Books on Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Maybe you’ve heard of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), but you’d like to learn more about it. Behavioral Tech, which provides DBT training, recommends the following books on DBT and associated treatments to help you further your knowledge about the therapy:

Skills Training Manual for Treating Borderline Personality Disorder

This book by Marsha Linehan, the creator of DBT, is a step-by step guide on the four DBT skills: mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance. The manual includes exercises, lecture notes, discussion questions, and advice on handling frequently encountered problems.

A Primer on Rational-Emotive Therapy

This book presents a very clear, concise overview of the central principles of Rational Emotive Therapy (RET). It discusses rational versus irrational thinking, the three basic musts that interfere with rational thinking, and the theory of change in RET. A detailed case example that includes verbatim dialogue between therapist and client illustrates the 13-step RET process. An appendix by Albert Ellis examines the special features of RET that set it apart from other therapies, especially other cognitive-behavioral approaches.

Don’t Shoot the Dog: The New Art of Teaching and Training

A groundbreaking behavioral scientist and dynamic animal trainer, Karen Pryor is a powerful proponent of the principles and practical uses of positive reinforcement in teaching new behaviors. Here are the secrets of changing behavior in pets, kids — even yourself — without yelling, threats, force, punishment, guilt trips … or shooting the dog.

Clinical Behavior Therapy

This compact manual covers the theoretical underpinnings of behavior therapy as well as approaches to behavioral assessment and practical therapeutic techniques. Includes a new chapter on advances in the field.

Stop Obsessing

In Stop Obsessing, you will discover: A series of questionnaires to help you analyze the severity of your obsessions and compulsions. An initial self-help program to overcome milder symptoms and reduce more severe cases. The most effective way to help you let go of your obsessions and gain control over your compulsions. An intensive three-week program for anyone who spends more than two hours a day on obsessions or rituals. Expert guidance in determining whether you need the added help of a professional.

Behavior Modification in Applied Settings

Alan Kazdin, a well-known and highly respected researcher in behavior modification, offers a scholarly, thoroughly contemporary look at behavior modification principles and their application in clinical, home, school, and work settings. By including both applied research and clinical intervention techniques, Kazdin’s text provides a balance between research and practice. The new edition is now written in a more conversational style and offers an expanded “how to” focus, giving students opportunities to practice the principles.

Cognitive and Behavioral Interventions: An Empirical Approach to Mental Health Problems

This book provides a balanced discussion of both cognitive and behavioral perspectives of mental health issues, emphasizing the broad range of applications and wide variety of disorders in which interventions have been shown to be effective. The book covers disorders and problem areas in both adult and child/adolescent populations, reflects the views and conclusions of the active researchers in the field, focuses on empirical validation and differing approaches in and across problem areas, and future directions in the field are covered throughout the book.

Mindfulness and Acceptance: Expanding the Cognitive-Behavioral Tradition

This book examines the role of mindfulness principles and practices in a range of well-established cognitive and behavioral treatment approaches. Leading scientist-practitioners describe how their respective modalities incorporate such nontraditional themes as mindfulness, acceptance, values, spirituality, being in relationships, focusing on the present moment, and emotional deepening. Coverage includes acceptance and commitment therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, integrative behavioral couple therapy, behavioral activation, and functional analytic psychotherapy. In every chapter, the authors describe their clinical methods and goals, articulate their theoretical models, and examine similarities to and differences from other approaches both inside and outside behavior therapy.

More book recommendations by Behavioral Tech can be found on its website. If you have any recommendations for books on Dialectical Behavior Therapy, post them in the comments below.