DBT was developed to improve CBT  adding Mindfulness Meditation component to  the already effective Cognitive Behavioral therapy.  It started in the 1980s with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and suicidal ideation today is used by doctors and therapists to people with  depression, drug and alcohol problems, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injuries (TBI), binge-eating disorder, and mood disorders. 

DBT has five main sections:: Mindfulness, Acceptance and Change, Tolerating Distress and Emotional Regulation and Interpersonal skills.

Mindfulness is one of the foundational ideas supporting the other elements of DBT.  It helps people trust and tolerate the strong feelings they may feel when challenging their habits or negative thinking.

Learning how to understand and name emotions: the patient focuses on recognizing their feelings. This segment relates directly to mindfulness, which also exposes a patient to their emotions.

Standard quality programs  for DBT should have individual therapy, group skills training, and phone coaching, if needed for crises between session