DBT Skills

Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills for building a life worth living.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a comprehensive evidence-based treatment developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan. Originally created for people with borderline personality disorder, DBT has since been shown to help anyone who struggles with intense emotions, impulsive behaviors, or difficult relationships. At its core, DBT teaches that you can accept yourself exactly as you are and work to change behaviors that are causing harm — this balance between acceptance and change is the "dialectic."

DBT skills are organized into four modules. Each module targets a different area of life and builds on the others. You don't have to master one before moving to the next — most people cycle through all four repeatedly, gaining deeper understanding each time.

The Four Modules

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the foundation of all DBT skills. It teaches you to observe your thoughts, feelings, and sensations without judgment — to notice what is happening right now rather than being swept away by automatic reactions. The core skills are Wise Mind, the What Skills (observe, describe, participate), and the How Skills (non-judgmentally, one-mindfully, effectively).

Distress Tolerance

Distress Tolerance skills are for crisis moments — times when you're flooded with emotion and need to survive without making things worse. These skills don't solve problems; they help you get through the immediate storm so you can engage more skillfully later. Key skills include TIPP, ACCEPTS, IMPROVE, and Radical Acceptance.

Emotion Regulation

Emotion Regulation teaches you to understand and work with your emotions rather than being controlled by them. Skills in this module help you identify and name emotions, reduce vulnerability to emotional overwhelm, increase positive experiences, and change unwanted emotional states. The module includes tools like PLEASE, Opposite Action, and Check the Facts.

Interpersonal Effectiveness

Interpersonal Effectiveness helps you navigate relationships with more skill — asking for what you need, saying no, maintaining self-respect, and keeping relationships healthy even when emotions run high. The core acronyms are DEAR MAN (getting what you want), GIVE (maintaining the relationship), and FAST (keeping your self-respect).

Use the sidebar to explore each module. Every skill page includes a description of the skill, why it works, and concrete steps to practice it.