DBT Workbook (A guide)

This blog gives you information about the DBT workbooks. The blog explains the DBT approach in detail.

In this blog, you will be told about a number of workbooks and manuals that are based on DBT and are helpful in dealing with emotional dysfunction and other psychological disturbances.

Before we move on to DBT workbooks, let’s have an overview of the DBT approach.

What is Dialectical Behavior Therapy? A Definition

Dialectical behavior therapy, introduced by Dr. Marsha Linehan, is a therapy based on cognitive behavioral therapy.

Dialectical behavior therapy emphasizes the psychosocial aspects of the therapy, the significance of the joint relationships, support for the client, and the development of certain skills that would help the client deal with his emotions in intense situations.

The purpose of the development of dialectical behavior therapy was to treat the individuals who are experiencing suicidal ideation but move in for help to get their other problems involving dysfunctional emotional regulation cured through therapies.

The DBT is said to be the “gold standard” for treating borderline personality disorder.

DBT has also been used for treating substance abuse and eating disorders.

DBT can be applied in the following two forms; individual weekly therapy sessions and weekly group therapy sessions.

Individual weekly therapy sessions emphasize teaching and enhancing social skills to the individuals as well as enhancing the coping skills of the individuals.

The individual sessions may also focus on identifying and resolving common issues of the individuals to refine his quality of life.

DBT individual sessions may also put emphasis on other general issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder. 

On the other hand, the weekly group therapy sessions focus on teaching certain skills to individuals that would help them regulate their emotions, maintain healthy relationships with others, learn to be mindful, and accept the unacceptable realities of life. 

These DBT skills include interpersonal effectiveness skills, distress tolerance or reality acceptance skills, emotion regulation skills, and mindfulness skills.

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4 Essential DBT Skills & Techniques to Master

The four important DBT skills and strategies that an individual needs to learn for increasing his quality of life, maintaining good relationships, resolving conflicts effectively, accepting the reality etcetera includes interpersonal effectiveness skills, distress tolerance skills, emotion regulation skills, and mindfulness skills.

Interpersonal effectiveness skills can be taught to individuals by using DEARMAN skills, GIVE skills, and FAST skills.

Distress tolerance skills can be taught with the help of ACCEPTS skills, self-soothing skills, IMPROVE skills, and accepting reality skills.

Emotion regulation skills can be learned by individuals by reducing vulnerability skills, building mastery skills.

Last but not the least, mindfulness skills can be learned by individuals by focusing on “what” skills and “how” skills. 

The different skills used for mastering the four major skills of DBT are very helpful for individuals in various fields of their lives.

DBT is a very effective approach that not helps an individual to manage his emotions and form healthy relationships with others but also helps in enhancing self-confidence, self-respect, and assertive communication. 

DBT Workbooks

The following is a list of DBT workbooks that you can use to enhance your knowledge about dialectical behavior therapy, learn various dialectical behavior therapy skills, and acknowledge how to apply DBT by your own self using the DBT guide.

All of the below-mentioned DBT workbooks are easily accessible on the Amazon Store.

Select your favorite workbook, click it, and you will be redirected to the page from where you can access this book.

• DBT Made Simple: A Step-by-Step Guide to Dialectical Behavior Therapy (The New Harbinger Made Simple Series) 1st Edition by Sheri Van Dijk MSW (Author)
• The Mindfulness Solution for Intense Emotions: Take Control of Borderline Personality Disorder with DBT Paperback – April 1, 2016, by Cedar R. Koons MSW LCSW  (Author), Marsha M. Linehan Ph.D. ABPP (Foreword)
• Calming the Emotional Storm: Using Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills to Manage Your Emotions and Balance Your Life Paperback – March 1, 2012, by Sheri Van Dijk MSW (Author)
• The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook: Practical DBT Exercises for Learning Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness, Emotion Regulation, … (A New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook) Paperback – October 1, 2019, by Matthew McKay Ph.D. (Author), Jeffrey C. Wood PsyD (Author), Jeffrey Brantley MD (Author)

What we recommend for Counselling

Professional counselling

If you are suffering from depression or any other mental disorders then ongoing professional counselling could be your ideal first point of call. Counselling will utilize theories such as Cognitive behavioural therapy which will help you live a more fulfilling life.

What are the 4 modules of DBT?

The four skill modules of DBT include interpersonal effectiveness skills, distress tolerance skills, mindfulness skills, and emotion regulation skills.

The DBT module focuses on teaching these four major skills to the individuals for improving their relationships, emotion regulation, and quality of life.

Can I do DBT on my own?

Yes, you can do DBT on your own.

The four major skills based on DBT can be learned anywhere either at home, school, office, or anywhere with the help of DBT workbooks and self-help guides.

What are the DBT skills?

DBT skills are the skills that help an individual resolve his conflicts effectively by himself, manage his emotions skillfully, deal with his mental or physical illness such as eating disorders or substance abuse respectively.

There four major DBT skills that an individual can use in a variety of areas of their lives.

These skills include emotion regulation skills, interpersonal effectiveness skills, distress tolerance skills, and mindfulness skills.

What is distress tolerance in DBT?

Distress tolerance is referred to as the ability of an individual to tolerate distressing situations.

Distress tolerance skills allow an individual to cope with and survive difficult times such as trauma, physical or emotional pain, natural disaster, and so forth.

These skills are used in times when the situation can not be altered.

What separates DBT from CBT?

DBT is different from CBT in a way that CBT emphasizes how an individual’s thoughts and feelings affect his behavior while DBT focuses on regulating emotions, learning mindfulness, and accepting reality. 

What does it mean to think dialectically?

Dialectical thinking is referred to as the ability of an individual to view a single situation in a variety of ways and to identify the most meaningful and helpful adjustment of the seemingly denying information and postures.

This blog gave a detailed note on the DBT approach and mentioned some of the most useful and effective DBT workbooks.

This DBT workbooks can be used as a source of information or a source of learning different DBT skills to be able to apply them in daily life situations.

If you have any queries or questions regarding this blog, let us know through your comments in the comments section.

We will be glad to assist you.

References

20 DBT Worksheets and Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills by Courtney E. Ackerman

Amazon.com 

Goodreads.com 

Newharberpublications 

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