This website is a service for people who are seeking information about DBT (Dialectal Behavior Therapy).

This site was written primarily by PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN THROUGH DBT, not DBT professionals. For this reason, consider the source of any given document. We cannot give advice, but we can talk about our experiences on our DBT journey. In this regard, I hope we can help one another.

If you are looking for a DBT provider in your area, you can also click here, to view resources set up before the above database.

If you are in a crisis, please dial 911. The website owner is legally unable to advise.

Site visitors,Thank you for supporting this website for the past 11 years. Because of your input, exchange of information and donations, you are making a difference in the lives of many people. - Lisa

Everyday DBT is a mix of the most requested information as well as my thoughts on ways to keep DBT alive in our day-to-day work.

Well Said! Articles about DBT, Mental Health, BPD and related materials. This section represents some of my favorite internet authors whose writing is both helpful and conversational.

DBT Video Text is an unofficial text from videos by Marsha Linehan describing DBT skills. You can purchase the videos at this link to Behavioral Tech LLC.

The BPD Tool New!A fun visual method for learning the DBT skills. The group also includes training and coaching. In this section, youll find a few examples from their website. Additionally, they have just published a fun and useful DBT Quick Reference Card that is free to download!

Diary Cards Find a variety of Diary card formats that you can download and adapt to your needs as well as an explanation about the purpose of the cards and practical ways to use them.

DBT Skills (defined) This is a brief overview of the skills. In-depth explanations will return soon.

Connecting Skills This section is a list of ALL THE DBT SKILLS with links to every document on this website where there is more information about the skill! It is very useful for navigating this website and improving your understanding of the skills.

Questions and Answers Email conversations about the many aspects of trying to use DBT skills in daily life. Some of the topics are: being effective, feeling good, invalidating environments and judgmental people.

Elf Help Abbey Press gave permission to reprint parts of the their Elf Help books. Their size and simplicity is deceiving. They have a lot to say despite their few words and pictures. A real joy to have on hand.

11/10/15 Corrections made to Donation ButtonsRecently, anyone who made a donation to the website had their money returned back to them due to a technical glitch in the system with PayPal. I apologize for the inconvenience. It has now been repaired. Your donations are VERY important to the daily functioning of this website. Believe me when I say that each cent is used to keep the website live and helping as many as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

HEADS UP TO ADVERTISERS:

I havent forgotten about you. Im working to create my first fair business tracking model for this website. It was always my wish that that the site could be supported by donations alone. I am adapting to circumstances as we all must do. I appreciate you patience.

Dealing with DepressionI woke up one day and realized because my brain injury causes me not to be able to feel time, I had a sense of oppression every morning because most people immediately get up and know where they are in time - what they did yesterday, what day it is and what they will do today relative to their long and short term goals whether they be grand or simple. Since time is one to me, my first sensation is okay and my second is a realization of the existence of time and it is immediately oppressive. . . Read More *****************************************I so appreciate the love and support and condolences sent to me by many of you over the passing of my son last year. Your thoughts and prayers have made a big difference in my life.

PLEASE DO NOT FORGET THAT THIS SITE IS IN GREAT NEED OF DONATIONS TO SUPPORT THE COSTS OF RUNNING IT. While I am working on turning to ads, it is more complex than I imagined.

Please note the new Worldwide DBT Provider Directory on the left. This is the first test of this database created in partnership with GoodTherapy.org. Please give the widget a try andplease send mean emailif you would like to make any comments or suggestions or if you have difficulties or questions. We will consider your ideas before the final directory widget is established. I am looking forward to hearing from you.

If you are a DBT provider and would like to sign up to be in the directory (please note the new code is TRIAL602015DBT),click herefor instructions. Or, in January, if you have requested to be on the update list or have made previous email contact, you will receive an email invitation and special for becoming part of what I hope will soon be an invaluable tool to the many, many potential DBT clients who would like to participate in a DBT program or work with a DBT Therapist.

I know it's so easy to think:THE DBTSELFHELP WEBSITE IS SO IMPORTANT, I'M SURE THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF OTHER PEOPLE TO DONATE.

You might be surprised thatYOU CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCEif you're willing to be responsible for making it work

PLEASE BE PART OF THE SOLUTION!!!!

Make DBTSelfHelpYOURwebsite by taking personal responsibility to keep it Alive!

I have many plans for this website in 2015,click hereto learn more.

DBT Lessons were created by myself and other DBT participants based on our experiences of practicing the DBT skills.

Instant Mindfulness Movies These very popular custom flash movies are aimed at helping people become more aware of the moment, calming the soul, changing mind states, or outlining the basics of a DBT skill, the following topics are currently available:Be Mindful of BreathBe Mindful of Feet Be Mindful of Hands River Rock Mindfulness Be a Tree (the most popular!)Radical Acceptance Wave of Emotions Turning the Mind Visual Encouragement Be a Flower

BTW: NOAH Says HI! (-:

The fiber artwork featured in the banner was created by the site owner, Lisa Dietz. Click here to view a few more of her relevant artwork representing her struggle to overcome BPD.

Author Articles The author of this website shares some personal experiences about using DBT as well as essays about dealing with suffering.

Click here if you need printing instructions

I recommend the following books for anyone who has BPD, their families and professionals. Author and fellow BPD recoverer, Kiera Van Gelder has written an amazing insightful memoir called The Buddha and the Borderline. For more information on Kiera and the book, click here.

The Facts: Borderline Personality Disorder by Roy Krawitz and Wendy Jackson was written by both a client and professional. The writing is very clear and accessible.

Flash Cards There are several types of flash cards to help remind you of the DBT skills. Recently added are the cards I used as a participant with a way to print your own.

For a Site Map, click here.

This website was last updated on 5/15/15.

. . .(from above)I have begun the update on this siteand you can look forward to new elements including a link to theFull DBT Skills Definitionsin handout formats with all original language. Additionally, a DBT Participant Point of View version defining the skills in a way that someone diagnosed with a mental illness who has worked through the DBT program might describe it.

For Example: Radical Acceptance: accepting something whether you like it or not. You do not have to agree with it, you just have to know that there is nothing more you can do about it so complaining or being disagreeable with everyone will not help to make the situation any better. Youre better off, at least for now, to let go of the heavy emotions and dramatic outbursts associated with it so that you might gain a temporary stasus of peace until something changes.

A small example would be how irritated it might make you feel everytime your boyfriend picks up a can of soda and takes a drink then sets it back down and always has to go AHHH, YEAH, like it was some orgasmic experience. Really? Every drink? Come on! You just want to, like, flick a bugger in his mouth or something before he can do the big AHHH. But you know that if you did it would be super gross and the two of you have already argued about it and hes looking at you with a frown that says go on, say something one more time. THIS is a good time to practice Radical Acceptance.

Ask yourself if it is worth jeapardizing your relationship over something so small. Ask yourself if you are capable of being a big girl now that you are approaching 30 and might try a Distraction Skill instead of acting like a spoiled teenager because your big girl self knows that aggressive behavior is not effective when you are really, under everything, seeking love.

Believe in yourself. You can do it! (End of Example)

Also,DBT in Spanishwill soon be available from the DBT course files of Rayencura Clinica in Santiago, Chile. In the meantime, you can downloada zipfile of the docments.

On The JourneyandDBT Artistsare new upcoming sections expressing the creative writing and artwork of DBT participants. When it is ready, I will let you know how to contribute. Plus I have already written 3 new scripts forInstant Mindfulness Flash Movies.

Further, I am working on a Handheld Retro DBT Self Help Packagethat you will be able to order. It will contain many parts of the website printed on paper as well as a workbook with worksheets to accompany appropriate areas. It will have a CD of the movies. There will be bookmarks and flashcards and funky reminders with affirmations, elf help and other encouragements printed on them. Plus, it will include a baggie of DBT Fun Stuff (because DBT really should be fun!). What is fun stuff? Rocks and beads that remind you to breathe, frogs that stare at you reminding you NOT to judge, goofy feeling balls that you can fidget with during class. You know.

Also in the works for 2015 are more reviews in theInstant Access DBT section where you will find some great new DBT Mobile Apps including Diary Cards!.

Wondering what THE EMOTIONAL EXTREMISTS GUIDE TO HANDLING CARTOON ELEPHANTS is all about? Very soon you will find out and be able to purchase the book from this website or even enter a contest to win a free copy!

The whole site will have a new look and feel. I thought I had that going in high gear, but I suddenly got downshifted. Nevertheless, it will happen. FEAR NOT. As if you are all sitting around with bated breath waiting for my next updates. I may be slow. Okay, I AM slow to get things done, but they always get done, eventually, even if it is a year or two later. (you would be slow too if you had a brain injury and had to work on this site in your SPARE (LOL, LOL) time AFTER your REAL work - the one you have to make money at.

Last on this list, but first to get on the site will be TONS MORE RESOURCES!!!! And I mean TONS! I have SO MANY new DBT providers all over the world to tell you about! And new DBT books. Dare I say it, FUN TO READ DBT books! The resources will grow like the sands on the beach, Grasshopper!

So I came up with this idea of "going with the flow." (I did not really come up with it - I have heard the expression, I just came up with the application.) I decided not to care about time except in the places where I absolutely had to - going to appointments and meting deadlines. Since I always have way more to do than I can possibly manage every day no matter what and thus the sensation of overwhelm is sure to cause me anxiety, well if I just do whatever FEELS right about what comes next and fully participate in that activity at least I will do something and do it without expending so much anxious energy (with the hope that I would have more energy for the overall day).

No matter what, it couldn't be any worse than just feeling so oppressed and overwhelmed that I just go back to bed and do NOTHING. Then I'm certain to get nowhere. And lately, with the usual holiday stress, I've been finding myself doing that more and more.

So far, it seems to work really well. Then I realized, I really didn't need a brain injury to decide to do this. Everyone feels overwhelm and life really is better if you can participate in the moment in whatever you're doing and spend less time making decisions about what to do next on the basis of the clock which causes anxiety about timelines. This sense of BEING one with the Universe is less about trying to do or think or accomplish anything. Its more like the feeling I have during the one weekend a month I have with my grandson. I cherish the time so much that nothing seems as important as playing with him.

When I stop living by the rules of time, I have permission to be fascinated by it all, even if it isnt play. I have permission to feel the warm water on my skin when I do dishes. And when someone is talking to me and really freaking out and trying to get a rise out of me, I have permission to say, I am sorry, I just cant talk right now. Its hard to describe. You just have to try it. . . or not, its up to you.

Excerpt from:
DBT Self Help