Treating Trauma in Dialectical Behavior Therapy: DBT Prolonged Exposure Protocol

This innovative guide is dedicated to describing an approach that combines dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) with an adapted version of prolonged exposure therapy (PE) for treating clients suffering from PTSD. The book demonstrates how to apply the DBT PE protocol to DBT clients who have reached the levels of safety and stability necessary to participate in trauma-focused therapy. The primary goal in developing the DBT PE protocol was to make effective PTSD treatment accessible to high-risk clients with complex and severe disorders who typically do not have access to such therapy. PE was originally developed for women with PTSD related to sexual violence, and is now applied to therapy for various groups of clients who have experienced trauma. The book includes session conduct recommendations, rich practice examples, clinical tips, as well as 35 handouts and forms. It is aimed at a wide audience — practicing psychotherapists, students, graduate students, interns, residents, educators, and interested clients.