Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is a more specialised form of therapy used with individuals with chronic trauma, personality disorders and other serious issues such as para-self-harming behaviours (such as cutting, suicide thoughts, urges to suicide) and suicide attempts.
DBT combines cognitive and behavioural therapy, incorporating methodologies from various practices including Eastern mindfulness techniques.
Interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance/reality acceptance skills, emotion regulation, and mindfulness skills are the therapeutic tools used.
DBT targets behaviours by targeting the following in order:decreasing high-risk suicidal behaviours ,decreasing responses or behaviours that interfere with therapy, decreasing behaviours that interfere with/reduce quality of life , decreasing and dealing with post-traumatic stress responses, enhancing respect for self acquisition of the behavioural skills taught in group and finally deciding on additional goals set by patient.
Many clients requiring DBT may meet criteria for a disorder called borderline personality (BPD) and/or other problems such as depression, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, eating disorders, or alcohol and drug problems.
DBT is an "empirically-supported treatment." That means it has been researched in clinical trials to determine its effectiveness on treating these types of disorders.