A Brief Introduction to Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (Free Training)

A Brief Introduction to Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (Free Training)

Treating Maladaptive Perfectionism, Loneliness, Social Anxiety and Restrictive Eating

1.5
CE Hours available
How do I get my CE?
Courtney Ward, PhD
Clinical psychologist

Join us for a FREE training on an emerging therapy! RO-DBT is specifically designed to address treatment-resistant challenges related to overcontrol and profound cognitive rigidity, like eating disorders, depression, and perfectionism.

You’ve likely encountered clients who are doing everything right—working diligently, following the process—but still, there’s no real progress. It can be frustrating for both you and your clients when things don’t seem to improve despite everyone’s best efforts.  

Many clients who present with “treatment-resistant” challenges have something important in common:  

They use overcontrol to avoid uncertainty.  

This coping mechanism can prevent meaningful change and keep clients stuck. The solution? Radically open dialectical behavioral therapy (RO-DBT), a powerful approach that was specifically created to address overcontrol, fostering greater emotional flexibility and facilitating lasting change.  

Clinical psychologist Courtney Ward has designed this introductory training session for clinicians who are new to RO-DBT. Ward offers an accessible and engaging overview of the treatment’s principles, key techniques, and the specific populations it serves.  

What You Will Learn in This Training Session 

  1. The RO-DBT Approach
    a. Understand the key differences between overcontrol and undercontrol and why these distinctions are vital for effective therapy.
    b. Learn how RO-DBT addresses the unique challenges faced by individuals with emotional and behavioral overcontrol, such as emotional loneliness and
    social disconnection.     
  2. Who Can Benefit from RO-DBT
    a. Gain insights into the clinical conditions and personality types most suited for RO-DBT, including chronic anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and
    obsessive-compulsive personality disorder.
    b. Understand how RO-DBT can help individuals who have struggled with traditional therapeutic interventions that focus on emotional dysregulation. 
  3. Overview of Therapeutic Techniques and Interventions
    a. Explore RO-DBT’s focus on radical openness, emotional flexibility, and social signaling.
    b. Assess the potential benefits of RO-DBT to determine if further learning or implementation is desired. 
  4. The RO-DBT Process
    a. Discover the structure of RO-DBT treatment, which can be useful for individual therapy, skills classes, and consultation teams, and how this differs from
    traditional DBT.
    b. Learn ways to approach individuals in this population and how to help them feel more connected, allowing them to live according to their values.

Why RO-DBT? 

RO-DBT has been shown to be effective for a variety of individuals, including those with treatment-resistant depression, chronic anxiety, and perfectionism. The therapy is especially beneficial for those who struggle with emotional inhibition and social detachment—often silently suffering in environments where traditional treatments may not have helped. 

Clinicians have reported that learning RO-DBT has helped them understand why previous interventions failed, particularly with clients who appeared to be diligent in therapy but weren’t making progress. RO-DBT introduces a fresh perspective and offers tools to engage clients in a way that nurtures connection and meaningful change. 

While RO-DBT shares some structural elements with DBT, such as individual therapy sessions and skills classes, it is an entirely new approach that addresses the specific needs of clients with overcontrol. This makes it accessible to a wide range of clinicians, including those without a DBT background. 

Don’t Miss This Opportunity to Learn about an Exciting New Therapy for Free 

If you’ve struggled with clients who seem to do all the work but still aren’t progressing, RO-DBT might be the missing link. Join us for this eye-opening course and learn about an emerging treatment that can help your clients achieve lasting emotional flexibility, deeper social connections, and a more fulfilling life. 

Sign up today to learn how Radically Open Dialectical Behavioral Therapy can transform your practice and your clients’ lives. 

This training offers 1.5 CE hours if attended live. We can only provide CE to those who are present via Zoom for the live sessions. However, the sessions will be recorded and available to watch later. Registrants may access these recordings at any time for up to nine months after the live training ends.

Before registering, please review conflict of interest disclosures and complete CE information here.

Session 1 | February 27, 2025, 12:00 p.m.–1:30 p.m. EST

  • What is overcontrol and how does it develop?
  • What is Radical Openness and how is Radically open dialectical behavior therapy typically delivered?
  • Q&A

Participants will be able to:

  1. List the four core deficits of overcontrol
  2. Describe what radical openness is
  3. Evaluate whether RO-DBT might be a suitable treatment for your clients

Please review complete CE and conflict-of-interest disclosure information prior to registering. This live online course is sponsored by Praxis Continuing Education and Training and is approved for 1.5 CE Hours by the following listed below. There was no commercial support for this activity. None of the planners or presenters for this educational activity have relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose with ineligible companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing healthcare products used by or on patients.

Praxis CET maintains responsibility for the program with the CE approvals outlined below:

Joint Accreditation: In support of improving patient care, Praxis Continuing Education and Training, Inc is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Nursing: Praxis Continuing Education and Training, Inc designates this activity for a maximum of 1.5 ANCC contact hours.

Physicians: Praxis Continuing Education and Training, Inc designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Psychologists: Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibly for the content of the programs.

Social Workers: As a Jointly Accredited Organization, Praxis Continuing Education and Training, Inc. is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers completing this course receive 1.5 clinical continuing education credits.

National Counselors: Praxis Continuing Education and Training, Inc. has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6759. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Praxis Continuing Education and Training, Inc. is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

NY Social Workers: Praxis Continuing Education and Training, Inc is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0467

NY Counselors: Praxis Continuing Education and Training, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0198.

NY Psychologists: Praxis Continuing Education and Training, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0002.

NOTE: Many state boards accept offerings accredited by national or other state organizations. If your state is not listed, please check with your professional licensing board to determine whether the accreditations listed are accepted.

None
The training is aimed at mental health professionals with a professional qualification in a mental health or related field (e.g. psychology, psychiatry, social work, counseling, mental health nursing and physicians). This webinar is at the introductory/beginner level: no previous knowledge of RO DBT or standard DBT is required.

None

Lynch, T. R., Hempel, R. J., Whalley, B., Byford, S., Chamba, R., Clarke, P., Clarke, S., Kingdon, D. G., O’Mahen, H., Remington, B., Rushbrook, S. C., Shearer, J., Stanton, M., Swales, M., Watkins, A., & Russell, I. T. (2020). Refractory depression – mechanisms and efficacy of radically open dialectical behaviour therapy (RefraMED): findings of a randomised trial on benefits and harms. British Journal of Psychiatry, 216(4), 204-212. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.2019.53

Baudinet, J., Stewart, C., Bennett, E., Konstantellou, A., Parham, R., Smith, K., Hunt, K., Eisler, I., & Simic, M. (2021). Radically open dialectical behaviour therapy adapted for adolescents: a case series. BMC Psychiatry, 21(1), 462. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03460-3

Cornwall, P. L., Simpson, S., Gibbs, C., & Morfee, V. (2021). Evaluation of radically open dialectical behaviour therapy in an adult community mental health team: effectiveness in people with autism spectrum disorders. BJPsych Bulletin, 45(3), 146-153. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjb.2020.113

Isaksson, M., Ghaderi, A., Ramklint, M., & Wolf-Arehult, M. (2021). Radically open dialectical behavior therapy for anorexia nervosa: A multiple baseline single-case experimental design study across 13 cases. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 71, 101637. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbtep.2021.101637

We understand, sometimes things come up!

Praxis will offer a full refund to registrants of both live and live-online trainings who cancel their registration up to 14 days before the course or workshop start date, minus an administrative processing fee of $30 for a 2-day workshop or online course, and a $50 fee for a 4-day workshop. If cancelled within 14 days, no refund will be issued, however, a credit for the same amount will be applied toward another learning product, which expires within 1 year. Please email us at online@praxiscet.com to cancel a registration.