The Skillful Podcast Bay Area DBT & Couples Counseling Center

Are you a therapist who wants the experience of being in a DBT skills group yourself? Are you curious about how the skills can help YOU?
 
Marielle and Ed are starting a new skills group designed specifically for therapists to learn the skills together in a supportive online environment. We are excited to offer this group.
 
For more information and to sign up visit www.dbtskillsgroupfortherapists.com
Resources DBT Skills Handouts and Worksheets
Ask us a Question We’d love to hear from you! Where are you getting stuck with your skills application? Ask us a question for the chance to have it answered on the podcast. Submit your question here.
Please note that questions, and this podcast in general, are not a substitute for individual mental health treatment.

What DBT skill do you use when your emotion fits the facts? One option is to work on changing the facts. The skill of Problem Solving offers a structured framework to help you change situations that cause painful emotions.
 
Problem Solving begins, like many of the Emotion Regulation skills in DBT, by naming your emotion. Next, identify your goal in solving the problem and come up with a solution to meet your goal. Break the solution down into small steps. Finally, take action.
 
Check in with your Wise Mind when using this skill, because Emotion Mind may distort facts or obscure solutions. Practicing this skill can feel like a lot! This episode walks you through each part of this multi-layered skill.
 
For full show notes, visit our website: https://bayareadbtcc.com/podcast
DBT Skills Discussed The “What” Skills of Mindfulness
Check the Facts
Opposite Action
Resources DBT Skills Handouts and Worksheets
Ask us a Question We’d love to hear from you! Where are you getting stuck with your skills application? Ask us a question for the chance to have it answered on the podcast. Submit your question here.
Please note that questions, and this podcast in general, are not a substitute for individual mental health treatment.

Today’s episode discusses the DBT skill of Willingness.
 
Willingness is one of the reality acceptance skills that we teach in Distress Tolerance. This skill can help you let go of fighting what is so you can do what’s needed in each situation - without dragging your feet or holding onto a grudge.
 
One way to understand Willingness is to think of its opposite: Willfulness. When Willfulness is present, you’re fighting reality, trying to control things, or being passive when action is needed. Your Willfulness might show up differently depending on the situation.
 
For full show notes, visit our website: https://bayareadbtcc.com/podcast
DBT Skills Discussed Distress Tolerance Part 2
Radical Acceptance
Turning the Mind
Half-smile
Willing Hands
Ask us a Question We’d love to hear from you! Where are you getting stuck with your skills application? Ask us a question for the chance to have it answered on the podcast. Submit your question here.
Please note that questions, and this podcast in general, are not a substitute for individual mental health treatment.

Once you have grasp of the DEAR MAN skill, you might find yourself getting stuck when you try to use it in difficult interactions. Maybe the other person pushes back, tries to change the subject, or refuses to engage fairly.
 
While we can’t force anyone to do anything, we can continue to use our skills to stay as effective as possible during heated moments.
 
For full show notes, visit our website: https://bayareadbtcc.com/podcast
DBT Skills Discussed DEAR MAN
Introduction to Distress Tolerance & the STOP skill
The “What” Skills of Mindfulness
The “How” Skills of Mindfulness
Ask us a Question We’d love to hear from you! Where are you getting stuck with your skills application? Ask us a question for the chance to have it answered on the podcast. Submit your question here.
Please note that questions, and this podcast in general, are not a substitute for individual mental health treatment.

Once you have a grasp of the change-oriented skills in DBT (such as Check the Facts, Opposite Action, and Problem Solving) it can be hard to figure out which one to use.
 
This episode walks you through deciding if and when to act on an unwanted emotion.
For full show notes, visit our website: https://bayareadbtcc.com/podcast DBT Skills Discussed Check the Facts
Mindfulness of Current Emotions
Problem Solving
Opposite Action
Emotions Explained: Shame
Ask us a Question We’d love to hear from you! Where are you getting stuck with your skills application? Ask us a question for the chance to have it answered on the podcast. Submit your question here.
Please note that questions, and this podcast in general, are not a substitute for individual mental health treatment.

Shame is one of the most painful emotions we can experience. 
 
This episode explores what shame is, when the emotion is useful (and when it’s not), and skills to help you cope when shame threatens to overwhelm you.
 
Shame is a social emotion that motivates us to repair transgressions that might result in us being excluded from a group we want (or need) to belong to. Many of us, though, experience a lot of unjustified shame, where we assume we will be rejected if parts of ourselves are revealed.
 
DBT Skills Discussed
 
Check the Facts
For full show notes, visit our website: https://bayareadbtcc.com/podcast Ask us a Question We’d love to hear from you! Where are you getting stuck with your skills application? Ask us a question for the chance to have it answered on the podcast. Submit your question here.
Please note that questions, and this podcast in general, are not a substitute for individual mental health treatment.