures, postures and facial expressions that universally signal openness, non-dominance and friendly intentions to activate social safety in yourself and your clients.
5. Differentiate between five types of smiles, describe their functions and explain in which contexts they can be adaptive or maladaptive. 
6. Describe the differences in functions, facial expressions, and associated emotions between disgust and contempt.
7. Identify and treat ‘deer in the headlight’ (flat, unresponsive) responses that may occur in overcontrolled clients.

Part 5: Therapeutic Stance, Teasing and Silliness

Created/launched: August 27, 2020. Course length: 4 hours 10 minutes . CE credits: 4.  At the end of this course you will be able to:

1. Apply the RO therapeutic stance of ‘tribal ambassador’ and practice kindness first and foremost 
2. Explain how teasing and gossip differ when it comes to providing corrective feedback about blind spots 
3. Use therapeutic teasing to provide corrective feedback or challenge a client in a friendly, kind manner
4. Assess when to use therapeutic teasing and when to use compassionate gravity when challenging a client. 
5. Explain the difference between a tease, and a joke, a niggle, sarcasm, validation, confronting, and feedback.
6. Use therapeutic silliness to help your overcontrolled clients identify and achieve their valued-goals 
7. Use participating without planning mindfulness practices during skills classes to help your overcontrolled clients learn how to chill-out and join-in with others
8. Explain the difference between therapeutic teasing and therapeutic silliness.

Part 6: Skills Training in Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Created/launched: March 2022, updated April 2024. Course length:  3 hours 41 minutes. CE credits: 3.75. At the end of this course you will be able to:

1. Use the RO Skills Training Treatment Hierarchy as a guide to help conduct a RO skills training class. 
2. Use the RO Skills Training Manual to teach your clients skills and structure RO skills classes effectively. 
3. Apply key principles to maximize client attendance when orienting OC clients about the importance of RO skills training
4. Apply therapeutic silliness during skills training classes to viscerally signal that it is socially acceptable to play, relax, and openly express emotions to others.
5. Apply core RO DBT teaching principles to encourage skills class participation and flexibly respond to questions.
6. Organize homework review during RO skills training classes using RO principles to maximize effectiveness.
7. Apply Heat-On and Heat-Off strategies in class to maximize engagement, class participation, and shape skills usage
8. Use RO strategies to re-engage an RO skills class that has suddenly gone quiet. 
9. Use mimicry and therapeutic teasing strategies to manage a client who refuses to participate in a Participating without Planning exercise.  

Part 7: Alliance Ruptures and Repairs

Created/launched: March, 2021. Course length: 2 hours 35 minutes. CE credits: 2.5. At the end of this course you will be able to:

1. List the three characteristics of a strong therapeutic alliance
2. Identify in-session alliance ruptures
3. Use the six steps of the alliance rupture repairs protocol to repair a potential therapeutic alliance rupture

Part 8: Dealing with Disguised Demands

Created/launched: March, 2021. Course length: 2 hours 58 minutes. CE credits: 2.75. At the end of this course you will be able to:

1. Identify when a client is engaging in pushback behavior
2. Identify when a client is engaging in don’t hurt me behavior
3. Modify the client’s pushback responses when they occur in-session and teach the client skills to block plausible deniability behaviors 
4. Modify the client’s don’t hurt me responses when they occur in-session and in skills class
5. Differentiate between pushback and don’t hurt me responses 

Entry Requirements & Additional Information

Target audience: A professional qualification in a mental health or related field (e.g. psychology, psychiatry, social work, mental health nursing).

Content Level: Level 1 of this Blended Learning program is delivered at the introductory/beginner level: no previous knowledge of RO DBT is required. The focus of Level 1 is on the theoretical foundations and basic principles of RO DBT. Level 2 of the Blended Learning program is at the Intermediate Level- you must have completed Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy Level 1.

Method of Delivery: this course consists of a series of non-interactive pre-recorded video's. You will need to have a sufficiently strong internet connection to be able to stream these videos.

Accessibility: All videos have the option to turn on English Closed Captions. If you have any questions, need help or want to discuss accessibility issues, please contact roelie@radicallyopen.net

Knowledge Quizzes: After each part you will be invited to complete a knowledge quiz via your online account.  You will need to answer 80% of questions correctly in order to pass and move on to the next part. You will be able to re-take the quiz up to 3 times in order to pass.

Recommended Reading Materials:

1. Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy: Theory and Practice for Treating Disorders of Overcontrol (T. Lynch, 2018; published by New Harbinger)
2. The Skills Training Manual for Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy: A Clinician's Guide for Treating Disorders of Overcontrol (T. Lynch, 2018; published by New Harbinger)

These books will be used throughout the training as reference works. You will not receive excerpts from the Textbook or Skills Manual as part of the Level 2 and 3 courses. It is assumed that clinicians wishing to learn RO DBT will have purchased these books already. If you have not, you can purchase them through various book sellers, including Amazon and New Harbinger, the publisher.

Conflicts of interest: We don’t receive any direct commercial support for our training companies RO DBT Online B.V. or Radically Open Ltd. However, Dr. Thomas Lynch, the RO DBT treatment developer and chief RO DBT trainer, receives royalty fees for the RO DBT Textbook and Skills Manual from New Harbinger publishers. He is married to Mrs Erica Smith-Lynch, co-owner and director or RO DBT Online B.V. and Radically Open Ltd.

Certificates

Certificate/Letter of Completion: You will be able to download a certificate of completion at the end of each part, provided you have passed the knowledge quiz and have completed the CE evaluation form. If you want your professional license number to be added to your certificate, please add this to your Bio on your online profile page or send your license number to roelie@radicallyopen.net

Accreditation: We are accredited by the American Psychological Association and by the Approved Continuing Accreditation / Association of Social Work Boards.  ACE and APA credit is not awarded for prerequisite reading, homework, assignments, supervision, and consultation.

Discounts, Refunds, and Grievances

Discounts: We offer several types of discounts.

1. Group Discounts

5 to 9 persons = 10%
10 to 14 persons = 12.5%
15+ persons = 15%

Group discounts will be automatically applied at checkout to orders of 5 or more courses.

2. Developing Country Discounts

We offer a 20% discount to customers from developing countries according to the International Statistical Institute. The discount will automatically be applied to your shopping cart if your country of residence qualifies.

3. Underserved Population Discounts

We offer a 20% discount to customers whose majority practice is with underserved populations. To determine your eligibility for this discount please fill out the following application form.

Please note the above discounts cannot be used in combination with one another.

Refunds: Online courses and on-demand webinars are non-refundable. Once the course is purchased/accessed, no refund will be granted regardless of the reason. All online training courses are tested extensively on all types of systems, browsers, and devices. We can assist you to get started with the course, if you are having any trouble.

For more details see our Terms and Conditions.

Grievances: For grievances please contact support@radicallyopen.net

If you have any questions, need help or want to discuss accessibility issues, please contact support@radicallyopen.net