Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Developed in the late 1980s by Marsha M. Linehan, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is the gold-standard for treating borderline personality disorder (BPD). There is evidence of DBT as an effective treatment for disorders related to emotion dysregulation such as self-injurious behaviors (i.e. cutting), suicidality (ideation and/or attempts), disordered eating (bulimia and/or anorexia nervosa), depression and substance abuse (Haynos, Fruzzetti, Anderson, Briggs & Walenta, 2015).
Based on behavioral therapies, DBT also incorporates validation and acceptance strategies, as well as change interventions. DBT is grounded on a dialectical worldview that strives to help the client achieve a balance between acceptance and change – with the assumption that attaining said balance will allow a client to build a “life worth living.” Aside from helping an individual adopt a dialect approach to life, the former will also learn emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal, and mindfulness skills.

A fully adherent DBT treatment must include four (4) therapeutic modalities: individual therapy, group therapy, phone coaching, and therapist participation in a consultation group. At the Resilio Counseling Group, we offer “DBT-informed” treatment because we are not currently providing group therapy.