Dr Marsha Linehan is the developer of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), an evidence-based psychotherapy that combines behavioral science with mindfulness and acceptance. DBT is internationally recognized as the most effective treatment for chronic suicidal behaviors and borderline personality disorders.

Dr Linehan recently retired as Professor of Psychology and Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Washington. She was also the Director of the Behavioral Research and Therapy Clinics, did ongoing clinical practice, and was actively involved in the supervision and training of mental health professionals worldwide.

Dedicated to continuing compassionate and successful treatments for complex and severe mental health disorders, Dr Linehan developed The Linehan Institute, focused on the education and research of DBT, providing training and consultation, and developing online and mobile technologies to improve evidence-based psychological treatments.

Extensively published in scientific journals, Dr Linehan is also the author of numerous books and manuals on DBT, including the updated DBT Skills Training Manual, 2nd Edition (2014). Her memoir Building a Life Worth Living was published in 2020.

The effective and groundbreaking nature of DBT is celebrated in TIME Magazine's 100 New Discoveries, and Dr Marsha Linehan’s prolific career has also been honored with countless awards. These include the Lifetime Achievement award from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies in 2016 and the creation of the Marsha Linehan Award for Outstanding Research in the Treatment of Suicidal Behavior established by the American Association of Suicidology.