Frequently Asked Questions

What is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)? 

Invented by Dr. Marsha Linehan in the early 1990s, DBT is an intensive evidence-based psychotherapy focused on the skills necessary to build a life worth living. These skills target difficulties with mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal relationships. DBT is especially effective for treating life-threatening behaviors like suicidality and self-harm.  

DBT is traditionally delivered in a “comprehensive” model consisting of 12 months of both individual and group therapy. We also offer a 6-month skills group-only program for patients who may not be experiencing life-threatening behaviors but would still benefit from skills training.  

More information about the differences between our comprehensive program and skills-only program can be found here: Our Services

More information about DBT as a treatment can be found here: DBT - Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies

I don’t have an individual therapist. Can I still do DBT? 

Comprehensive DBT includes individual therapy with a licensed, DBT-trained clinician. Comprehensive patients are required to only meet with their DBT therapist for the 12 months of treatment. 

Skills group-only patients are required to be receiving individual therapy OF ANY KIND prior to enrolling in DBT skills group. If you do not have an individual therapist, your wait list entry will be deactivated until you reach out confirming you have begun individual therapy. 

Individuals seeking non-DBT outpatient treatment can call the Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic scheduling line at 216-746-6701 and ask to join their general psychotherapy wait list. 

Do you accept my insurance? 

The Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic at Penn Medicine accepts Philadelphia Community Behavioral Health (CBH) and a variety of commercial insurances. Please contact our scheduling team at 215-746-6701 and they will be able to verify if we accept your specific insurance plan.

What if I have to pay out of pocket?

Information about private pay rates can be found here: Fees and Insurance

When do you offer services? 

Most of our clinicians see individual patients M-F from 8a-5p.  

We currently offer these groups with individually variable wait list times: 

OK, I think I want to do DBT. What is the next step? 

Call our scheduling department at 215-746-6701. Please specify if you are interested in the comprehensive or skills group only program (See our Services page). They will gather your insurance information and help you activate your My Penn Medicine (MPM) portal, which is how our DBT Team will communicate with you after we receive your referral. PLEASE check your MPM messages, as our team will be sending you a screening survey that secures your place on our wait list. Patients who do not complete the survey within the allotted timeframe will NOT be contacted and will be removed from the wait list. 

Why is your wait list so long? 

DBT is a complex treatment that requires extensive training to master and administrative capacity to implement effectively. Because of this, access to DBT programs is limited worldwide compared to other kinds of therapy. The Penn DBT Program is committed to delivering DBT effectively and to as many community members as our capacity allows. 

Wait list times for all services at the Penn DBT Program depend on clinician availability, case load capacity, and group time popularity. We aren’t able to give precise timelines on how long your wait will be, but we can offer general estimates. If you are already on the wait list, please reach out to penndbt@pennmedicine.upenn.edu for updates.

Due to extensive wait times, it is NOT recommended to refer a patient with high safety needs as an alternative to a higher level of care.

Can I just go on the shortest wait list? 

No. While the wait time for the skills group-only program can be shorter, we discourage patients who would be best served by comprehensive DBT, especially those with life-threatening behaviors, from choosing the less intensive program. More information on the differences between the two programs can be found here: Our Services 

If you complete a skills group-only evaluation and are determined to be more appropriate for the comprehensive program, you will be moved to that wait list (and vice versa).

Can I participate virtually? 

Yes! We offer both virtual and in-person groups for patients in PA and NJ. Patients may also participate in individual sessions virtually or in person at the discretion of their provider. NJ patients may be limited to specific groups. 

Penn Medicine is in PA, but I live in [different state]. Can I still do DBT virtually with you? 

Unfortunately, our clinicians are currently only licensed in PA and NJ. Since DBT is a 6-12 month commitment, we require that patients be able to be present in PA or NJ for the duration of the treatment.  

For patients outside of our license area, we recommend using the Behavioral Tech Find a Therapist tool to locate DBT programs near you: Behavioral Tech - Find a Therapist

Where are you located? 

The Penn DBT Program is housed in the Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic at 3535 Market Street, Philadelphia, on the 2nd floor. It is wheelchair accessible. 

Where do I park? 

Unfortunately, we do not currently have designated patient parking at our clinic. There is metered street parking behind the building, other parking in the neighborhood north of the building, and several nearby parking garages with hourly rates. We encourage those who can to take advantage of our nearby MFL and trolley stops. 

This program isn’t a great fit for me, but I still want DBT. Is there anywhere else you’d recommend? 

We aren’t able to endorse any other DBT providers, but we can point you toward some resources for informational purposes.  

The City of Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Disability Services (DBHIDS) maintains a list of programs that meet their criteria for delivering DBT: DBHIDS - DBT Provider List 

For patients outside of our license area, we recommend using the Behavioral Tech Find a Therapist tool to locate DBT programs near you: Behavioral Tech - Find a Therapist

This patient-lead organization also has a page dedicated to helping locate a DBT therapist in your area: DBT Self Help

This FAQ didn't answer all my questions! How do I speak to someone on the team?

For all other inquiries, please email our team at penndbt@pennmedicine.upenn.edu. Please allow for 5 business days for a response.