DBT Group Therapy Workshop
Clinical Skills for Facilitating Effective Groups and Creating Long-Lasting Change
- Speaker:
- Renee Hoekstra, PsyD
- Duration:
- Approx 6 hours
- Copyright:
-
Aug 19, 2026
- Product Code:
- POS150835
- Media Type:
- Digital Seminar - Also available: Live Webinar
Tags: APA
Description
DBT is one of the most used modalities when working with clients struggling with emotional dysregulation…
Yet many therapists struggle to apply it in a group setting—because clients often monopolize discussions, some become reactive, or even drop out of group therapy altogether.
And what they don’t tell you is that…leading a DBT group effectively requires more than knowing the skills—it requires clear structure and the clinical skill to navigate emotional intensity while keeping the group on track.
And that’s exactly what this training offers you.
We’ve partnered with Renee Hoekstra, PsyD, who brings 20+ years of experience running DBT groups. She’ll teach you the core skills and clinical structure to keep clients engaged and progressing—even when emotions run high.
Whether you’re new to DBT group therapy or need a refresher, you’ll learn to:
- Apply clear structure across all 5 DBT skills domains so your groups stay on track
- Use mindfulness to help support yours and clients focus and maintain regulation when emotions rise.
- Spot therapy interfering behaviors—and to respond skillfully in the moment
- Follow the key do’s and don’ts of effective DBT group leadership to boost your confidence
Register today and expand your practice with DBT group therapy—so you can help more clients at once with effective and structured skills groups!
Credit
Speaker
Renee Hoekstra, PsyD Related seminars and products
Renee Hoekstra, PsyD, became a licensed clinical psychologist in Massachusetts in 2008 and has been in private practice since 2009. She has over 20 years of experience lea DBT informed groups in both intensive treatment settings and in private practice. She has gotten extensive exposure and training in DBT, including a six-month seminar through the University of Washington and a Harvard post-doctorate position with Massachusetts Mental Health Center. She has put together various workshops, readings, and speeches related to the contextual and behavioral sciences, has a certification in functional analytic psychotherapy, has obtained various ACT trainings, and actively participates in an ACT peer consultation group.
She self-published The Emotional Extremist’s Guide to Handling Cartoon Elephants in 2013, which includes her own watercolor artwork and whimsical graphic design to help people manage their elephants (emotions!). She has worked in inpatient hospital settings, crisis lines, community mental health, and has interviewed thousands of claimants for social security disability evaluations. She has also facilitated workshops on barriers to creativity, surviving the dark of winter, and parenting the emotionally extreme teen. Her ongoing online small groups focus on reducing the symptoms of depression and managing moods. She is all about warmth, growth, cohesion, skill building, being challenged, being present, and setting up platforms to help people thrive through building relationships.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Renee Hoekstra maintains a private practice and has an employment relationship with Disability Determination Services. She receives royalties as a published author. Renee Hoekstra receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Renee Hoekstra has no relevant non-financial relationships.
Additional Info
Access for Self-Study (Non-Interactive)Access never expires for this product.
Questions?
Visit our FAQ page at www.pesi.com/faq or contact us at www.pesi.com/info
Objectives
- Analyze three evidence-informed strategies for initiating a psychotherapy group that support participant engagement across diverse client populations.
- Choose three methods for implementing mindfulness interventions in DBT-informed group therapy settings.
- Utilize mindfulness skills to identify the components and functions of an emotional response.
- Identify three DBT distress tolerance skills as they may be applied in group therapy.
- List three interpersonal effectiveness strategies that can be used in group therapy to promote cohesion and inclusive participation.
- Select three evidence-informed strategies for facilitating effective and clinically appropriate group termination.
Outline
Fundamentals of Group Therapy
- Applications and limitations of FAP to spark deep and authentic group connection
- Clear distinction between FAP principles and DBT skills training
- Structuring your groups intentionally to meet client needs
- 5 most common problematic behaviors and keeping group focused
- Setting clear and attainable DBT goals to anchor progress
- Adapting goal-setting language for diverse cultural, socioeconomic, contexts
- Cultural and power-informed considerations in early group formation
- Limitations of the research and potential risks
DBT Mindfulness Skills in Group Therapy
- Clarifying mindfulness and its clinical application
- Five presence building skills to sharpen your clinical grounding
- Five ways to use mindfulness for self and group regulation
- Quick mindfulness exercises for every stage session
Emotional Regulation Skills in Group Therapy
- The core DBT emotion regulation skills
- Applying opposite action in groups
- Spotting emotional dysregulation behaviors in groups
- Healthy emotional expression vs crisis generating behaviors
Distress Tolerance Skills in Group Therapy
- The core DBT distress tolerance skills
- Four key distress tolerance skills in groups strategies
- Interventions that build tolerance for uncertainty and everyday loss
- The A B C’s of behavior and teaching radical acceptance in groups
Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills in Group Therapy
- Core concepts on boundaries of selfrespect and balance in relationships
- Common stuck points and its clinical interventions in groups
- Addressing reciprocity, self disclosure and validation skills in groups
- Common relationship pitfalls repair and feedback skills
Managing Transitions and Ending Well
- Protocols for transitions, welcome new members, and abrupt endings
- Utilizing FAP principles for disruption repairs in group therapy
- Setting structures for healthy good byes and transition prompts
- Mindfulness exercises for group closure
Target Audience
- Counselors
- Therapists
- Occupational Therapists
- School Counselors
- School Social Workers
- Psychologists
- Marriage and Family Therapists
- Social Workers
- Behavioral Health Nurses
- Other Mental Health Professionals
Reviews
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