What is Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)?

Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) is a type of talking therapy. It's based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), but it's specially adapted for people who feel emotions very intensely. The aim of DBT is to help you:

Understand and accept your difficult feelings

Learn skills to manage them

Become able to make positive changes in your life

‘Dialectical’ means trying to understand how two things that seem opposite could both be true. For example, accepting yourself and changing your behaviour might feel contradictory. But DBT teaches that it's possible for you to achieve both these goals together.