RIP Marsha Linehan

[DynamicDidactic]

News just went out.

Dearest friends,

With a heavy heart, we want to share the very sad news of Marsha’s passing on November 10th, surrounded by the unwavering love of her daughter, Geri. Marsha was hospitalized at the UW Medical Center for pneumonia on October 31st and eventually transitioned to Comfort Care (like hospice) about a week ago. She died peacefully, hearing her favorite Gregorian chant music playing in the background. A few of us had the good fortune of visiting with Marsha at her bedside before her passing. In her honor, we danced.

We know people may be eager to support Geri and the family. We ask that you respect her and their privacy for now. Messages to Geri (and wishes for Marsha) can be sent to Marsha’s personal email: [email protected]. More will be forthcoming about ways to honor and observe her death, so we can celebrate the incredible, remarkable, inconceivable, and brilliant life of our dear Marsha.

We also know this is difficult news for many in our community. Marsha was our mentor, our model for clinical excellence and courage, our second mom or Auntie/grandmother, a brilliant beacon of hope for many. We know Marsha’s passing will have a big impact on many clients (present and former) who are alive today and have hope because of Marsha. They may need extra support during this time. Supporting them through their grief of Marsha’s passing is one of the greatest gifts we can give to Marsha - as a community of DBT providers taking care of one another so that we can support our community of DBT clients. She will remain a beacon of hope for what is possible, that it is possible to get out out hell and build (step by step, skill by skill) a life worth living filled with riches of family and friends and deep meaning.

Sending love and light,
Linda Dimeff, Jennifer Sayrs, Shireen Rizvi, and Lizz Dexter-Mazza

 

[smalltownpsych]

Rest in peace Marsha. She has helped me to help so many of my patients. I actually talk about her on almost a daily basis in my clinical practice. I will always remember spending a couple of weeks in workshops with her in Cape Cod about ten years ago and am so grateful that I had that opportunity. I got into the field before she was really well known and I have watched how her work has affected the field in so many postive ways. Also, don’t ever forget that she was a behavioral psychologist at her core and I loved that about her. Too often we forget about the power of basic learning principles. Her work will definitely live on.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

She was a brilliant researcher and someone whose work left a large mark on the field. I had one interaction w her that I shared years ago.

I presented at a conference yrs ago and ML was presenting right after me (which I didn't know). I had a pretty good turnout, but towards the end I had a lot more ppl showing up. I figured a talk let out early and ppl stopped by to see my talk. Nope...they just wanted a good seat for ML's talk.

I joked with her that I really knew how to draw a crowd...the trick was to present before her. I stayed for her talk and she was excellent.

 

[ForensicPsychFightClub]

With this and Edna Foa earlier this year, we’ve lost two titans of the field. Tonight, before bed, I am being mindful like she would have wanted, and I find myself thinking of just how many lives her work has saved, and how many people are around not just because of her, but her students, and the people they inspired as well. I have to hope the reverberations of her work gave her peace on the lead up to her passing. RIP.

 

[thewesternsky]

RIP Marsha. Learning to practice DBT Skills myself while leading Skills group was transformative for me as a human and I'm a better therapist (and parent!) for it.

 

[psy.d. 2021]

RIP to a real one. She helped countless people.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I only met Dr. Linehan twice, but I always appreciated how she carried herself. Her accomplishments were many, but she really cared the most about doing quality work. While she used some personal experiences to inform her hypotheses early on, she relied upon the research and rigors of her work to stand on their own. It was quite the contrast meeting her after I had met and spent some time with Phil McGraw ("Dr. Phil"). The former had a quiet confidence while Dr. Phil was as arrogant as the day was long.

 

[futureapppsy2]

I only met Dr. Linehan twice, but I always appreciated how she carried herself. Her accomplishments were many, but she really cared the most about doing quality work. While she used some personal experiences to inform her hypotheses early on, she relied upon the research and rigors of her work to stand on their own. It was quite the contrast meeting her after I had met and spent some time with Phil McGraw ("Dr. Phil"). The former had a quiet confidence while Dr. Phil was as arrogant as the day was long.

She was a wonderful example of how lived experience and rigorous research can complement each other in very important ways.

 

[cara susanna]

She had such a huge impact on our field and will never be forgotten.

Thomas Lynch died a few days before her, too--rough week for the DBT community.