Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) was developed by Marsha Linehan, Ph.D. and her team of experimental psychologists at the University of Washington in the 1980s and early 1990s. Numerous research studies have demonstrated the utility of DBT in treating patients who are chronically suicidal, personality disordered, suffering from addictions, and other intractable problems associated with impulse and emotional dyscontrol. It was designed for administration in groups with two therapists and intensive several times per week treatment groups over the course of 24 weeks. DBT requires the implementation of homework assignments, a teaching style which is highly directive and structured. DBT has been developed in both adult and adolescent formats. The basic assumption is that the three types of mind, (i.e. emotional mind, reasonable mind and wise mind) are paradoxically understood and practiced behaviorally in order to move the patient/client toward a more functional and stable form of a) mindfulness; b) interpersonal relationships; c) emotion regulation; d) distress tolerance. Thus, understanding and changing dysfunctional behaviors leads the patient/client to greater freedom and self-management skills.