Therapeutic Art Making for Integration into DBT Treatment

Artmaking is a safe and experiential way for clients to practice DBT skills during treatment. Artmaking is also an opportunity for clients to explore DBT concepts to deeper their understanding of DBT concepts as well as express their thoughts and feelings in response to these concepts. Although you will not become an Art Therapist after this training, you will be able to incorporate art making activities within DBT treatment in individual or group settings. In this training you will learn psychology behind the art making process, be provided psychoeducation on DBT concepts and skills, and experience 4 arts-based interventions yourself. No art-making experience required. Basic understanding of DBT is helpful, but not required. If facilitated in person, all art materials will be provided by the facilitator. If virtual, participants will have to provide their own materials.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify and describe the role of artmaking as a theoretically grounded clinical intervention.

2. Identify the neuropsychological benefits of artmaking

3. State the difference between “art therapy” and using an “arts-based intervention”.

4. Identify and describe the “4 M’s” of arts-based DBT treatment: Mindfulness, Metaphor, Mastery, and Mentalization

5. Learn and experience 4 arts-based interventions based on the 4 categories of arts-based DBT treatment: Core Mindfulness Skills, Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills, Emotion Regulation Skills, and Distress Tolerance Skills

Facilitated by Tonia Herrero, MPS, ATR-BC, LCAT, ATCS (she/her)

DISCLAIMER: After this training, you cannot say you provide “art therapy” or are an “art therapist”, but you will learn some ways to integrate artmaking into your clinical practice.