What is DBT?

DBT stands for Dialectical Behavior Therapy. It’s a type of evidence-based psychotherapy developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan in the late 1980s, originally to treat borderline personality disorder (BPD), but it’s now used for a range of mental health issues.

Core Purpose: DBT helps people who experience intense emotions, impulsive behaviors, life-threatening behaviors, and/or difficulty maintaining relationships. It's especially useful for individuals who feel stuck in cycles of emotional distress.

The Core Components of DBT | MARSHA LINEHAN

Key Features of DBT

  • The idea of holding two opposing truths at once — e.g., “I’m doing the best I can, and I can do better.” It’s about balancing acceptance and change.

    • Mindfulness: Being present and aware without judgment

    • Distress Tolerance: Coping with crisis situations without making them worse

    • Emotion Regulation: Understanding and managing intense emotions

    • Interpersonal Effectiveness: Navigating relationships and asserting needs while maintaining self-respect

    • Individual Therapy: Weekly sessions 

    • Skills Training Groups: Typically, weekly classes

    • Phone Coaching: Support between sessions for real-time skills use

    • Consultation Teams: For therapists to support one another

    • Stage 1: Focuses on behavioral control and reducing self-destructive behaviors

    • Stage 2: Addresses emotional experiencing and quiet desperation

    • Stage 3: Focuses on building a life of ordinary happiness and self-respect

    • Stage 4: Aims to find deeper meaning and joy

Who Can Benefit from DBT?

    • Borderline Personality Disorder, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Antisocial Personality Disorder, Histrionic Personality Disorder

    • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

    • Suicidal or self-harming behaviors

    • Depression and anxiety

    • Eating disorders

    • PTSD

    • Substance use issues

    • Mood disorders