Dialectical Behavior Therapy is a form of talk therapy developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan in the late 1970s for the treatment of people with suicidal behavior and people suffering from 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 BPD, 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

Dialectical Behavior Therapy includes individual psychotherapy, skills training, phone coaching and the therapist’s consultation team.

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 and developing assertiveness skills, communicating respect for others as well as self-respect.