DBT Skills Classes

Mindfulness is the foundation of DBT and is taught at the start of every module, so you'll return to it several times throughout the program. You'll practice the "what" skills (observe, describe, participate) and the "how" skills (non-judgmentally, one-mindfully, effectively), and learn to access "Wise Mind" — the balance point between emotion and reason. The goal isn't to empty your mind or sit in silence for hours; it's to build a practical habit of noticing what's happening inside you so you can respond instead of react.

Example skill: Wise Mind — a deliberate pause to check whether a decision is coming from emotion mind, reasonable mind, or the wiser middle ground.

Distress Tolerance is about surviving the worst moments without making them worse. You'll learn crisis survival skills like TIPP (temperature, intense exercise, paced breathing, paired muscle relaxation) that work fast on the body when emotions are sky-high. You'll also learn reality acceptance skills — including radical acceptance, turning the mind, and willingness — for the pain you can't immediately change. This module is especially useful if you've ever self-harmed, lashed out, or used substances to escape overwhelming feelings.

Example skill: TIPP — cold water on the face drops your heart rate within seconds and can pull you out of an emotional spike.

Emotion Regulation teaches you how emotions actually work — what triggers them, what they're trying to tell you, and how to change them when they don't fit the facts. You'll learn to name emotions precisely, check whether your emotional reaction matches the situation, and use "opposite action" to shift an emotion that isn't serving you. You'll also work on long-term vulnerability: sleep, eating, movement, substance use, and accumulating positive experiences so your baseline is steadier to begin with.

Example skill: Opposite Action — when fear tells you to hide from something safe, approach it gently; when anger pushes you to attack, step back kindly.

Interpersonal Effectiveness is the module people often feel the most immediate results from. You'll learn three sets of skills, each with a memorable acronym: DEAR MAN for asking for something or saying no, GIVE for maintaining the relationship while you do it, and FAST for keeping your self-respect. You'll also think carefully about which goal matters most in any given conversation — the outcome, the relationship, or your sense of self — and how to weigh them against each other.

Example skill: DEAR MAN — Describe, Express, Assert, Reinforce, stay Mindful, Appear confident, Negotiate.