The Board of the International Society for the Improvement and Teaching of DBT (ISITDBT) is happy to announce this call for submissions for our 31st Annual ISITDBT 2026 Conference! The 31st Annual ISITDBT Conference will be held on November 12th, 2026, in person at the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor and the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland. This conference will also have a hybrid option for attendees, while all presentations will occur in person.

Call for Conference Submissions

Conference submissions for all presentation types will be accepted through our conference partner platform, CE-Go. Submissions have a limit of 400 words. Submissions will be evaluated for acceptance based on their relevance to the practice of DBT; innovation and novelty of content; inclusion of populations historically marginalized and/or underrepresented in the DBT literature and representative of a range of cultures and religions; research rigor (for Research Lighting Round and Poster submissions); quality of clinical teaching (for Clinical Workshop submissions), and adherence to continuing education standards. Presenters will be required to adhere to ISITDBT Conference policies and procedures including attesting to continuing education content validity statements outlined below.

Research Lightning Round Presentations are to present novel research relevant to the improvement and teaching of DBT. Each presentation will be approximately 10 minutes. Please also include the rationale for why your data are well-suited to a lightning round. Submit here: Research Lightning Round

Clinical Workshops are to provide teaching to improve the clinical practice and implementation of DBT. Each workshop is 60 minutes including time for Q & A. Submit here: Clinical Workshop

Posters are to present novel research relevant to the improvement and teaching of DBT. Submit here: Poster Presentation

The Anti-racism and Anti-oppression Presentation is designed to teach culturally-responsive and anti-oppressive practices to improve the clinical and/or consultation team practice of and/or research in DBT. ISITDBT’s approach and goals include utilizing an anti-racist, an anti-oppressive, and an intersectional lens, and making DBT accessible to clinicians and clients that are historically marginalized and/or underrepresented in the DBT literature, particularly those identifying as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and as members of religious and cultural groups. Ideally, we would like to see submissions highlighting the use of DBT principles and strategies to improve DBT. We encourage and welcome a broad array of submissions for this presentation that center on DBT. Submissions may feature one or multiple speakers and should be structured for delivery as a “main-stage” presentation. All submissions should also clearly demonstrate applications for improving our clinical work providing DBT and/or research on DBT. We are especially interested in submissions that offer a balanced, dialectical approach to anti-racism and anti-oppression efforts. The presentation is 60 minutes including time for Q & A. Submit here: Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression Presentation

ISITDBT has taken great care and intention to build underlying fundamental systems and resources and to develop policies and procedures around the conference that did not previously exist before 2025. Current policies and procedures for the conference include:

• • ISITDBT presentations are required to adhere to continuing education unit content validity statements whereby presenters must attest to making recommendations for client care based on current science, evidence, and clinical reasoning, while giving a fair and balanced view of diagnostic and therapeutic options; identifying new and evolving topics; avoiding advocating for, or promoting practices that are not (or not yet) adequately based on current science, evidence, and clinical reasoning; appropriately referencing copyrighted or previously published material; and excluding any advocacy for, or promotion of, unscientific approaches to diagnosis or therapy, or recommendations, treatment, or manners of practicing healthcare that are determined to have risks or dangers that outweigh the benefits or are known to be ineffective in the treatment of clients.
• • ISITDBT requires that, consistent with DBT principles, all presenters refrain from evaluative judgments, do not elicit non-dialectical thinking, and are cautious of invalidating others.
• • ISITDBT presentations are required to include disclaimers that presenters’ views do not represent that of the board (unless they have been developed explicitly to include the Board).
• • If accepted to present, ISITDBT requires that presenters submit their slide presentation by September 15th for review by ISITDBT and a program review committee of peers who will provide feedback pertaining to Continuing Education standards and DBT principles outlined above.
• • The ISITDBT Conference follows the rules and guidelines of ABCT and does not allow conference participants videotaping, taking pictures, or making recordings of any kind. This measure is in order to be in line with laws pertaining to consent and intellectual property.
• • ISITDBT requests that presenters consent to their presentation being recorded and utilized as part of a package of CE credits available for purchase for a duration 1 year after the conference that can be viewed as asynchronous learning for CEs to support international dissemination across all time zones.
• • The ISITDBT Conference requires presenters to review and adhere to the provided Code of Conduct, adapted from ABCT’s Code of Conduct. (posted here: https://isitdbt.net/).

We look forward to being together with you at the 31st year of the ISITDBT Conference by learning and disseminating DBT! For those of you who are unable to join us in person in Baltimore, Maryland this year, we hope you can attend virtually from your locations across the world and time zones.

If you have questions about the conference, please contact programchair@isitdbt.net

Code of Conduct

Conduct, Harassment, & Discrimination
ISITDBT is committed to providing a productive and welcoming environment for all meeting participants, guests, and ISITDBT volunteers. This policy applies to conduct by attendees, presenters, and volunteers of ISITDBT. It applies to complaints of harassment or discrimination by or other conduct that involve attendees, presenters, and volunteers of ISITDBT at or in connection with all ISITDBT events. ISITDBT has zero-tolerance for any form of unlawful discrimination or harassment by participants or our volunteers at our meetings. If you experience such incidents or hear of any incidents of unacceptable behavior, ISITDBT asks that you inform the ISITDBT Board at Isit@isitdbt.net.

This Code of Conduct applies in all ISITDBT meeting-related events, including those sponsored by organizations other than ISITDBT but held in conjunction with ISITDBT events, as well as participation in ISITDBT networking events.

ISITDBT reserves the right to take any action deemed necessary and appropriate, including immediate removal from the meeting without warning or refund, or revocation of access to platforms in response to any incident of unacceptable behavior, ISITDBT reserves the right to prohibit attendance at any future meeting, virtually or in person.

Equal Opportunity
It is ISITDBT’s policy to ensure equal opportunity without unlawful discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, marital status, military/veteran status, pregnancy, genetic information, citizenship, physical appearance, body size, or other characteristics protected by law. ISITDBT prohibits all such discrimination and harassment.

Harassment Defined
Unlawful harassment on the basis of any protected characteristic is strictly prohibited.
Harassment includes verbal, written, or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility toward an individual on the basis of any of the above listed protected factors and that: (1) creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment; or (2) interferes with an individual’s performance or ability to participate in ISITDBT events.

Harassing conduct includes but is not limited to epithets, slurs, or negative stereotyping; threatening, intimidating, or hostile acts; and denigrating jokes; and offensive texts, emails, or other messages.

Sexual harassment includes any unwelcome conduct, comment, gesture, or contact of a sexual nature, whether on a one-time basis or in a continuous series of incidents that might reasonably be expected to offend or embarrass an individual or be intended to generate a sexual response or favor. Sexual harassment also includes any unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or unwelcome physical conduct.

Prohibited Conduct
ISITDBT is committed to diversity, equity, professional treatment of ideas, and respectful treatment of all attendees, presenters, and volunteers at or in connection with all ISITDBT events.
ISITDBT seeks to provide a professional atmosphere in which diverse participants may learn, network, and otherwise participate in an environment of mutual respect. Conduct that is prohibited includes but is not limited to:

• • Harassment or intimidation based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, marital status, military/veteran status, pregnancy, genetic information, citizenship, physical appearance, body size, or other characteristics protected by law
• • Sexual harassment or intimidation, including unwelcome sexual attention, stalking, or unsolicited physical contact
• • Harassment, intimidation, or coercion based upon a position as a board member or any position of influence
• • Abusive, lewd, or threatening conduct
• • Bullying, harassment, or unprofessional conduct toward attendees, presenters, volunteers, or other participants at ISITDBT events
• • Physical violence or threats of violence
• • Sexually charged communications or conduct

Reporting Acts of Harassment, Discrimination, or Retaliation
ISITDBT encourages reporting of all perceived incidents of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation, regardless of the offender’s identity or position. Individuals who believe they have been the victim of such conduct may report their concerns to the ISITDBT Board at isit@isitdbt.net.
ISITDBT encourages individuals to advise the offender that their conduct is unwelcome and to request that it be discontinued, if they feel comfortable so doing.

An individual making a complaint may be asked to put the complaint in writing promptly after reporting unwanted conduct.

In the event that an individual feels that their physical safety is in jeopardy, ISITDBT encourages the individual to contact the appropriate law enforcement agency immediately and notify the ISITDBT Board at isit@isitdbt.net.

Every complaint or concern will be investigated, and any appropriate action will be taken.

False Reporting
Knowingly making a false accusation of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation, or knowingly providing false information in the course of an investigation of a report, may be treated as harassment. A complaint made in good faith, even if found to be unsubstantiated, will not be considered a false accusation.

Retaliation
Retaliation against an individual for reporting harassment or discrimination or for participating in an investigation of a claim of harassment or discrimination is a serious violation and is strictly prohibited. Acts of retaliation should be reported immediately.

By joining, registering, participating, or volunteering at ISITDBT or its events, you have agreed to the terms as outlined in ISITDBT’s Code of Conduct.