DBT Flashcards
stone flake on the lake
a wise mind practice
clear blue lake on sunny day, small stone flake tossed into lake and floating in circles to the bottom
what do you see on way down, notice serenity of lake and become aware of calmness within, center attention in center of self
breathing “wise” in and “mind” out
a wise mind practice
focus attention on word “wise” and then on word “mind”
continue until have settled into wise mind
“what” skills
Observe
Describe
Participate
“how” skills
Nonjudmentally
One-mindfully
Effectively
reasonable mind
cool, rational, task-focused
ruled by facts, reason, logic, and pragmatics
values and feelings and not important
wise mind
the wisdom within each person
seeing the value of both reason and emotion
bringing left brain and right brain together
the middle path
emotion mind
hot, mood-dependent, emotion-focused
ruled by moods, feelings, and urges to do or say things
facts, reason and logic are not important
observing
bringing your mind back to the sensations of your body and mind
sensing or experiencing without describing or labeling the experience
mind becomes quiet
describing
put words on the experience
using words to represent what you observe
participating
enter into experiences whole-heartedly
get involved in the moment, letting go of ruminating and self-consciousness
no separation of self from on-going events and interactions
observe skills (list)
- -Notice your body sensations (coming through your eyes, ears nose, skin and tongue)
- -Pay attention on purpose, to the present moment
- -Control your attention, but not what you see. Push away nothing. Cling to nothing.
- -Practice wordless watching: Watch thoughts come into your mind and let them slip right by like clouds in the sky. Notice each feeling, rising and falling, like waves in the ocean
- -Observe both inside and outside yourself
describe skills (list)
- -Put words on the experience. When a feeling or thought arises, or you do something, acknowledge it. For example, say in your mind, “Sadness has just enveloped me,” or “Stomach muscles tightening,” or “A thought ‘I can’t do this” has come into my mind.”
- -Label what you observe. Put a name on your feelings. Label a though as just a thought, a feeling as just a feeling, an action as just an action.
- -Unglue your interpretations and opinions from the facts. Describe the “Who, what, when, and where” that you observe. Just the facts.
- -Remember, If you can’t observe it through your senses, you can’t describe it.
participate skills (list)
- -Throw yourself completely into activities of the current moment. Do not separate yourself from what is login on in the moment (dancing, cleaning, talking to a friend, feeling happy or feeling sad).
- -Become one with whatever you are doing, completely forgetting yourself. Throw your attention to the moment.
- -Act intuitively from Wise Mind. Do just what is needed in each situation – a skillful dancer on the dance floor, on with the music and your partner, neither willfully nor sitting on your hands.
- -Go with the flow. Respond with spontaneity.
observe with eyes (lie on ground…)
…and watch the clouds in the sky
observe with eyes (stopping somewhere…)
…with a view. notice flowers, trees, and nature itself