a suggested session plan, target questions and tips for new DBT therapists

1. Suggested session plan
• 0-5 greet them, ask re their agenda items, check did they go to
group/call you this week?
• 5-10 review the diary card & select target behaviour
• A)10-25 chain events leading to and just after target (keep data as
pure as you can)
• B)25-50 select links to work on, rehearse NEW things to do (see them
do it in front of you) as you get skilled you can run A & B together
• 50-55 troubleshoot what can go wrong, get commitment to the plan
• 55-60 end by making plans to meet again and keep in touch

2. SET YOUR TARGETING QUESTION
• If target is cutting: if you had done this (solution) on that day at that
time would you have been MORE LIKELY or LESS LIKELY to cut?
• If target is ligaturing: if you had done this (solution) on that day at
that time would you have been MORE LIKELY or LESS LIKELY to tie that
ligature?
• If target is bingeing: if you had done this (solution) on that day at that
time would you have been MORE LIKELY or LESS LIKELY to binge?
• If target is hitting a nurse: if you had done this (solution) on that day
at that time would you have been MORE LIKELY or LESS LIKELY to hit
the nurse?

3. Top tips
• Pinpoint your target behaviour in time
• Stay CLOSE to your target in time
• Do not ask ‘Why?’ questions – always ‘What?’ (& don’t contaminate
the data)
• Analyse how the links fit together
• Focus on the emotion links in the chain
• SEE them do the new behaviour, get them to act it out or describe it
back to you
• Remember to keep asking your targeting question