Marsha M. Linehan

Marsha M. Linehan

Birth date	Birth date -1st March 1966
Birth place	Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.
Known for	Dialectical behavior therapy

Marsha M. Linehan (born May 5, 1943) is an American psychologist renowned for her development of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), a type of psychotherapy that combines behavioral science with Buddhist concepts of acceptance and mindfulness. Linehan's work primarily focuses on treating people with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and suicidal behaviors, which has had a significant impact on mental health practices.

Early Life and Education

Marsha Linehan was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Loyola University Chicago and later received her M.A. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Rutgers University. Her own struggles with severe mental health issues during her youth, which included hospitalizations and treatments for suicidal behavior, profoundly influenced her future work and therapeutic approaches.

Career

In the 1970s, Linehan joined the faculty at the University of Washington, where she currently serves as a Professor of Psychology and adjunct Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. It was here that she developed DBT after finding existing therapies ineffective for clients with borderline personality disorder and chronic suicidal tendencies.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy

DBT is a comprehensive cognitive-behavioral treatment that was developed as a means to better treat chronically suicidal individuals diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. DBT combines standard cognitive-behavioral techniques for emotion regulation and reality-testing with concepts of distress tolerance, acceptance, and mindful awareness largely derived from Buddhist meditative practice.

Impact and Recognition

Linehan's development of DBT has been a major breakthrough in the field of psychology, particularly in the treatment of BPD. Her work has not only provided a lifeline to those afflicted with severe mental disorders but has also influenced countless other areas within psychiatric treatment and inspired other therapeutic models.

Selected Publications

Marsha Linehan has authored numerous articles and books on DBT and its applications. Some of her notable publications include:

• Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder (1993)
• Skills Training Manual for Treating Borderline Personality Disorder (1993)

Awards and Honors

Over her career, Linehan has received several prestigious awards for her contributions to psychology and psychotherapy.

See Also

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Mindfulness (psychology)
• Psychotherapy

References

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