Free Course

DBT Skills for Parents

Learn the skills your teen is learning, so you can speak the same language at home

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is the most extensively researched treatment for emotionally intense adolescents. This 7-module course teaches parents the same four skill sets their teen learns in DBT-A: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. It also covers validation, the skill that research identifies as the single most powerful tool parents have for de-escalating emotional crises.

Written for parents who want to understand what their teen is experiencing, learn concrete strategies for responding to intense emotions, and build a home environment that supports rather than undermines their teen's progress.

7 modules 4 parts ~35 min total reading Evidence-based

This course is the self-directed component of the Child & Teen Therapy Program, which also includes individual DBT-A therapy and multifamily skills groups. Browse all child & teen therapy resources.

Start the course

Enter your email to access all 7 modules. Free, no account required.

About the author

Brian Nuckols, MA, LPC-A, is a licensed professional counselor associate in Pittsburgh, PA. He has training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy for adolescents and works with teens experiencing intense emotions, self-harm, and crisis behaviors. This course draws on the work of Marsha Linehan, Alec Miller, Jill Rathus, and other leaders in DBT research and practice.