What Is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)?

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based therapy designed to help people manage intense emotions, improve relationships, and develop healthier ways of coping with stress. Developed by psychologist Dr. Marsha Linehan, DBT was originally created for individuals with chronic suicidal thoughts and Borderline Personality Disorder. Today, it’s widely used for anxiety, depression, PTSD, eating disorders, and difficulties with emotion regulation.

At its core, DBT teaches practical skills for navigating difficult emotions and situations without making things worse.

The Philosophy Behind DBT

A key concept in DBT is balancing acceptance and change. The word dialectical refers to bringing two seemingly opposite ideas together. In therapy, this means learning to accept your current experience while also working toward meaningful change.

The Four Core DBT Skills

DBT helps people build skills in four main areas:

Mindfulness: staying present and aware without judgment
Distress Tolerance: coping with difficult moments without making things worse
Emotion Regulation: understanding and managing emotions
Interpersonal Effectiveness: communicating needs, setting boundaries, and improving relationships

Comprehensive DBT

Not all therapy labeled “DBT” includes the full model. Comprehensive DBT follows Dr. Linehan’s full approach, including:

Individual therapy focused on personal treatment goals with use of diary cards.
Skills training groups to learn and practice DBT skills.
Phone coaching to apply skills in real life.
Therapist consultation teams to maintain quality and adherence.

Therapy that only offers parts of DBT can still be helpful, but the strongest research support comes from this complete model.

Intensive Training vs. Certification in DBT

Another important distinction when looking for DBT services is the difference between a certified DBT clinician and an intensively trained DBT clinician.

Certified DBT Clinician: Indicates the therapist has passed a cumulative exam and submitted three recorded sessions evaluated using the DBT Adherence Checklist for Individual Therapy (DBT AC-I). This is often referred to as the gold standard for DBT clinicians.
Intensively Trained DBT Clinician: Indicates the therapist completed intensive training and is often highly skilled, experienced, and may be working toward full certification, even if not officially certified yet.

How to Start DBT Therapy

Find a qualified DBT therapist or program (certified or intensively trained).
Complete an intake session to review your history, challenges, and goals.
Identify target behaviors to focus on, such as self-harm urges, emotional crises, or relationship struggles.
Learn about how individual therapy, skills learning, and phone coaching work, and agree to practice skills regularly.

The Goal of DBT

The ultimate goal of DBT is helping individuals build “a life worth living.” Rather than eliminating or avoiding difficult emotions, DBT teaches people how to experience and respond to emotions in ways that help move their life in a meaningful direction.

If you want to learn more about DBT, check out the official website: dbt-lbc.org.

DBT-Linehan Board of Certification. (n.d.). Components of a Comprehensive DBT Program. Retrieved March 16, 2026, https://dbt-lbc.org/consumers-2/family-members/.
Linehan, M. M. (1993). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of borderline personality disorder. Guilford Press.
Linehan, M. M. (1993). Skills training manual for treating borderline personality disorder. Guilford Press.

Here at Atlanta Wellness collective, we want to help. For support contact us or schedule an appointment online

This blog post was written by Jazlyn Bain.

This blog is not intended to substitute professional therapeutic advice. Talk with your healthcare provider about your health concerns and before starting or stopping therapies. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct professional advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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