DBT Skills Training Manual, Second Edition

The revised Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) manual—
bringing together the full scope of DBT in one essential volume.

Book Description

Since the original publication of the Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Skills Training Manual in 1993, extensive research has examined standard DBT, including individual therapy, group skills training, telephone consultation, and therapist consultation teams.

The Korean translated version of the DBT Skills Training Manual, Second Edition brings together Marsha M. Linehan’s decades of clinical experience, research on the application of DBT skills, and extensive scientific work on emotion, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and mindfulness. The revised edition also reflects broader developments in the social sciences and incorporates new treatment strategies developed within the cognitive behavioral paradigm.

Although early DBT research focused primarily on treating individuals at high risk for suicide, DBT skills training has since been adapted for a wide range of populations and clinical settings. Research has demonstrated its effectiveness for eating disorders, treatment-resistant depression, non-suicidal self-injury, emotion dysregulation, interpersonal difficulties, and substance use problems.

DBT skills have also been applied with families and friends of individuals experiencing severe psychiatric disorders, people struggling with interpersonal difficulties in organizational settings, clinicians working with complex client populations, and workplace training programs designed to improve morale and functioning.

In addition to Mindfulness Skills, Emotion Regulation Skills, Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills, and Distress Tolerance Skills, the revised edition includes Walking the Middle Path and additional skills sets developed for ADHD and addiction-related problems. The manual is designed for implementation across a broad range of settings and populations, including community mental health programs, inpatient units, emergency settings, and correctional facilities.

The teaching notes have been substantially expanded to include updated research findings, key educational points, and practical implementation guidance, helping DBT practitioners tailor skills training curricula more effectively for different groups and settings. The volume also includes a wide range of clinical examples, supplementary materials, and skills-training resources designed to increase client interaction and participation. Multiple training schedules and implementation formats are provided to support flexible use across diverse clinical environments, with associated worksheets available for selective and practical applications.

Together with Marsha M. Linehan’s companion volume, DBT Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets, Revised Edition, this manual represents more than 25 years of accumulated clinical knowledge and DBT practice. Alongside Dialectical Behavior Therapy with Suicidal Adolescents by Jill H. Rathus and Alec L. Miller, these works continue to offer therapeutic hope for individuals and families struggling with emotion dysregulation, behavioral dyscontrol, borderline personality disorder, and chronic suicidal crises.

About the Author

Marsha M. Linehan, PhD, ABPP

Marsha M. Linehan, PhD, ABPP, is the developer of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Washington, where she also serves as Director of the Behavioral Research and Therapy Clinics. Dr. Linehan’s primary research has focused on developing and evaluating evidence-based treatments for individuals experiencing severe suicidal crises and multiple, complex mental disorders.

Dr. Linehan’s contributions to suicide research and clinical psychology have been recognized through numerous awards, including the 2017 University of Louisville Grawemeyer Award for Psychology and the 2016 Career/Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies.

Her academic and clinical achievements have also been recognized through awards such as the Gold Medal Award for Life Achievement in the Application of Psychology from the American Psychological Foundation and the James McKeen Cattell Award from the Association for Psychological Science. In recognition of her contributions, the American Association of Suicidology established the Marsha Linehan Award, which is presented to researchers who have made outstanding contributions to the treatment of suicidal behavior.

Dr. Linehan is also a Zen master and has taught mindfulness and meditation through workshops and retreats for health professionals.

A Dedication from Marsha Linehan

Whenever I trained graduate students to treat highly suicidal individuals with complex and severe disorders, I often reminded them that there may be times when they would have to choose between taking care of themselves and taking care of their clients—and that it may not always be possible to do both equally well. To students who believed they should always put themselves first, I would sometimes say that they may have chosen the wrong profession.

I dedicate this book to all those who have had the courage to accept the sacrifices required to do this work as therapists.
I also dedicate this book to my colleagues at the Behavioral Research and Therapy Clinics at the University of Washington; to Elaine Franks, who helped lessen the burdens I carried and encouraged me to maintain limits; to the students who kept me moving forward whenever I wanted to give up; to Katie Korslund, my second-in-command and a source of wise guidance; and to Melanie Harned, who supported me in countless ways over many years.

The Human Subjects Division at the University of Washington never prevented researchers from conducting innovative work with individuals at an extremely high risk for suicide. They willingly allowed research that many institutions would not have permitted, and in doing so, set an example for others. Without their support, this book could not have been published.

— Marsha M. Linehan

About the Translators

Yong Cho, PhD

Yong Cho, PhD, is a psychologist licensed in New York State and the founder and president of The Tree Group and the DBT Institute of Korea. After graduating from the University of Utah, he earned his doctorate in Clinical Psychology from The New School for Social Research.

He began his clinical training at Beth Israel Medical Center in 1997. In 1998, he continued formal psychotherapy and DBT clinical training at Zucker Hillside Hospital / Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York. He completed an APA-accredited internship program at the same hospital. Beginning in the early 2000s, he became one of the first clinicians to apply DBT with Korean and Asian clients experiencing emotion dysregulation, borderline personality disorder, and Hwa-Byung symptoms. He also established the Asian American Family Clinic within the hospital system, where he provided psychotherapy for clients from diverse cultural backgrounds. His work was featured in The New York Times and other media outlets.

In 2003, he founded The Tree Group in Korea, where he has provided evidence-based psychotherapy programs including DBT, Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE), and behavior therapy. In 2007, through collaboration with Marsha M. Linehan and DBT specialists in Seattle, he established the Dialectical Behavior Therapy Center of Korea under The Tree Group. In 2008, he invited Dr. Linehan to Korea and organized a DBT professional workshop.

In 2023, he founded the DBT Institute of Korea, a professional training institute dedicated to the ethical dissemination and implementation of DBT. During 2023–2024, he collaborated with Behavioral Tech to organize the official DBT Intensive Training program in Korea. He currently provides DBT treatment and education for Korean- and English-speaking adults, adolescents, parents, and families as both a clinician and educator.