DBT Skills

DBT Skills: Tools for Emotional Balance

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) offers practical skills to help manage emotions, navigate relationships, and build resilience in everyday life. These evidence-based tools are designed to support emotional regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and effective communication.

This resource page includes worksheets, exercises, and guidance on DBT skills to help you develop healthier coping strategies and a greater sense of balance. Whether you're new to DBT or looking to strengthen your practice, these resources can support you in building emotional awareness and responding to challenges with confidence.

DBT Skills

DBT Skills Section

General

Definitions & List of Skills

Diary Card Wk 1

Diary Card/Skills

Website with More DBT Tools

Burning Bridges

Mindfulness Skills

Mindfulness & Meditation

Pathways to Wise Mind

Observe, Describe, Participate

Mind States

Emotion Mind

Wise Mind

Reason Mind

Distress Tolerance Skills

Distress Tolerance Skills help to distract you and help you through stressfull / emotional situations.

ACCEPTS

A - Activities C - Contributions C - Comparisons E - Emotions P - Pushing Away T - Thoughts S - Sensations

IMPROVE the Moment

I - be Fair M - no Apologies P - stick to Values R - be Truthful O - be Truthful V - be Truthful E - be Truthful

Self Soothe

Pros & Cons

Accepting Reality

Tip The Temperature

Tip the temperature of your face with ice water (to calm down fast). Hold your breath and put your face in a bowl of ice water. OR hold an ice pack on your eyes and cheeks. Hold it for 10 to 30 seconds.

Intense Exercise

To help calm your nervous system down when it is revved up. Engaging in intense exercise for a short while uses up your body's stored energy. Try running, walking, basketball, lifting weights, jumping, skip rope, etc.

Willingness

Paced Breathing

Pace your breathing by slowing it down. Breathe deeply into your belly. Breathe in for 5 counts breathe out for 7.

Emotional Regulation Skills

Emotional Regulation Skills include naming and understanding your emotions, decrease frequency of unpleasant emotions, decrease vulnerability to emotions and decrease emotional suffering.

Build Mastery

Model of Emotions

Opposite to Emotion

Information

Worksheet

Emotional Regulation for Feelings

Basic Emotions and their Opposites

Emotions on a Continuum

PLEASED Skill

PL - Treat PhysicaL Illness E - Balance Elating A - Avoid mood altering substances S - Sleep E - Exercise

Interpersonal Skills

The goals of Interpersonal Skills is to have people understand and meeting your needs by strengthening and building relationships.

FAST Skills

F - be Fair A - no Apologies S - stick to Values T - be Truthful

GIVE Skills

G - be Gentle I - act Interested V - Validate E - use an Easy manner

ASSERT Skills

A - Ask/set boundaries S - Say what is needed E - Eye contact R - Respectful T - Timing

DEAR MAN Skills

D - Describe situation E - Express feelings A - Assert by asking R - Reinforce / explain positive effects of getting needs met

M - Mindful / focus on goals A - Appear confident N - Negotiate

A - Activities
C - Contributions
C - Comparisons
E - Emotions
P - Pushing Away
T - Thoughts
S - Sensations

I - be Fair
M - no Apologies
P - stick to Values
R - be Truthful
O - be Truthful
V - be Truthful
E - be Truthful

PL - Treat PhysicaL Illness
E - Balance Elating
A - Avoid mood altering substances
S - Sleep
E - Exercise

F - be Fair
A - no Apologies
S - stick to Values
T - be Truthful

G - be Gentle
I - act Interested
V - Validate
E - use an Easy manner

A - Ask/set boundaries
S - Say what is needed
E - Eye contact
R - Respectful
T - Timing

D - Describe situation
E - Express feelings
A - Assert by asking
R - Reinforce / explain positive effects of getting needs met

M - Mindful / focus on goals
A - Appear confident
N - Negotiate