Code of Conduct for Accredited DBT Therapists and/or Supervisors
The Society for DBT aims to ensure that those providing DBT therapy and/or supervision agree to comply with the following code of conduct.
- Accredited DBT therapists, supervisors and SfDBT Members will provide therapy and/or supervision on adherent DBT to the best of their ability and continue to develop their DBT and/or supervision skills.
- Accredited DBT therapists, supervisors and SfDBT Members will adhere to the DBT consultation assumptions for themselves (and their supervisees), and work to follow the DBT consultation assumptions.
- Accredited DBT therapists, supervisors and SfDBT Members will continue to undertake personal mindfulness practice on a regular basis.
- Accredited DBT therapists, supervisors and SfDBT Members will review and consider the emerging evidence for developments and adaptations in DBT on a regular basis to ensure they are providing therapy and/or supervision on evidence-based therapy.
- Accredited DBT therapists, supervisors and SfDBT Members will adhere to the codes of conduct as set out by their core professional / regulatory bodies.
- Accredited DBT therapists, supervisors and SfDBT Members will engage with clients and/or supervisees in an ethical, confidential, and non-judgemental manner.
- Accredited DBT therapists, supervisors and SfDBT Members will not engage in actions that could bring the Society for DBT or DBT therapy into disrepute.
- If an Accredited DBT therapist, supervisor or SfDBT Member notifies the Society of their wish to resign their membership after an allegation of misconduct has been lodged, the Society shall proceed with the formal process of investigation.
If an accredited DBT therapists, supervisor or SfDBT Member is reported to the Society for being in breach of the Code of Conduct, on completion of the investigation process by the individual’s Regulatory body, the Society will undertake a separate investigation. This will be conducted by two members of the Board of Accreditation, two additional members of the Council of the Society for DBT, and an independent external person from the professional body for that individual. If there is evidence to uphold the complaint the accredited DBT therapist and/or supervisor will be removed from the register and will no longer be entitled to use the term ‘Accred SfDBT’and/or ‘Accred Sup SfDBT’.
If an Accredited DBT therapist and/or supervisor fails to keep their membership payments to SfDBT up to date they will cease to be a member and will no longer be an Accredited DBT therapist and/or supervisor with SFDBT. If this occurs, they will ensure all reference to this is removed from any materiel about them and they will no longer be entitled to use the term ‘Accred SfDBT’and/or ‘Accred Sup SfDBT’.