DBT Overview

Flashcards of the different aspects of DBT and the overall goals

What are the goals of DBT?

• Balancing the dialectic of acceptance and change

• Learn skills for changing unwanted behaviors, emotions, thinking, and events that cause misery and distress

• Learn skills for increasing effectiveness both interpersonally and emotionally

What are the four modules of DBT

Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness (& Middle Path), Emotional Regulation, and Distress Tolerance

What are the goals of mindfulness?

Consciously focusing the mind in the present moment without judgment and without attachment to

the moment; to be aware in and of the present moment

What are the three states of mind in mindfulness?

reasonable, wise, emotional

What is reasonable mind?

when a person is approaching knowledge intellectually, is thinking rationally and logically, attends only to empirical facts, ignores emotion, empathy, hate, or love, in favor of being practical

What is wise mind?

The synthesis of emotion mind and reasonable mind. Adds intuitive knowing to emotional experience and logical analysis.

What is emotion mind?

when thinking and behavior are controlled primarily by current emotional states; cognitions are hot, facts are amplified or distorted to be congruent with current affect

What are the three main “What” skills of mindfulness?

Observe, describe, participate

What is the observe skill in mindfulness?

attending to events, emotions, and other behavioral responses

What is the describe skill in mindfulness?

describing events and personal responses in words

What is the participate skill in mindfulness?

ability to participate without self-consciousness

What are the three main “How” skills in mindfulness?

Nonjudgementally, one-mindfully, effectively

What is the “nonjudgementally” skill in mindfulness?

taking a nonevaluative approach, not judging something as good or bad

What is the “one-mindfully” skill in mindfulness?

to focus the mind and awareness in the current moment, rather than splitting attention

What is the “effectively” skill in mindfulness?

reducing participants’ tendency to be more concerned with being “right”

What are the main goals of interpersonal effectiveness?

developing and maintaining relationships, obtaining objectives while maintaining relationships and self-respect; walking the middle path: balancing acceptance and change in relationships; how to find freinds and get them to like you; how to end destructive relationships; mindfulness of others

What are the three aspects of “walking the middle path” of interpersonal effectiveness?

dialectics, validation, and strategies for changing behavior

what does “dialectics” of walking the middle path of IPE mean?

reality is comprised of internal opposing forces; the nature of reality is change by both the individual and the environment

what does “validation” of walking the middle path of IPE mean?

communicating clearly to others that you are paying attention, understand, and are nonjudgemental/empathetic

what are “strategies for changing behavior” of IPE?

principles of behavior change (+/- reinforcement, + / - punishment)

What is the goal of DEARMAN?

attaining your objective or specific goal in a situation

What does the DEARMAN acronym stand for?

Describe the situation
Express clearly your emotions

Assert wishes

Reinforce the other person

(stay) Mindful

Appear confident

Negotiate

What is the goal of GIVE in IPE?

improving or maintaining a good relationship

What does the GIVE acronym stand for?

(Be) Gentle in your approach

(Act) Interested in the other person

Validate the other person’s feelings/thoughts/etc.

(Use an) Easy manner like being lighthearted and humorous

What is the goal of FAST in IPE?

acting in a manner that maintains or increases self-respect

What does the FAST acronym stand for?

(be) Fair to yourself and the other person

(no) Apologies if not warranted

Stick to values and maintain integrity

(be) Truthful and don’t lie or exaggerate

What are the goals of emotional regulation in DBT?

to understand and name emotion, to understand the functions of emotions, to identify obstacles to changing emotions, to change unwanted emotions, to reduce vulnerability to emotion mind

What is O&D within Emotion Regulation

Observing one’s own response; Describing accurately the context in which the emotion occurs

What are the 6 aspects of Describe in O&D?

1) event prompting the emotion; 2) interpretations of event that prompted emotion; 3) history that increases sensitivity and vulnerability; 4) physiological response; 5) behaviors expressed; 6) aftereffects of emotion

What are the three steps to change an unwanted emotion in ER?

check the facts, problem solve, opposite action

What does it mean to “check the facts” in changing unwanted emotions in ER?

changing appraisals and assumptions to fit the facts

what does it mean to “problem solve” in changing unwanted emotions in ER?

changing the situation or controlling event that set off emotions

What does “opposite action” mean in changing unwanted emotions in ER?

acting in a way that opposes or is inconsistent with the emotion

What are the three ways to reduce vulnerability to emotion mind in ER?

Accumulating positives, building mastery, cope ahead

What does “accumulating positives” mean in reducing vulnerability to emotion mind in ER?

increasing the number of pleasurable events in one’s life

What does “building mastery” mean in reducing vulnerability to emotion mind in ER?

engaging in behaviors that build self-efficacy, control, & competence

What does “cope ahead” mean in reducing vulnerability to emotion mind in ER?

coping ahead of time with difficult situations via imaginal rehearsal

What is the acronym used for managing extreme emotions?

MOCE

What does MOCE stand for / do ?

Mindfulness Of Current Emotion without judgement or distraction

What are the goals of distress tolerance?

to survive a crisis making it worse; to tolerate and accept distress

What are the six main crisis survival skills of distress tolerance?

STOP, Pros and Cons, TIPP, ACCEPT, Self-soothe, and IMPROVE

What is the STOP crisis survival skill of DT?

Helps individuals refrain from impulsive action
Stop, Take a step back; Observe; Proceed mindfully

What is the Pros and Cons crisis survival skill of DT?

decision-making strategy to think through the positive and negative consequences of acting on impulsive urges in crisis situations vs not acting on them

What is the TIPP crisis survival skill of DT?

change in the body chemistry quickly to counteract intense emotional arousal
Temperature, Intense exercise, Paced breathing, Paired muscle relaxation

What is the ACCEPTS crisis survival skill of DT?

Wise Mind ACCEPTS: distracting methods to reduce contact with emotional stimuli

Activities, Contributions, Comparisons, Emotions, Pushing away, Thoughts, Sensations

What is the Self-Soothe crisis survival skill of DT?

focus on the 5 senses that are comforting, nurturing, and soothing

What is the IMPROVE crisis survival skill of DT?

Improves the quality of the moment
Imagery, Meaning, Prayer, Relaxing actions, One thing in the moment, Vacation, Encouragement

What are the six main Reality Acceptance skills of distress tolerance?

Radical Acceptance, Turning the Mind, Willingness, Half-Smile, Willing Hands; MOCT

What is the Radical Acceptance skill of reality acceptance of DT?

complete and total acceptance, from deep within, from deep within, of the facts of reality and letting go of a fight with reality. Acceptance does NOT necessarily equal approval!

What is the “Turning the Mind” skill of reality acceptance of DT?

Choosing to accept reality as it is, to be practiced over and over again

What is the “Willingness” skill of reality acceptance of DT?

implies a surrendering of one’s self-separateness and entering into an immersion of the deepest processes of life itself

What is the “Half-smile” skill of reality acceptance of DT?

elicit emotions controlled by facial expressions

What is the “willing hands” skill of reality acceptance of DT?

opposite of clenched hands; sit with palms facing upwards on knees

What is “MOCT” skill of reality acceptance of DT?

Mindfulness of current thoughts; observing thoughts as thoughts, rather than as facts about the world