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Is there a “sole licensed provider” of DBT training in the UK?

Quick answer:No, absolutely not. There is no statutory or regulatory licence in the UK that makes any organisation the sole provider of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) training.

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• Is anyone legally the “only licensed provider” of DBT training?

  No. In the UK, there is no legal or regulatory licensing system that makes any organisation the only body permitted to provide DBT training.
  
  No organisation holds a government-issued or regulator-issued licence giving it exclusive legal authority to teach DBT.
  
  

• So why do some organisations describe themselves as the “sole licensed provider”?

  This refers to an exclusive commercial licence with a specific organisation to use their training materials.
  
  That is different from a legal or statutory licence to provide DBT training in general.
  
  

• Does a commercial licence mean other providers cannot offer DBT training?

  No. A commercial licence held by one organisation has no bearing on the ability of other organisations to offer DBT training.
  
  

• What should commissioners and clinicians look for instead?

  When choosing a DBT training provider, useful questions include:
  
  •  Does the course content reflect the evidence base and the needs of the client group?
  
  •  What are the trainers’ qualifications, clinical background, and experience of DBT?
  
  •  Is follow-up support available, such as further training, resources or development?
  
  •  Does the training help clinicians apply DBT principles in routine practice?
  
  •  Is there a clear approach to quality, outcomes, and ongoing good practice?
  
  These are usually better indicators of quality than whether a provider uses the phrase “licensed provider”.
  
  

• Where does APT fit in?

  APT is a major provider of DBT training in the UK and internationally. There is also a number of other providers providing DBT training.
  
  We focus on delivering well-presented, clinically-relevant training that is faithful to Linehan’s model and later developments, providing evidence-based accreditation, and post-course resources to support clinicians in applying DBT skills in practice.
  
  

Further information

To learn more about APT’s DBT training, course options, and upcoming programmes, please visit our DBT training pages.

DBT training for mental health professionals.

The Association for Psychological Therapies (APT) provides DBT training and accreditation for mental health professionals in the UK and Ireland.

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