Dialectical Behavioral Therapy is a form of talk therapy developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan in the late 1970s for the treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder. It is considered a hybrid of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy but has a different theoretical approach and clinical practice. Although DBT was created to treat parasuicidal patients, its applicability has been proven effective for :

-        Mood disorders

-        Anxiety disorders

-        Substance use disorders and addictions

-        Eating disorders

-        Other personality disorders

-        Impulse control and anger management issues

The treatment usually includes weekly individual therapy sessions and skills training groups. However, depending on the disorder and the patient’s symptoms and resources, the skills training can also be done in individual sessions.

The 4 main skills to develop in DBT are:

-        Mindfulness skills: learning how to live in the present moment, without judgment.

-        Emotional regulation skills: learning how to identify, understand and manage emotions in an effective way.

-        Distress tolerance skills: learning how to manage painful experiences and survive a crisis without engaging in problem behaviors.

-        Interpersonal effectiveness skills: learning how to improve relationships and initiate new ones while developing assertiveness skills.