What Is Dialectical Behavior Therapy and How Is It Different from CBT?

DBT is developed for people who engage in harmful or dangerous behavior directed at themselves or others. The goal of DBT is to help the client come to terms with his or her painful emotions and understand that they will pass. DBT’s main principle is change through acceptance. The contradictory nature of this principle is reflected in DBT’s adoption of the term dialectical as part of its name.