What it is:

The term Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) has come to mean different things to different people. If you have considered or been referred "for DBT," it can be a bit unclear what this means. Here, we'll explain the difference between Comprehensive DBT and DBT-informed treatment.

Comprehensive DBT (also referred to as "full-model" DBT) is a treatment program developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan at the University of Washington. DBT was initially designed to treat individuals with severe emotion dysregulation who engaged in impulsive behaviors (e.g., suicide attempts, self-harm). Comprehensive DBT includes four treatment modes: individual therapy, group therapy, as-needed phone coaching, and a consultation team (for therapists). Therapists who provide comprehensive DBT have completed a very high level of training, and some therapists have been certified by the DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, which means that external reviewers have determined that the therapist has attained a minimum level of expertise in the treatment. To learn more about the Comprehensive DBT program at TAP, click here.

DBT-informed treatment is a loose, unregulated term that is often used to describe any therapy that includes some element of DBT, usually one or more DBT skills. As you can imagine, this definition can capture almost any therapy and almost any therapist that has ever been introduced to DBT. This can lead to a lot of confusion and potentially result in a client not getting the correct treatment. If you want to learn more about how we think about DBT-informed treatment at TAP, click here.