Testing an Alliance-Focused Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Training for Borderline Personality Disorder

The study evaluates the feasibility, acceptability, and effect sizes of two alliance-focused dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) training interventions to improve therapists' abilities to recognize and respond to alliance ruptures with clients with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either a 4-week training as usual (TAU), which include didactic training plus reflective practice (i.e., thinking about past actions to gain insight for future actions) or a 4-week didactic training plus deliberate practice training (i.e., setting individualized training goals, skills coaching, and opportunities for repeated practice with expert feedback). A pre-post design will be used to assess effect sizes for change in participants' abilities to recognize and respond to alliance ruptures. Therapist characteristics will be assessed to determine moderating effects on training outcome. Feasibility and acceptability of the training intervention will be assessed following the trainings.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Participants must be over the age of 18 2. Participants must be regulated health professionals in Canada who are authorized to deliver psychotherapy as part of their scope of practice, or a students in training under the supervision of a regulated health professional in Canada authorized to deliver psychotherapy as part of their scope of practice. 3. Participants must currently be providing psychotherapy 4. Participants must have access to reliable internet service 5. Participants must indicate that they are available to attend the training intervention times provided 6. Participants must agree to participate in the 4 weekly training intervention 7. Participants must state willingness to comply with study procedures (i.e., to complete pre- and post-intervention research evaluations, and between training homework exercises. Exclusion Criteria: * None