Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) was developed by Marsha Linehan for treating women with Borderline Personality Disorder who deliberately self-harmed. It is now used with both genders, adolescents and adults, and with people whose primary difficulties lie in areas of substance abuse and eating disorder. The comprehensive model has patients attending individual therapy and group-based skills training weekly with phone support for generalisation of skills outside of therapy. DBT is a combination of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, mindfulness practice, acceptance-based principles and dialectical strategies with the purpose of addressing life-threatening and self-harming behaviours, behaviours that interfere with therapy, major quality of life issues and the acquisition of life skills.
