DBT Training FAQ: Crisis-Survival Skills and CE for Clinicians
Answers about Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Spring Advisory's live webinar DBT for High-Distress Moments: Helping Clients Navigate Crisis and Respond More Effectively (3 CE), presented by Suzette Bray, MA, LMFT.
Topic definition and course description
About DBT
What is DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy)?
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a structured, skills-based form of cognitive behavioral therapy developed by psychologist Marsha M. Linehan. It combines change-focused strategies with acceptance and mindfulness techniques. DBT was originally developed for people with chronic suicidality and borderline personality disorder and has since been adapted for other populations.
What does “dialectical” mean in DBT?
In DBT, “dialectical” refers to holding two seemingly opposing positions together, most centrally acceptance of the client as they are and the need for change. The therapist balances validation with change-oriented strategies.
What are the four DBT skills modules?
Standard DBT skills training is organized into four modules: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Distress tolerance includes the crisis-survival strategies used when emotions are intense and problem-solving is not yet possible.
What are the components of standard DBT?
Comprehensive DBT typically includes individual therapy, group skills training, between-session skills coaching, and a therapist consultation team. Clinician training in individual skills or single interventions is different from delivering a full DBT program. This 3CE course is a skill training and not a full DBT program.
What are DBT crisis-survival (distress tolerance) skills?
Crisis-survival skills are short-term strategies intended to help a person get through a high-distress moment without acting on urges that make the situation worse. Commonly taught examples in the DBT literature include TIPP, STOP, ACCEPTS, self-soothing with the five senses, IMPROVE the moment, and pros and cons. They are not intended to resolve underlying problems.
Why do coping skills often fail when distress is high?
When emotional arousal is high, access to previously learned skills can decrease, and urges toward behaviors that provide immediate relief can become stronger. This is why DBT emphasizes matching the strategy to the level of distress and rehearsing skills before a crisis occurs.
What is a behavior analysis (chain analysis) in DBT?
A behavior analysis is a structured review of a problem behavior. It identifies vulnerabilities, the prompting event, the sequence of thoughts, emotions, and actions, the consequences that reinforced the behavior, and points where a more effective response was possible.
What is a Cope Ahead plan?
Cope Ahead is a DBT emotion-regulation skill in which a person plans and mentally rehearses how they will use specific skills in a situation they expect to be difficult. It is used to prepare for predictable events before they occur.
.png)
About the 3CE course
What is “DBT for High-Distress Moments: Helping Clients Navigate Crisis and Respond More Effectively” 3-CE course?
It is a 3-hour continuing education (CE) live interactive webinar for clinicians, presented by Suzette Bray, MA, LMFT, through Spring Advisory, PLLC. The course is DBT-informed and covers how crisis-driven behavior develops, how to choose and troubleshoot crisis-survival strategies, and how to build a personalized Cope Ahead plan with clients.
What will clinicians learn in this 3 credit continuing education course?
The learning objectives are:
(1) differentiate at least three clinical situations that call for short-term crisis-survival strategies from those requiring immediate safety intervention, problem-solving, or longer-term emotional processing;
(2) select and explain at least four DBT-informed crisis-survival strategies based on distress level, clinical needs, environment, and likely barriers to skill use; and
(3) apply a brief crisis behavior-analysis framework to develop the core components of a Cope Ahead plan.
What are the components of the Cope Ahead plan taught in the course?
The course addresses vulnerabilities, prompting events, crisis urges, skillful alternatives, foreseeable obstacles, and rehearsal steps.
Who is the instructor?
Suzette Bray, MA, LMFT, is a psychotherapist, author, and clinical trainer with more than 25 years of experience working with emotional dysregulation, borderline personality disorder, recurrent crises, impulsive behavior, and treatment-interfering patterns. She is licensed as a marriage and family therapist in California and Arizona, and founded and directed a comprehensive DBT program serving adults and adolescents for more than a decade. Her books include Simple DBT Coping Skills: 75 Ways to Live Mindfully, Regulate Emotions, Manage Distress and Improve Relationships.
Is this course a DBT certification or intensive DBT training?
No. This is a 3-hour DBT-informed continuing education webinar. It is not a DBT certification program or a full intensive training, and completing it does not certify a clinician to deliver comprehensive DBT.
Who should attend a DBT crisis-skills CE course?
The course is relevant to clinicians who work with clients experiencing intense distress, emotional dysregulation, impulsive behavior, or recurring crises. Continuing education is approved for the professions listed under the credit question below.
3 CE course Dates, format, and registration
When is the DBT for High-Distress Moments webinar?
Two live sessions are offered, and participants only need to attend one to earn the 3 credits: Friday, November 6, 2026, or Monday, December 14, 2026. Both run from 11 am to 2 pm Central Time. Registration deadlines apply; see the registration page for details.
What are the session times in other time zones?
11 am to 2 pm Central corresponds to
9 am to 12 pm Pacific,
10 am to 1 pm Mountain, and
12 pm to 3 pm Eastern.
Is the course online or in person?
The course is a live interactive webinar held on Zoom through Spring Advisory. Participants register on Zoom to attend. The presentation will be recorded.
Continuing education credit
How many CE credits does the course provide, and which boards approve it?
The course is 3 CE credit hours. The course plan lists approval through the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), the American Psychological Association (APA), the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC), the Art Therapy Credentials Board, and the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) for Illinois social workers, marriage and family therapists, and psychologists. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for credit.
Do social workers receive clinical CE credit?
Yes. Social workers completing this course receive 3 clinical continuing education credits. Spring Advisory, PLLC (provider #2339) is approved to offer social work continuing education by the ASWB Approved Continuing Education (ACE) Program; the current approval period is 06/25/2026 to 06/25/2027.
Is Spring Advisory an approved NBCC and APA provider?
Spring Advisory, PLLC is an NBCC Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7169) and is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Spring Advisory maintains responsibility for the program and its content.
What is required to receive a CE certificate?
Participants must attend the entire live session and pass an exam with a score of at least 80%. No partial credit is issued, and late arrival may result in no credit. Certificates are sent by email within the same 24-hour period; unforeseen technical issues may cause delays.
Is there any conflict of interest or commercial support?
There is no known conflict of interest or commercial support in this program.
What if I need accessibility accommodations or have a problem with my certificate?
Email admin@springadv.com for accessibility assistance or certificate issues. The refund and cancellation policy is in the terms of use on the Spring Advisory website.
Course information reflects the current course plan. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. General DBT information is educational and is not clinical or treatment advice.
