Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a treatment developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan.  Originally, DBT was created to help people who were suicidal and struggling with self-harm urges. DBT is especially helpful for individuals who have difficulty regulating or dealing with their emotions. Focused on validating the difficulties of life’s struggles, the apparent difficulty with conflicting and intense emotions, and the desire to make important changes, DBT is a highly practical and direct form of therapy. Rather than only focusing on overcoming misery, DBT also emphasizes working on creating a life you want to live. After years of research, DBT is considered to be an empirically supported treatment for individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and is also being used to treat individuals who struggle with emotions but who do not meet criteria for BPD. Recently, DBT has been modified to treat individuals who struggle with a range of psychological problems including substance abuse and eating disorders.