Exercises in Dialectical Behavior Therapy to Improve Interpersonal Effectiveness

The ability to be assertive in a relationship while also keeping said relationship healthy and positive. The chance to create new worthwhile relationships and ending destructive ones. 

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One goal of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is to enhance the capabilities of the patient receiving treatment. This is achieved through the teaching of skills within each of the 4 modules or groups outlined below.
- Mindfulness 
- Emotional regulation
- Distress Tolerance
- Interpersonal effectiveness

Skills Modules in Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Schimelpfening, N. (2021, July 9). What is dialectical behavior therapy (dbt)? Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/dialectical-behavior-therapy-1067402. 

What Is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)?

Linehan, M. M. (2015). DBT Skills Training Manual (2nd ed.). The Guilford Press. https://survivingcptsd.files.wordpress.com/2018/01/dbt_skills_training_handouts_and_worksheets_-_linehan_marsha_srg_.pdf
- The manual has 3 modules: distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Each module has handouts, which are essentially the lesson plans with descriptions and teachings of the skill. 

DBT Skills Training Manual

The ability to tolerate and get through crises without making them worse. This module consists of 2 parts: crisis survival skills and reality acceptance skills 


Distress Tolerance

Interpersonal Effectiveness

Mindfulness in DBT is comprised of essential core skills. The skills are grouped into categories that teaches a person what to do to be mindful and how to do it in an effective way. The core categories include: 

-Wise Mind (“emotion mind” and “reasonable mind") 

-How Skills (observe, describe, and participate)

-What Skills ( non-judgmentally, one-mindfully, and effectively)


Core Mindfulness skills in Dialectical behavioral Therapy

The ability to reduce emotional pain and increase emotional resilience. A person can't get rid of emotions but it is possible to manage them. Emotional regulation is divided into two parts: changing emotional responses and reducing vulnerability to emotion mind.


Emotion Regulation Within Dialectical Behavior Therapy

The collection of conscious or unconscious influences that an individual exerts on the generation, timing, experience, or expression of his/her emotion(s). 

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