Biography marsha linehan new york times

And I just could not get over the fact that a woman as highly esteemed in the world of academia and psychology as she is would have the courage not only to disclose her own personal struggle with insanity, but also to embrace her faith in a public way. The latter is, I think, is even more risky in our faith-phobic culture than a mental-health disclosure.

I experienced a relief I have yet to fully understand. For a few seconds in time, I could leave behind all of my self-loathing and shame. Unfortunately the feeling did not stay. But the peace of that moment still direct me today. God loves me simply because God created me. Now stop clicking. Beyond Blue. I attempt to transcribe the video below click here to see the video : I was sitting in the room right outside the chapel, which I will never forget.

Linehan developed dialectical behavior therapy DBT — a variation of traditional cognitive behavioral therapy CBT with elements of acceptance and mindfulness, as a result of her own mental illness. One night I was kneeling in there, looking up at the cross, and the whole place became gold — and suddenly I felt something coming toward me It was this shimmering experience, and I just ran back to my room and said, 'I love myself.

Biography marsha linehan new york times

I felt transformed. Through her work, Linehan realized the importance of two concepts in mental health. One of these was that to achieve meaningful and happy lives, people must learn to accept things as they are. The other was that change is necessary for growth and happiness. These two concepts are the foundation of her therapy, DBT. DBT is used for treatment of borderline personality disorder BPD , which is characterized by suicidal behavior.

Along with treatment of BPD, it has also been used to treat other disorders such as eating and substance abuse disorders. DBT uses a multitude of techniques such as behavioral therapy, strategies that improve coping and regulation of emotion, and mindfulness skills. The significance of DBT is apparent as it is the only treatment shown to be effective in reducing suicidal behavior.

More personally, it is significant to Linehan because of her own early struggles with mental health. She published a memoir about her life and the creation of dialectical behavior therapy Building a Life Worth Living: A Memoir in Linehan is unmarried and lives with her adult adopted Peruvian daughter Geraldine "Geri" and her son-in-law Nate in Seattle , Washington.

Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. Download as PDF Printable version. In other projects. Wikidata item. American psychologist. Tulsa, Oklahoma , United States. Early life and education [ edit ]. Career [ edit ]. Dialectical behavior therapy [ edit ]. At age sixty-eight, Linehan made a decision to share details of her early life, an extremely troubled time that included over a year of inpatient psychiatric hospitalization at The Institute for Living in Hartford, Connecticut.

In fact, she was placed there fifty years ago and treated with methods that included medication, electro-convulsive shock therapy, and psychoanalysis, and it is from here that she told her inspiring story. Linehan, I could not help but feel a personal connection. She graduated from the clinical-psychology program at Loyola University before me.

It seems that God has had a role in her personal and professional development, a rare thing for an accomplished therapist to acknowledge. The details of Dr.