Mindfulness in Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Abstract

In this paper, the position that mindfulness has in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and its effects are discussed in relation to the historical background of the birth of DBT, the main theory, and treatment strategies, on which the personal history of M. M. Linehan, the founder of DBT, has a bearing. Mindfulness, called “core mindfulness skills” in DBT, is the core of all DBT skills. In the second edition of the skills manual published in 2015, new explanations and instructions on core mindfulness skills were added. Explanations from a spiritual perspective were also enhanced. This change suggests that mindfulness in DBT is in the process of dialectical evolution. Finally, the future prospects of mindfulness in DBT are discussed in terms of the expansion of its application, including in trauma care.