History of DBT KOREA | DBT Institute of Korea
Dr. Cho Yong, who founded DBT KOREA | DBT Institute of Korea, initiated individual DBT therapy and DBT skills training classes for Korean immigrants at Zucker-Hillside Hospital in New York in 1997. Dr. Cho’s work with Korean immigrants in therapy was featured by The New York Times.
From 2003 onwards, the DBT team led by Dr. Cho provided DBT services in Seoul for both Korean-speaking and English-speaking clients. In 2007, together with Dr. Marsha Linehan and Dr. Jill Rathus from the EBTCS Institute in Seattle at the time, the team launched the DBT Center of Korea, a Dialectical Behavior Therapy Center.
To ensure ethical and responsible DBT therapy in clinical settings, DBT KOREA translated and published Dr. Marsha Linehan’s [DBT Skills Training Manual, 2nd Edition], [DBT Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets, 2nd Edition], and Dr. Alec Miller and Dr. Jill Rathus’s [DBT Skills Manual for Adolescents]. These translations are protected by Korean, U.S., and international copyright laws.
In 2008, DBT KOREA invited Dr. Marsha Linehan to conduct a workshop, aiming to provide the same high standard of DBT therapy in Korea as in the United States. Following Dr. Linehan’s guidance, they introduced Experiential classes for professionals dedicated to DBT therapy and have consistently conducted high-quality educational training programs in Korea.
In 2018, after completing the translation of two volumes of Dr. Marsha Linehan’s DBT Skills Training Manual, 2nd Edition, and the 2nd Edition of DBT Skills Training Handouts and Worksheets for Clinicians, Dr. Cho began preparations to launch the DBT Intensive Training and DBT Experiential Classes for professionals in partnership with the Behavioral Tech Institute in Seattle.
Initially, DBT KOREA aims to start the DBT Intensive Training course, a training program widely attended by DBT therapists and teams worldwide in Korea. In collaboration with Dr. Jill Rathus’s team at Behavioral Tech, it has been planned to launch the first DBT Intensive Training program in Korea in December 2023.
To fulfill their educational mission alongside institutions like the Behavioral Tech Institute, DBT KOREA officially established the DBT Institute of Korea as a separate entity under its umbrella.

2001 Dr. Cho started DBT for Koreans in the U.S.
In 2000, Dr Cho started the English/Korean bilingual services
for Korean immigrants and their children at the Zucker-Hillside

2003 Promoting Evidence-Based Psychological Services in Korea
In 2003, Dr. Cho established the Tree Group to provide evidence-based treatment in both New York and Korea.

2007 ‘DBT Skill Training Manual for Borderline Personality Disorder’ by Dr. Linehan was translated into Korean and published
Dr. Cho started DBT for Korean immigrants in New York since 2000. He translated each worksheet in ‘DBT Skills Training

2007-2008 DBT Intensive Training Workshop
“The clinician team at the DBT Center of Korea received DBT Intensive Training Workshop at Behavioral Tech for two years

2007 DBT Center of Korea was founded and was approved by Dr. Marsha Linehan, the founder of DBT
DBT Center of Korea, the first DBT organization in Asia

2008 Dialectical Behavior Therapy Workshop with Marsha Linehan
The DBT Center of Korea invited Dr. Marsha Linehan who is one of the most influential authorities in the field

2008 Dr. Marsha Linehan’s DBT Seminar, hosted by the U.S. Embassy
The DBT Center of Korea (under the umbrella of the Tree Group) invited Dr. Marsha Linehan and initiated the DBT

2008 ‘The Tree Group Press’ was founded within the umbrella of the Tree Group
Publishing psychotherapy books and psychological fiction books

2015 The Tree Group Co. relocates to Songpa Campus
The Tree Group moved from Gangnam campus to Song campus and rebuilds its space to illustrate our philosophy.

2016 A Psychotherapy Novel “The Seven Room” was published
In 2016, the Tree Group Press published a psychotherapy novel called “the Seven room”.

2017 “Today’s Mindfulness Cards” was created
2017 “Today’s Mindfulness Cards” was created.

2017 “Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Workbook 2nd Edition” was published
“In 2017, “Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Workbook 2nd Edition” for emotional dysregulation and borderline personality disorder was published.”

2017 “DBT Skills Manual for Adolescents” was published
In 2017, “DBT Skills Manual for Adolescents” was published.

2018 “DBT Skills Training Manual, 2nd Edition” was published
In 2018, “DBT Skills Training Manual, 2nd Edition” was published, producing two of Dr. Marsha Linehan’s manuals.
DBT Center of Korea was founded








