Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) is a psychotherapeutic approach designed particularly to treat the problems of chronically suicidal individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD). The therapy articulates a series of principles that effectively guide clinicians in responding to suicidal & other behaviours that challenge them when treating this population. Dialectical Behaviour Therapy highlights 30 distinctive features of the treatment & uses extensive clinical examples to demonstrate how the theory translates into practice. In part I: The Distinctive Theoretical Features of DBT the authors introduce us to the three foundations on which the treatment rests
- behaviourism Zen & dialectics
- & how these integrate. In part II: The Distinctive Practical Features of DBT Swales & Heard describe both how the therapy applies these principles to the treatment of clients with borderline personality disorder & elucidate the distinctive conceptual twists in the application of cognitive & behavioural procedures within the treatment. This book provides a clear & structured overview of a complex treatment. It is written for both practicing clinicians & students wishing to learn more about DBT & how it differs from the other cognitive behaviour therapies.