VIP-DBT™ gives you the opportunity to practise essential DBT clinical skills in a realistic, interactive and safe environment complete with personalised feedback to help you grow with every session.
Whether you’re an individual therapist looking to strengthen your DBT practice or an organisation seeking a training solution, VIP-DBT™ offers a way to support skill development and supervision across your team or student cohort.
Engage in a compelling skills-based practice with live, real‑time interactions. Our virtual patients aren’t reading from a script, they actively listen and respond spontaneously, staying fully in character so your DBT training feels authentic and engaging.
Choose from a wide range of focused, bite‑size tasks, each targeting specific DBT skills and organised into clear categories. Every task includes a defined time allocation, so you can fit meaningful practice into even the busiest schedule.
When you start a task, you’ll select a virtual patient and instantly access clear written instructions plus background information about them. This gives you the context you need to prepare thoughtfully, then step straight into a realistic, immersive DBT interaction.
At the end of each task, you’ll receive written feedback and a transcript of your interaction. From this, you’ll be able to determine whether you’re on track or need more practice with that task. You can also practice a full session.
Creating an account is completely free. No purchase is required to get started.
Simply click the ‘Create a Free Account’ button above to access the platform, have a look around, and explore the different tasks and resources available. You can familiarise yourself with the system before deciding whether any training options are right for you.
Once purchased, you will have a central bank of minutes visible in your account. As you talk with the Virtual Interactive Patient, time is counted down and deducted from this bank. You only spend minutes during the live conversation.
Introductory Price
£40/hour
Purchase AI-supported practice sessions in flexible one-hour blocks. Add additional hours whenever needed, with no subscription commitment.
Once purchased, you will have a central bank of minutes visible in your account. As you talk with the Virtual Interactive Patient, time counts down and deducted from this bank. You only spend minutes during the live conversation.
Get in touch to discuss VIP-DBT™ for yourself, your team or your organisation.
VIP-DBT is a simulation and practice platform designed specifically for therapists who are learning or developing their skills in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). It allows you to practice clinical techniques with realistic virtual patients and receive personalized feedback on your performance.
Think of it as a flight simulator for therapists: a safe environment where you can practice, make mistakes, learn, and build confidence before applying your skills with real clients.
VIP-DBT is designed for anyone training in or gaining experience with DBT, including therapists who are new to the model and experienced practitioners who want to refresh or strengthen specific skills. Whether you’re learning a technique for the first time or looking to refine your existing practice, VIP-DBT offers opportunities for continued professional development.
No. VIP-DBT is intended to complement traditional training, consultation, and supervision, not replace them. In the same way a flight simulator is not a replacement for a flight instructor, it provides additional opportunities to rehearse clinical skills independently and receive immediate learning feedback. We encourage you to discuss your experiences and feedback with your DBT supervisor, consultant, or trainer.
Practicing with virtual patients allows you to develop your skills without the pressure of being observed. You can experiment with different approaches, repeat challenging tasks, and build confidence at your own pace. It offers a supportive environment where mistakes become opportunities for learning rather than something to be embarrassed about.
VIP-DBT uses AI-generated virtual patients that listen to what you say and respond in real time.
Unlike traditional role-play software, the virtual patients don’t follow a fixed script. They respond spontaneously, in character, based on what you say, and the clinical background assigned to them. This makes each interaction a unique and dynamic practice experience.
No. The virtual patients are not reading from predefined scripts. They listen to your words and generate responses based on the conversation and their simulated clinical circumstances. This means that the direction of the conversation can change depending on how you interact with the patient.
VIP-DBT is designed to provide realistic clinical interactions. The virtual patients respond based on multiple pieces of clinical information, including their background and treatment experience. However, they are still AI simulations, and their responses may occasionally differ from what you would expect from a human patient. We expect the realism of these interactions to continue improving as the technology develops.
No. At the moment the virtual patient can hear and respond to what you say, but it cannot see you. Your facial expressions, gestures, posture, and other nonverbal behaviors do not influence the virtual patient’s responses and are not included in your performance feedback. However, you can see yourself in a picture-in-picture video window, allowing you to observe and reflect on your own nonverbal communication.
You may occasionally notice a brief pause before the virtual patient answers. This is normal. During this time, the AI is processing your conversation and generating a response based on the patient’s simulated clinical information. The additional processing helps produce more contextually appropriate and meaningful interactions.
VIP-DBT offers numerous practice tasks organized into categories covering different aspects of DBT. Most tasks focus on one or two specific clinical skills or treatment strategies, allowing you to concentrate on particular areas of your practice. There are also two tasks that simulate complete therapy sessions.
No. You are free to choose which tasks you practice and in what order. Although working through tasks sequentially may support your learning, you can select any available task, including a complete therapy session, whenever you feel ready.
After logging in, you select the DBT skill or task you want to practice. You will then choose a virtual patient. Before beginning, you’ll receive written instructions explaining the task, along with the opportunity to view background information about your selected patient. We recommend reviewing this information carefully before starting the live interaction.
Yes. The task instructions and patient background documents remain accessible during your interaction. You can open them using the buttons on the left side of the screen whenever you need to refer to the information.
Yes. Each task has an allocated number of minutes, which is displayed during the session, that approximates to the typical time assigned to these tasks in a real session. However, you don’t need to use the full allocation. If you’ve completed the task before the timer reaches zero, simply click End Session to finish and proceed to the evaluation screen.
No. You can spend as much time as you need reviewing the task instructions and patient background before starting. Your purchased minutes are only used during the live conversation with the virtual patient.
Absolutely. You can repeat any task as many times as you like, provided you have enough minutes remaining in your account. Repetition is an important part of developing clinical skills, and VIP-DBT is designed to encourage ongoing practice and improvement.
No. Each new interaction begins with a fresh virtual patient who has no memory of your previous conversations. The patient will retain the simulated clinical background and DBT treatment experience described in the task instructions but will not remember any earlier sessions you personally conducted with them. This allows you to repeat tasks and try different approaches from the same starting point.
At the end of each task, you’ll receive written feedback about your performance, along with a transcript of your interaction sent to the email address you logged in with. The feedback describes whether your approach was consistent with the relevant DBT principles, strategies, and procedures, and helps you identify areas where further practice may be useful.
VIP-DBT uses artificial intelligence to analyze your interaction and provide feedback informed by established DBT principles and the DBT Adherence Coding Scale (ACI). The feedback includes narrative comments and a simple indicator showing whether you’re on track or whether additional practice is recommended. This is educational feedback, not a formal assessment of your professional competence.
Each task includes one of two feedback indicators:
These indicators are intended to guide learning, not to represent a pass or fail in a formal examination.
No. VIP-DBT does not provide formal DBT adherence ratings or certifications of therapist competence. Although its feedback is informed by the DBT Adherence Coding Scale (ACI), official DBT adherence ratings require review of complete therapy sessions by trained human coders. VIP-DBT’s AI-generated feedback should be used as a learning aid rather than a substitute for formal adherence assessment.
AI-generated feedback may not always fully capture the nuances of clinical interaction. If you disagree with an evaluation or would like additional guidance, we encourage you to discuss the interaction and feedback with your DBT supervisor, consultant, or trainer. You can also repeat the task and explore alternative approaches.
Yes. After completing a task, a transcript of your interaction with the virtual patient will be emailed to you, together with your written performance feedback. This allows you to review what you said, reflect on your clinical decisions, and identify opportunities for improvement.
If you’re using VIP-DBT independently, your feedback is normally visible only to you and authorized system administrators. If you have agreed to share your feedback with a supervisor, that arrangement will be communicated to you after logging in. If your employer funds your access, your employer may also have access to records of your interactions, including transcripts and feedback.
If your employer funds your use of VIP-DBT, they may have access to your interaction records, transcripts, and feedback. It’s important to understand your organization’s access arrangements before beginning your training.
Authorized system administrators have access to information held within the platform. Information is managed in accordance with the regulations applicable in the jurisdiction where you use the system. For specific questions about data storage, retention, security, or organizational access policies, please contact the VIP-DBT team.
No, your sessions are not used to train the AI in the VIP-DBT system directly. However, the system does utilize AI technology from other providers such as OpenAI who have their own policies.
Yes. When you log in, VIP-DBT identifies the geographic region from which you’re accessing the platform. You should interact with your virtual patient on the assumption that they are in the same geographic region as you.
VIP-DBT uses a prepaid minutes system. Your account has a central bank of purchased minutes, with the remaining balance displayed on the platform. As you interact with a virtual patient in a session, minutes are deducted from your available balance.
Minutes are only deducted while you’re engaged in a live conversation with a virtual patient. Time spent choosing tasks, selecting patients, or reviewing instructions before beginning does not use your purchased minutes.
You can end a task at any time by clicking End Session. You will then be taken to the evaluation screen, and you won’t need to use the remaining time allocated to that task.
You’ll need additional minutes in your account to continue practicing. Your remaining balance is visible within the platform, allowing you to monitor your usage. If you click on the minute bank clock it will take you to the “purchase more time” screen.
We recommend approaching each simulation with curiosity and a willingness to experiment. Choose a specific skill to practice, review the patient background carefully, and focus on applying the relevant DBT principles during your interaction. Afterwards, review your feedback and transcript, reflect on what went well, and identify what you might do differently next time. Repeating tasks and discussing your experiences with a supervisor or consultant can help reinforce your learning.
Yes. Professional development doesn’t stop once you’ve completed your initial training. Experienced therapists can use VIP-DBT to rehearse treatment strategies, revisit foundational skills, and reflect on their clinical approach. The platform supports the DBT principle that learning and growth continue throughout our professional lives.
Yes. VIP-DBT can provide useful material for reflection and discussion with your DBT supervisor, consultant, or trainer. Reviewing your interaction transcripts and AI-generated feedback can help you identify specific questions, challenges, or areas for further development.
VIP-DBT is a practice environment, not an examination. Its purpose is to help you become more confident and effective in delivering DBT by giving you opportunities to rehearse skills, reflect on your performance, and learn through repetition. Approach each task with curiosity, patience, and kindness towards yourself. Skill development takes practice, and every interaction is an opportunity to grow.
