Mindfulness · DBT skill
Describe
Describe is putting words to what you observe, sticking to the facts: what you see, hear and feel, without interpretations or judgments.
The steps
- Pretend you're describing this scene to someone who can't see it.
- Use only what's true: "my hands are cold. my breath is short. my eyes are wet."
- No interpretations. No "they shouldn't have." Just the facts of the moment.
- If labels sneak in — "stupid," "unfair" — drop them. Restart.
When it helps
When you need to step out of the spin.
An example
After a tense family dinner, someone's mind says, "Everyone hates me." They describe instead: "My chest is tight. My brother didn't answer my question. I'm thinking he's angry." The situation feels smaller once it's in facts.
Where people get stuck
- Describing guesses as facts. "She's ignoring me" is a guess; "she hasn't replied" is a fact.
- Using judgment words. "Stupid" and "unfair" are judgments, not descriptions.
- Treating thoughts as facts. "The thought that I'll fail" is different from "I'll fail."
When not to use it
In a crisis, when you can't find words yet. Bring the intensity down first, for example with TIPP.
Related skills
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