Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

DBT was developed by Marsha M. Linehan, Ph.D. and published as an evidenced-based treatment in 1993. Dr. Linehan began developing this treatment in order to treat chronically suicidal adult women. In her research, most of these women met criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), which is typified by an individual’s emotional and behavioral extremes. DBT is the only therapy shown by extensive clinical research to be effective in treating BPD. Although the origin of DBT focused on BPD, further studies have shown that DBT is effective in treating a variety of other diagnoses, including depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, including Panic Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder & Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Generally, this treatment targets biological vulnerabilities to emotions and environmental disturbances that create barriers to emotion regulation. This treatment has had many peer-reviewed randomized control trials proving its efficacy.

Learn more about the research supporting DBT by clicking below: