About DBT House
DBT House was established as a resource to help educate and inspire clinicians interested in learning more about DBT. What makes DBT House's approach different than other training programs is the experiential element we bring to DBT Training. In this participatory experience, you will learn DBT by actually doing DBT. That is why our courses are 12 and 18 weeks. Through participating in Skills Group yourself, just as a client would, you will be better equipped to learn and apply DBT.
DBT HOUSE is founded and operated by Hailey Goldberg. Hailey is a Registered Social Worker and one of the few Canadian certified DBT clinicians by the Linenan Board of Certification™.
Hailey is an experienced DBT therapist, who has assisted individuals work through a wide range of mental health challenges, specializing in Borderline Personality Disorder and issues related to emotion dysregulation.
Hailey completed her Master's in Social Work (MSW) at the University of Windsor and holds an Honours BA in Psychology from York University. Hailey received DBT training through Hincks Dellcrest Institute, Behavior Tech, LLC, and the Treatment Implementation Collaborative. Additionally, she completed Intensive DBT Training with Drs. Charles Swenson and Kelly Koerner, pioneer researchers and clinicians in the field of DBT.
In addition to leading groups at DBT HOUSE, Hailey operates her private therapy practice (HRG Counselling), runs low-cost DBT Skills Groups in the GTA, and works on an adherent DBT Team in an outpatient hospital setting. Hailey loves DBT and is a firm believer that absolutely everyone can benefit from practicing DBT skills.
Hailey Goldberg
MSW, RSW, DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, Certified Clinician™
DBT HOUSE Founder and Skills Trainer
Message from Hailey:
I love DBT! DBT is not just a set of skills, but rather a way of living. A way of thinking. Knowing DBT has enriched my life greatly, both professionally and personally.
I entered into the field of DBT with a fair amount training, but what I discovered when I first started was that my clients knew the skills better than I did! Why? Because they were the ones in Skills Group every week practicing skills between sessions. They had more PRACTICE using the skills therefore they knew them better. What became essential for my learning was participating in DBT Skills Group myself. My hope is to be able to share my love of DBT with others by providing a similar experiential learning experience.
Our Skills Trainers
Amanda Buckingham
MSW, RSW
DBT Skills Trainer
Amanda Buckingham is a Registered Social Worker who received her Master’s Degree from the University of Toronto. After working in eating disorders for some time, she fell in love with DBT during her clinical placement at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) in their Borderline Personality Disorder Clinic. Following that, she worked on an adherent DBT team for 3 years, and now continues to provide outpatient individual therapy as well as skills groups through private practice. She also has experience working with teens and their families, and believes that regardless of age or diagnosis, these skills can help us be more effective human beings!
Amanda's Favourite DBT Skill:
My favourite skill is definitely Opposite Action which means doing the opposite of what your emotion is telling you to do. I find myself using it constantly, whether I'm dealing with anxiety about leading a DBT house group, or noticing the urge to stay in bed after being in Covid lockdown for so long. This skill allows us to experience our emotions, AND gives us the power to turn down their intensity by making the conscious decision to do the exact opposite of what they are telling us to do. Opposite Action all the way!
Dylan Zambrano
MSW, RSW
DBT Skills Trainer
Dylan Zambrano is the Founder and Clinical Director of DBT Virtual, an online DBT service in Ontario. He also works with a DBT team within an outpatient hospital clinic and has experience providing DBT consultation and supervision to other therapists. Dylan is also passionate about enhancing resilience amongst healthcare professionals through mindfulness and is a faculty mindfulness instructor with University of Toronto and Laurier University.
Dylan's Favourite DBT Skill:
As a mindfulness educator I've always been a proponent of mindfulness practice. One of my favourite DBT mindfulness skills is Observe. Observing our experiences strengthens our capacity to readily notice and be with difficulty. It is in this space of awareness that we have the agency to respond more effectively. I believe observing is the first step to changing habitual responses to the things happening around us and within us.
Rama Arora-Persaud
Occupational Therapist, OT, Reg
DBT Skills Trainer
Rama is a registered Occupational Therapist, Psychotherapist with over 20 years of experience working in mental health care. She received her Bachelors of Science (BSc) in Occupational Therapy from the University of Toronto and Bachelors of Arts (BA) in Psychology from the University of Western Ontario. Rama was first introduced to DBT in 2011 when she completed the intensive training program through Behavioural Tech, LLC and joined an adherent DBT team in an outpatient setting. She has experience providing DBT to teens and their families, and adults in private practice . Rama truly believes that in life there are no shortage of opportunities to use DBT skills as they are about Doing Better Today and as humans we all could benefit from that!
Rama's Favourite DBT Skill:
My favourite skill is pairing a half smile with willing hands. This skill allows one to accept reality with both mind and body. I use this skill when I wake up in the morning to get me out of bed and moving. I also use this skill when I find myself getting annoyed by a situation or person(s) and need to be able to tolerate some uncertainty without my ego getting in the way! This one skill has allowed me to accept many moments in both my personal and professional life more gracefully and wholeheartedly.
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