In this webinar, Dr. Kiki Fehling will challenge three of the most common myths that she hears as a Linehan-Board-Certified expert therapist in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). First, we’ll examine the misconception that “DBT is just a band-aid” incapable of doing “deeper” work, and that DBT can’t help people with complex trauma histories. Reviewing relevant research on successful DBT adaptations for (C)PTSD, Dr. Fehling will discuss how DBT’s principles and treatment stages allow therapists to address both acute behavioral problems and their underlying causes. Second, we’ll examine the misconception that “DBT encourages emotional suppression.” We’ll review how adherent DBT and its coping skills simultaneously encourage increased behavioral control and increased emotional experience. We’ll discuss how DBT teaches techniques similar to those used in somatic therapies, and how DBT can include embodiment-focused treatment goals. Third and finally, we’ll address the myth that “DBT is all about DBT skills.” While DBT skills appear to be an essential component of DBT’s effectiveness, DBT skills alone are not effective treatment for all people. We’ll review the research on DBT effectiveness and the importance of clinician adherence, and discuss which people/clients may benefit most from traditional DBT, “DBT Lite,” or DBT skills groups only.
Speaker
Kiki Fehling is a clinical psychologist, author, and DBT-Linehan-Board-Certified expert in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Her research and clinical work focuses on suicide and self-harm, emotional sensitivity, borderline personality disorder, trauma, and LGBTQ+ mental health. After receiving her PhD in clinical psychology from Rutgers University, Kiki founded the LGBTQ-affirmative comprehensive DBT program at NYCBT in New York, NY. While currently on sabbatical from being a therapist, Kiki remains active in mental health advocacy and the dissemination of evidence-based mental health information. She is the author of Self-Directed DBT Skills: A 3-Month Workbook and DBT Cards for Coping Skills, with a third book on LGBTQ+ mental health planned for publication in 2026. Kiki also writes psychoeducational articles for Psychology Today, Psyche, and other online publications. She regularly shares about DBT with over 50,000 followers on TikTok, Instagram, and other social media @dbtkiki.