DBT & Coping Skills for Every Situation

Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills and other coping skills can help folks with a variety of mental health struggles. Sometimes the hardest part of coping is figuring out what skill to use when. Based on an online course I created years ago, I've created a list of different skills for different situations.

They're not explained, so it may take some effort on your part to research the skill if you're not familiar (check DBTSelfHelp.com for the DBT skills!) but hopefully it gives you a place to start.

Skills for feeling too 'up' (anxiety, panic attacks, mania, etc.)

1. Wise Mind

2. Body Scan

3. Journaling - write it all down

4. Square Breathing

5. 54321 - 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, 1 thing you can taste.

6. Self soothe & create self soothe box
   

7. Talk to your anxiety not yourself, name it!

8. Change the Scenery/the V in IMPROVE (Vacation)

9. Create a Plan/Problem Solving

Skills for feeling down (depression, suicidal thoughts, low mood, etc.)

1. Set a small goal & try to complete it

2. Take a shower or practice other basic self-care

3. Self-validation/compassion

4. Schedule yourself time to feel down

5. Scale it 1-10

6. Belly Breathing

7. Fake it until you make it

8. Positive (& realistic) self talk

9. What did I do last time I felt like this to feel better

10. Create a plan/problem solving

Skills for not feeling (dissociation, PTSD, C-PTSD, trauma, etc.)

1. Grounding Tree mindfulness exercise

2. Body Armor mindfulness exercise

3. Soothe your 5 senses to get back to reality

4. Notice where you go when you dissociate

5. Rewind and 'fix' the tape skill

6. Take a break and focus on yourself (if you can)

7. Self Care Kit (to go, in car, in purse, at home, work, etc)

8. List strengths you have since or due to the trauma/abuse/issue

9. Forgive or accept (even if they haven't apologized, accept you might never get it!)

Skills for feeling too much (trauma, PTSD, C-PTSD, anxiety, anger, BPD, abandonment, etc.)

1. Visualize a safe space

2. Get out of the situation

3. HALT skill

4. Write a letter to yourself for next time

5. Stop, think, do CBT skill

6. Watch kids TV, read kids books

7. Progressive Muscle Relaxation

8. Do math, taxes, alphabetize, get out of your head/move towards rational mind

9. Adjust your expectations (consider that it might be weird if you didn't feel like that)

10. Keep it simple (eat what you can grab, sleep when you can, survival mode)

Skills for everyone (no specific diagnosis needed!)

1. Journal

2. Self-Care

3. Time Management

4. Sleep Hygiene

5. Reaching out

6. Getting professional help

7. Practice gratitude

8. Create your own mindfulness/tape yourself

9. Make happy memories to store for later (Accumulate Positives)

10. Basics of DBT Interpersonal Effectiveness

Skills for Helping others

1. Radical Acceptance

2. Can't help those who aren't ready (don't make an intervention)

3. Communicate - I am ready when you are

4. Leave it to the professionals

5. DBT GIVE interpersonal effectiveness skill

6. Focus on something else

7. Take care of yourself/protect yourself

8. Help out in others way (clean their home, offer help, be available)

9. Set boundaries

10. Wish them well, peace, pray, positive vibes, whatever fits for you

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