Credit Available - See Credits tab below.
Total Credits: 45 including 45 Continuing Education Credit for Social Workers, 45 Continuing Education Credit for Clinical Psychologists, 45 Continuing Education Credit for Professional Counselors, 45 Continuing Education Credit for Marriage and Family Therapists
Contextually-Focused Dialectical Behavior Therapy (C-DBT) is a comprehensive treatment approach for individuals struggling with the feeling that they do not matter or belong. Unlike traditional models that view distress as stemming from an underlying disorder, C-DBT frames these behaviors as understandable responses to invalidating, often dehumanizing environments. These environments may be found at various levels, including family, community, or culture. Emotional dysregulation, therefore, is seen as a coping mechanism for the deep need to be acknowledged and recognized.
The fellowship is designed to familiarize participants with the core components of C-DBT, focusing on function, process, and exposure rather than rigid protocols or skills. Participants will learn how to cultivate an interactional style that empowers clients to break free from automatic, learned responses shaped by their past. By doing so, clients are offered the chance to organize their behavior around a future they envision, rather than being bound by past conditioning.
This program satisfies the requirements to receive 45 hours of Continuing Education credit for social workers.
The Professional Development Program is a licensed State of Illinois provider of Continuing Education for social workers, clinical psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and professional counselors. License #s 159.000140, 168.000115, and 268.000004.
Most states have reciprocity with Illinois. It is recommended that professionals outside of Illinois review rules for their licensing board prior to participating to ensure that the content meets their renewal, and/or reciprocity, requirements.
This program satisfies the requirements to receive 45 hours of Continuing Education credit for clinical psychologists.
The Professional Development Program is a licensed State of Illinois provider of Continuing Education for social workers, clinical psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and professional counselors. License #s 159.000140, 168.000115, and 268.000004.
Most states have reciprocity with Illinois. It is recommended that professionals outside of Illinois review rules for their licensing board prior to participating to ensure that the content meets their renewal, and/or reciprocity, requirements.
This program satisfies the requirements to receive 45 hours of Continuing Education credit for professional counselors.
The Professional Development Program is a licensed State of Illinois provider of Continuing Education for social workers, clinical psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and professional counselors. License #s 159.000140, 168.000115, and 268.000004.
Most states have reciprocity with Illinois. It is recommended that professionals outside of Illinois review rules for their licensing board prior to participating to ensure that the content meets their renewal, and/or reciprocity, requirements.
This program satisfies the requirements to receive 45 hours of Continuing Education credit for marriage and family therapists.
The Professional Development Program is a licensed State of Illinois provider of Continuing Education for social workers, clinical psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and professional counselors. License #s 159.000140, 168.000115, and 268.000004.
Most states have reciprocity with Illinois. It is recommended that professionals outside of Illinois review rules for their licensing board prior to participating to ensure that the content meets their renewal, and/or reciprocity, requirements.
Paul Holmes is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice. His focus is on advancing empirically-supported, contextually-based interventions such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). In addition to DBT, his fields of interest include Contextual Behavior Theory and Therapy, mindfulness and psychotherapy, chronic distress, and issues related to substance abuse.
Holmes teaches courses including Fundamentals of Behavioral Therapy: Contemporary Approaches, Dialectical Behavior Therapy: Intervening with Persons who Experience Chronic Distress, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
In addition to teaching, Holmes is also the founder and managing partner/clinical director of the Emotion Management Program, LLC in Orland Park, IL. He provides Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and DBT to client populations. He also conducts training workshops and clinical consultation to public and private mental health providers.
He was previously a faculty member in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Chicago for twelve years.
After receiving his B.A. in Psychology from Olivet Nazarene University in Kankakee, Illinois, Holmes received his Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology in 1993.
After receiving bachelor's degrees in Psychology and Sociocultural Anthropology at Brigham Young University, Mary worked for a time in residential treatment, then pursued a Master of Arts in Comparative Human Development at the University of Chicago. Having a special interest in how our basic need to belong and matter shapes behavior, Mary then shifted her focus to exploring these questions in clinical training to help people develop a sense of meaning and agency within the context of a therapeutic relationship.
Mary received her Master of Arts in clinical social work from the University of Chicago’s Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice. There, she focused her studies and practice on contextual behavioral therapies and found that the Chronic Distress model, developed by Paul Holmes, PsyD, resonated deeply with her personal experience and beliefs about relational models of healing.
Outside of her therapeutic work, Mary can be found practicing yoga, learning more about behavioral training with dogs, volunteering at the shelter, visiting beaches, and catching up on her latest shows.
It is recommended that participants have a Master's degree in social work, psychology, counseling, or a closely related field.
Completion of the fellowship and issuance of a certificate requires no more than three absences. Due to the confidential nature of materials and case presentations, classes will not be recorded.
The fellowship is delivered live and interactively via Zoom, allowing participants to engage fully from anywhere. To maintain an interactive and experiential nature of each class, cohort size is limited to 30 participants.
All sessions are held twice per month on Fridays from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM CT which provides a consistent learning experience, allowing participants to integrate insights and skills between sessions. Our schedule spans from November 8, 2024 through June 6, 2025, ensuring ample opportunity for deep engagement and practical application of C-DBT principles.
Please see the "Schedule at a Glance" for class dates.
For those in the Chicago area, there is an option to attend sessions in person at the Crown Family School, located at:
969 E. 60th Street
Chicago, IL 60637
Tuition: $2,475
Please note that PDP discounts do not apply to fellowship programs. Scholarships and financial aid are not currently available for this program.
Tuition is non-refundable.
| Availability | Module Title | Speaker | Credits | Course Type | Duration | Course Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 30, 2026 @ 09:30 AM (CST) |
2025-2026 C-DBT Fellowship: Class 6
|
E. Paul Holmes, PsyD
Mary Cook
|
Total Credits: 3 including 3 Continuing Education Credit for Social Workers , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Clinical Psychologists , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Professional Counselors , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Marriage and Family Therapists | Webinar | 3 Hours | More info » |
| Feb 13, 2026 @ 09:30 AM (CST) |
2025-2026 C-DBT Fellowship: Class 7
|
E. Paul Holmes, PsyD
Mary Cook
|
Total Credits: 3 including 3 Continuing Education Credit for Social Workers , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Clinical Psychologists , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Professional Counselors , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Marriage and Family Therapists | Webinar | 3 Hours | More info » |
| Feb 27, 2026 @ 09:30 AM (CST) |
2025-2026 C-DBT Fellowship: Class 8
|
E. Paul Holmes, PsyD
Mary Cook
|
Total Credits: 3 including 3 Continuing Education Credit for Social Workers , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Clinical Psychologists , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Professional Counselors , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Marriage and Family Therapists | Webinar | 3 Hours | More info » |
| Mar 13, 2026 @ 09:30 AM (CDT) |
2025-2026 C-DBT Fellowship: Class 9
|
E. Paul Holmes, PsyD
Mary Cook
|
Total Credits: 3 including 3 Continuing Education Credit for Social Workers , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Clinical Psychologists , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Professional Counselors , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Marriage and Family Therapists | Webinar | 3 Hours | More info » |
| Mar 27, 2026 @ 09:30 AM (CDT) |
2025-2026 C-DBT Fellowship: Class 10
|
E. Paul Holmes, PsyD
Mary Cook
|
Total Credits: 3 including 3 Continuing Education Credit for Social Workers , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Clinical Psychologists , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Professional Counselors , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Marriage and Family Therapists | Webinar | 3 Hours | More info » |
| Apr 10, 2026 @ 09:30 AM (CDT) |
2025-2026 C-DBT Fellowship: Class 11
|
E. Paul Holmes, PsyD
Mary Cook
|
Total Credits: 3 including 3 Continuing Education Credit for Social Workers , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Clinical Psychologists , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Professional Counselors , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Marriage and Family Therapists | Webinar | 3 Hours | More info » |
| Apr 24, 2026 @ 09:30 AM (CDT) |
2025-2026 C-DBT Fellowship: Class 12
|
E. Paul Holmes, PsyD
Mary Cook
|
Total Credits: 3 including 3 Continuing Education Credit for Social Workers , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Clinical Psychologists , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Professional Counselors , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Marriage and Family Therapists | Webinar | 3 Hours | More info » |
| May 08, 2026 @ 09:30 AM (CDT) |
2025-2026 C-DBT Fellowship: Class 13
|
E. Paul Holmes, PsyD
Mary Cook
|
Total Credits: 3 including 3 Continuing Education Credit for Social Workers , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Clinical Psychologists , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Professional Counselors , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Marriage and Family Therapists | Webinar | 3 Hours | More info » |
| May 22, 2026 @ 09:30 AM (CDT) |
2025-2026 C-DBT Fellowship: Class 14
|
E. Paul Holmes, PsyD
Mary Cook
|
Total Credits: 3 including 3 Continuing Education Credit for Social Workers , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Clinical Psychologists , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Professional Counselors , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Marriage and Family Therapists | Webinar | 3 Hours | More info » |
| Jun 05, 2026 @ 09:30 AM (CDT) |
2025-2026 C-DBT Fellowship: Class 15
|
E. Paul Holmes, PsyD
Mary Cook
|
Total Credits: 3 including 3 Continuing Education Credit for Social Workers , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Clinical Psychologists , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Professional Counselors , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Marriage and Family Therapists | Webinar | 3 Hours | More info » |
| Nov 21, 2025 @ 09:30 AM (CST) |
2025-2026 C-DBT Fellowship: Class 2
|
E. Paul Holmes, PsyD
Mary Cook
|
Total Credits: 3 including 3 Continuing Education Credit for Social Workers , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Clinical Psychologists , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Professional Counselors , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Marriage and Family Therapists | Webinar | 3 Hours | More info » |
| Nov 14, 2025 @ 09:30 AM (CST) |
2025-2026 C-DBT Fellowship: Class 1
|
E. Paul Holmes, PsyD
Mary Cook
|
Total Credits: 3 including 3 Continuing Education Credit for Social Workers , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Clinical Psychologists , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Professional Counselors , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Marriage and Family Therapists | Webinar | 3 Hours | More info » |
| Dec 12, 2025 @ 09:30 AM (CST) |
2025-2026 C-DBT Fellowship: Class 4
|
E. Paul Holmes, PsyD
Mary Cook
|
Total Credits: 3 including 3 Continuing Education Credit for Social Workers , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Clinical Psychologists , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Professional Counselors , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Marriage and Family Therapists | Webinar | 3 Hours | More info » |
| Dec 05, 2025 @ 09:30 AM (CST) |
2025-2026 C-DBT Fellowship: Class 3
|
E. Paul Holmes, PsyD
Mary Cook
|
Total Credits: 3 including 3 Continuing Education Credit for Social Workers , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Clinical Psychologists , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Professional Counselors , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Marriage and Family Therapists | Webinar | 3 Hours | More info » |
| Jan 16, 2026 @ 09:30 AM (CST) |
2025-2026 C-DBT Fellowship: Class 5
|
E. Paul Holmes, PsyD
Mary Cook
|
Total Credits: 3 including 3 Continuing Education Credit for Social Workers , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Clinical Psychologists , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Professional Counselors , 3 Continuing Education Credit for Marriage and Family Therapists | Webinar | 3 Hours | More info » |