Doing Being Thinking: Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills for Making a Life Worth Living

The TIP skills are a set of skills for rapidly bringing down emotional distress. In this episode, we will discuss how bringing down body temperature through a series of scientifically-verified techniques can help lower stress and tension, making room for clearer thinking and problem solving during difficult moments

Have you ever wanted to act in such a way that you get a quick reward but realize that later you would regret your behavior? Pros and Cons is a skill that helps us to evaluate between acting on our urges or resisting them. In this episode, two therapists will discuss this skill, and how to use it in daily life.

Learn how to use the DBT STOP Skill to pause, ground yourself, and make effective choices instead of reacting on impulse. In this video, we’ll walk through each step of STOP—Stop, Take a step back, Observe, and Proceed mindfully—so you can respond with clarity and control in stressful moments. Perfect for anyone practicing Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) or wanting simple tools for managing emo...

Learn how to apply Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills to Being Effective in everyday life. In this video, we’ll break down practical strategies you can use to stay focused on your goals, balance emotions, and make choices that work in the moment. Whether you’re new to DBT or looking to strengthen your skills, this video will give you clear tools to help you move forward with purpose. ✨ Don...

Mindfulness is a core skill in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and is often the first skill taught. It involves being present and paying attention to what is happening in the moment without judgment. Mindfulness can help people avoid being on autopilot and can include noticing thoughts, feelings, sensations, impulses, sights, sounds, smells, and feelings.

In DBT mindfulness, "participating" means fully engaging in the present moment and activities with awareness, without self-consciousness or judgment. It involves immersing oneself in the experience and acting with full attention.

In DBT mindfulness, a "non-judgmental stance" means observing thoughts and experiences without labeling them as good or bad. It involves accepting things as they are without criticism or evaluation.

In DBT, "observing" refers to noticing and paying attention to experiences without judgment, while "describing" involves putting words to those observations accurately and non-judgmentally. Both skills are essential for mindfulness and help individuals become more aware of their thoughts, feelings, and surroundings.

"One-mindfully" in DBT mindfulness means focusing on one thing at a time with full attention. It involves being fully present in the moment and avoiding distractions.

In Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), "wise mind" refers to a balanced state of mind that integrates both emotional and rational thinking. It represents a deep inner wisdom that combines intuitive understanding with logical reasoning. Wise mind is achieved by harmonizing the "emotion mind" (driven by feelings and impulses) and the "reasonable mind" (focused on facts and logic). This state of mind...

Completing a chain analysis about your behaviors will help you identify patterns in thoughts and feelings that lead to unwanted behaviors. AND it helps you slow down things enough to identify interventions that can bring or sustain the change you desire.

Completing diarys cards is an effective method for setting yourself up for success by tracking behaviors and emotions.

Learn your four choices for solving any problem and how to troubeshoot obstacles to those solutions.

In this episode, learn about setting goals DBT style: it's a little different than you might think.