Episode 80 | DBT with LGBTQ+ Clients: Building a Life Worth Living While Cultivating Queer Joy with Dr. Kiki Fehling

Earn Continuing Education Credits (CEs): By listening to this episode, you can earn CEs if you join the Affirm Academy! To learn more and register, visit affirmmentalhealth.com, and click on the "Join the Affirm Academy" button. SIGN IN: Affirm Academy Members: Log in to get your CEs! If you're already a member, you can log in to your account https://shaina-siber-sanderowitz.mykajabi.com/login to take your post-test/evaluation and get your certificate within minutes. SIGN UP: Become a member here: https://shaina-siber-sanderowitz.mykajabi.com/offers/XMAbo9mh/checkout?coupon_code=POD Featured Book: Using ACT and CFT for Burnout Recovery: The Beyond Burnout Blueprint by Shaina Siber Kindle: https://a.co/d/0iAlSrhC Paperback: https://www.routledge.com/Using-ACT-and-CFT-for-Burnout-Recovery-The-Beyond-Burnout-Blueprint/Siber/p/book/9781041074304 Course Information: https://canva.link/qz2pet5l95q2jch --- Episode Summary: Psychologist, author, speaker, and Linehan Board-Certified DBT Expert Dr. Kiki Fehling joins The Affirming Minds Podcast to discuss LGBTQ+ mental health, minority stress, identity invalidation, and the role of Dialectical Behavior Therapy in fostering resilience, self-love, and queer joy. Together, we explore the history of LGBTQ+ mental health care, affirmative practice, and how DBT skills can help individuals navigate shame, stigma, and discrimination while building lives that feel meaningful, authentic, and connected. Dr. Fehling is the author of The LGBTQ+ Mental Health Workbook: Find Emotional Resilience, Self-Love, and Queer Joy with Dialectical Behavior Therapy. --- About Our Guest: Dr. Fehling is a clinical psychologist, author, and DBT-Linehan-Board-Certified expert in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). She began training in DBT early during her graduate education at Rutgers University under Dr. Shireen Rizvi, a student of Dr. Marsha Linehan, and received years of direct supervision and training on DBT, BPD, and suicide/self-harm assessment. Under her research mentor Dr. Edward Selby, she received several research grants and published research manuscripts about suicide and self-harm, particularly in LGBTQ+ adults. She continued her training on DBT/suicidality during her predoctoral internship at Montefiore Medical Center and during her postdoctoral training at NYCBT. At NYCBT, she became a full-time staff clinician, coordinating the program’s LGBTQ+ DBT program. She remains active in mental health advocacy and the dissemination of evidence-based therapies. She is a Psychology Today blogger and contributor to other publications; she co-wrote a published self-help workbook (Self-Directed DBT Skills) and is working on other projects, and she regularly shares DBT skills and mental health tips on social media (@dbtkiki). --- Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Shaina Siber-Sanderowitz, LCSW, is the Founder of Affirm Mental Health, an accredited CE provider. She receives financial compensation from Affirm Mental Health for the development and delivery of continuing education content. Kiki Fehling, PhD is an author with Zeitgeist as a contractor, an author with New Harbinger where she may receive royalties as a contractor, and serves as Director of Clinical Content for Now Matters Now as a nonprofit contractor. All content presented in this course is evidence-based and delivered without commercial bias. There are no other conflicts of interest to disclose. Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for clinical training or treatment. If you or someone you know needs mental health support, please reach out to a licensed professional. --- Don't Forget to Subscribe: If you love this episode, be sure to follow The Affirming Minds Podcast wherever you listen to your podcasts. Share it on your socials and help us grow the community of engaged, empowered, and educated mental health professionals. Join the Conversation: What did you think of this episode? We’d love to hear your thoughts! Tag us on social media with your biggest takeaways! Find Us Here: https://www.affirmmentalhealth.com Instagram: @affirmmentalhealth YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AFFIRMMentalHealth Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556924200735 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaina-siber-sanderowitz-905089249/ TikTok: @affirm_mental_health