WHAT IS DBT
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based type of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan at the University of Washington. While the treatment was originally developed for adults with borderline personality disorder at high risk for suicide, over time, research has found that DBT is effective for many other problems, including substance use, depression, eating disorders, as well as for adolescents. At its core, DBT is a treatment for those who have difficulty experiencing, tolerating, and regulating emotions.
The word dialectics refers to the idea that two ideas that are seemingly opposites can both be true. The primary dialectic in DBT is one of acceptance and change; for example, accepting and acknowledging where clients are in the current moment while at the same time, pushing them towards change in order to achieve their goals.
While DBT is a type of CBT, I often tell people that it is a “little c, big B” treatment. In DBT, behaviorism is the overarching theory by which we conceptualize treatment. Taking a behavioral approach means that we are assessing relevant thoughts, emotions, situations and overt
behaviors with specificity and precision in order to figure out how to solve problems.
Comprehensive DBT includes four modes of treatment, each of which has a particular function:
To learn more about DBT, I recommend listening to this podcast interview with DBT expert Dr. Vibh Forsythe Cox.