Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a skill-based therapy that teaches people how to live in the moment, cope with stress using healthy coping skills, regulate emotions, and improve relationships with others. Developed by psychologist Marsha M. Linehan, this specialized form of cognitive behavioral therapy is helpful for people who experience intense emotional extremes which then negatively impact multiple areas of life.
Central to DBT is the concept of being dialectical, the notion that two seemingly opposing ideas can be true at the same time. In DBT therapy, there is a balance between accepting what is true about a person or situation now while embracing the possibility for change in the future. Often our extreme reactions in situations begin with rigid, black and white thinking. We perceive situations through the lens of either/or instead of both/and. When we learn to approach life from a place of curiosity and non-judgment, we are better able to respond rather than react.
