Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a cognitive behavioral treatment developed by Marsha Linehan, Ph.D. It emphasizes individual psychotherapy and group skills training classes to help people learn and use new skills and strategies to develop a life that they experience as worth living. DBT skills include skills for mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.
DBT was originally developped to treat chronically suicidal individuals diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). It is now recognized as the gold standard psychological treatment for this population.
In addition,research has shown that it is effective in treating a wide range of other disorders such as:
- Substance Dependence (Drugs - Alcohol)
- Treatment resistant Depression
- Suicide / Self- Harm
- Eating disorders