Introduction to DBT Skills Orientation Monday 3:30 pm to 5:00pm Group Facilitators: Eiko Mosley, LMFT Introduction to DBT Skills is a 4 week class designed to introduce Individuals to the basics of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). The goal of DBT Is to help individuals better cope with distressing emotions and situations by replacing self-destructive behaviours such as self-harm, substance abuse and eating disorders with healthier coping strategies. Each week we will introduce core skills from one of the following four modules: Distress Tolerance Emotional Regulation Interpersonal Effectiveness Mindfulness Dialectics is the theory that opposites can co-exist. In therapy, different points of view are discussed, and clients are then helped to select appropriate skills to either change or accept situations.Pl The Practice of Mindfulness Automatic Pilot: The Opposite of Mindfulness In a car, we can sometimes drive for miles on “autorjatic plot,” without really being aware of what We are doing, in the same way, We may|not be really “present,” moment by moment, for much of our lives: We arrive, at a feeliqg, thought, oF situation, without really knowing how We got there or where we ate. Most of the time we get away with being only partially conscious like thls—it may-even bp encouraged in forms of multi tasking’ and “tuning out to get tha job done, Importantthan you realize, But what you are thissing may be more This may cause Us to miss out on some of life's mogt preclous moments—sunsets, connecting with people we love, the leaves changing, just miss out of beautitul moments. When mindlessn feelings, and actions are affected by It: ‘touck with our own body, waming slgné of a mood. sta signals they send us. It can-keep us from being present another person's reaction. .It-can lead us to read our th lead us to put thoughts and Instant reactions in charge] our minds take the tead. Thus, autopliot Is Ike walking't You fay still get across, but it wil likely be filed with with the lights on.” What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness means paying attention in| On. purpose, © ~ In the present moment, and Non-judgmentally. ~Join Kabat-Zinn ut on automatic pilot, we don't ss dominates, all our decisions, Lack of awarefess can keép'us from being in , and out, own feelings and the {in our relationships and reading Uughts as facts. Thése togetiier of our minds—instead ‘of letting rough a roorn with the lights off. bstacles you could easily avoid j@ particular way: How is Mindfulness relevant to my mood disorder? Whereas depression and imania até complex mood’ étdtes, they are contributed to by thoughts, feelings, ‘and reactions that ocour in the [fautomatic pilot” phenomenon described above. In this sense, miridfulness setve8:sevpral primary functions. “Turning on the lights,” can ald you In becoming more aware of ‘our mood state, your triggers, ‘and your warning signals so you oan make appropriate adjustments. Requiar practice of a mindful stance algo allows the observance of thauat reduces thelr influence over mood: Finally, mincfulnes| positive experiences that act as a protective factor in mo its a8 Just that—thoughts—and may allow you to “tune-in" to d disorders. Mindfulness is a way of laarning to be in control of your o a mind, instead of letting your mind be in|control of you, Marsha LinehanMindfulness | 51 States of Mind 1H CORE CONCEPT: Wise Mind is the dialectical balance between emotion and reason. We experience three primary states of mind: Emotion Mind, Reason Mind, and Wise Mind. Emotion Mind ‘Reason Mind Wise Mind ‘These states of mind exist on a continuum, with Wise Mind being a balance of emotion and reason. Each state of mind is neither “good” nor “bad,” although we often think in these terms. However, these judgments are relative and depend on the context of the situation. Instead of judging, seeing what “works” in a given situation is more useful, and you will usually find a balance is best. Remember that, in dialectics, an extreme contains the seed of the opposite. When we are too far into Emotion Mind, the need for reason arises, and vice versa. We are most effective, most of the time, in Wise Mind. Ina Wise Mind place, we validate our emotional experience and integrate our ability to use reason. As described in the introduction to this module, we use our heart and our head, being fully present in the moment. In Wise Mind we can reflect without judgment, live our true intentions in spite of how we feel, and be in our experiences without being consumed by them. Wise Mind is grounded in our values (see FAST in Module 5: Interpersonal Effectiveness) and meets the reality of situations effectively. In Wise Mind, we can overcome our conditioned reactions and be responsive instead, We all have a wise mind!Ps 52 | The Expanded DBT Skills Training Manual The Path to Wise Mind (WM) 5 CORE CONCEPT: The What and How skills lead us to Wise Mind. Wise Mind is less elusive when we understand the skills used to lead us there: Observe, Describe, and Participate are the What skills, In other words, these three skills are what we do to get to Wise Mind. ‘Nonjudgmentally, One-mindfully, and Effectively are the How skills. In other words, these three skills are how we apply the What skills to get to Wise Mind. Although each What and How skill is described individually, remember that they work together to refine our connection with experience and bring us to Wise Mind. To orient yourself to use these skills, practice the directives of this mantra: Pause, breath, center... . enter What skills Observe Notice your experience without adding to it or subtracting from it, without amplifying it or pushing it away. Let the experience pass through like clouds drifting in the sky or scenery passing by a car window. Cling to nothing. Use your senses to gather information. What is seen, heard, smelled, tasted, and touched? What is ‘happening in your mind and body? Note your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors as well as other people, your situation, and the environment—look inside and outside yourself. Notice what is happening physically in your body and the associated sensations, Direct your attention and decide what enters and what stays out; open and close your mental windows with intention. Describe Outline the details of your observations with specific descriptions. Use words to bring your observations to life. Language frequently makes greater sense of experience than thought alone. Clarify your experience for yourself and others. Do not get caught in analyzing your thoughts, feelings, sensations, impulses, and urges. Instead, remember that thoughts are just thoughts, feelings are just feelings, sensations are just sensations, and impulses and urges are just impulses and urges. You ate not your mind, and these experiences are not commands. Participate Observe and Describe bring awareness to experience. Use this awareness to make choices and to become one with your experience. Go from simply watching your experience to being connected to your experience. Ultimately, be in your experience. Inhabit it.Pe Mindfulness | 53 Choose whether you want to stay with and relate further to your experience or redirect your Observe and Desoribe slills, Recognize whether you are participating in symptoms or problems and choose to participate in skills instead, Redirect your attention and what you participate in based on your wisdom of what works and not simply out of aversion to your experience or a desire to escape from your experience. Practice these skills until they flow naturally from you, How skills Nonjudgmentally Stick to the facts without coloring them with opinions. Focus on who, what, where, when, and how like an objective reporter. Use respectful language to describe yourself, others, and situations. Be impeccable with your words. Remember that “good” and “bad” judgments are relative and may not be useful. Sometimes what appears to be desirable can be suffering in disguise, and sometimes problems are hidden opportunities. Stay away from judgments that amplify or reduce experience or get you stuck in a painful experience by adding suffering. Instead, simply accept what is. ‘When you observe judgments, gently let go of them, We all judge, so do not amplify your judgments by giving them unneeded power. One-mindfully Focus on one thing with your complete attention, Distractions from inside and outside you will happen. Practice stepping out of distractions and avoid being consumed by them. Instead, gently notice and let g0 of distractions that keep you from your focus. ‘Treat yourself with kindness and compassion as you practice being One-Mindful and accept distractions instead of judging them. Do not trade the present moment for judgment mind. If your attention gets divided, stop and focus your attention on what you choose to experience. Be in the here and now with one mind, Effectively Do what works best based on the demands of the situation as it is and not what you would prefer it to be, Do not spend your energies fighting reality, which does not unfold according to your preferences and desires. Do not act out of judgments and a need to be “right.” Instead, stay connected to your goals, priorities, and values and use them as guides to act as skillfully as possible. Use Willingness to get from point “A” to point “B” to accomplish your goals. Remove your own complications and barriers to get out of your own way. ‘Train yourself to be responsive to experience rather than reactive to experience. Doing what works is a reflection of Wise Mind.58 | The Expanded DBT Skills Training Manual Mindfulness Exercises o a i CORE CONCEPT: Use these exercises to practice your mindfulness skills. ‘These mindfulness exercises will strengthen your ability to practice mindfulness and happen to be quite enjoyable too! With all of the exercises, remember to engage each of your senses and to take your time. The text following each exercise just scratches the surface. Go deeper and make the exercise your own! During your practice, when judgments, other thoughts, or any other distractions occur, do not fuss over them, but gently turn your attention back to the exercise, 1. Explore a fruit: Use Observe and Describe to explore an orange. What are the visual features, what does it feel like, and what does it smell like? Now, slowly start to peel the orange and continue to tune in to each sense. Notice any emotions, thoughts, or other experiences that you have during this process, but cling to nothing, instead staying engaged in the activity. Ultimately, you may choose to mindfully eat the orange. 2. Create with Play-Doh: Study the Play-Doh container, noticing the writing, colors, and design elements. Slowly peel the lid off the container, and notice the smell. What comes up for you? Notice any associated feelings, memories, or other experiences, and then turn your attention back to the Play-Doh. Feel it in your hands and begin to knead and work it. Notice the texture, the temperature, and whether there are changes in its flexibility as you handle it. Experience the Play-Doh without the need to create anything, (Alternatives: Create what you choose with the Play-Doh, be it an animal, a sculpture, or something else. Let go of judgments as to how the creation is shaping up. Or, imagine you are a child experiencing Play-Doh for the first time. Allow yourself to be immersed in this discovery!) 3. Connect with a sound: Put on music; listen to the sounds of waves, nature, or another soothing sound; or pick up on the naturally occurring sounds around you (the hum of an appliance, the sound of traffic, or the bustle of a workplace). Close your eyes and tune in to your chosen sound. Stay with the sound, returning to it when a distraction happens, and perhaps notice how you breathe along with it. 4, Guided imagery: Use imagery from a CD, from a website, or recorded from your therapist or another person. Visualize that'you are in the place that is being described, hearing the sounds, and feeling the other sensations. Lose yourself in this experience, and, when the exercise is over, bring its benefits back to the present moment. 5, Create a safe place: Similar to guided imagery, create a place that is safe and comfortable. It may be a room, a cabin in the woods, or an imaginary land where you ate protected by fire-breathing dragons! Use your senses to fully enter the safe place. Notice how it looks, paying attention to even the smallest details. Notice the sounds, or the silence. How does it feel? Stay in this place for a while, and go there whenever you need to soothe and calm yourself. 6. Sounds of a bells Strike a bell or chime, or clang mini-cymbals to create a tone. Listen to the sound until it fades into complete silence. Repeat as many times as you wish. This can be done anytime during the day, before meetings, before meals, or at any other time that you want a break or to return to the ‘moment. ‘71. Mindful eating: Strive to eat mindfully each time you sit down to eat. Notice your food, seeing the shapes, colors, and textures. Smell the aromas. Take it all in before experiencing your first small bite. Our taste buds register tastes more vividly during the first few bites. Eat these bites slowly, experiencingMindfulness | 59 the tastes, smells, temperature, and textures of each bite. Chew slowly, noticing the release of flavors and the sensations associated with eating. Continue thoughtfully, deliberately, until you notice feeling satisfied, and then stop and reflect. As they say, if you love food, spend some time with it! 8. Mindfulness of smell: Gather a variety of scented candles or essential oils and spend some time exploring the smell of each one. Notice the differences and any reactions you have to each kind of smell. Alternatively, disguise the labels on your candles or oils and see whether you or others can guess each scent, 9. Mindful listening: Pick a song, close your eyes, and listen closely to the music. Follow the lyrics, notice the different instruments, or take in the song as a whole experience. If you have heard the song before, did you notice anything new? Altematively, pick a song that has a repetitive lyric, phrase, or melody line. Count how many times you hear the reoccurring detail. 10, Mindfulness of touch: Take any object into your hands. Explore the object with your hands and fingers, feeling the shape(s), texture(s), and temperature of the object. This can be done in combination with vision, or done with your eyes closed, focusing exclusively on touch. Alternatively, gather various fabrics such as silk, cotton, wool, and velvet and experience the different feels. Of course, this exercise can be done with any collection of objects (e.g., stress ball, worry stone, sandpaper). 11, Mindfulness of nature/thunderstorms: Put on a nature CD or the sound of a thunderstorm. Listen and notice what emotions, thoughts, and sensations start to come up. 12, Mindful walkking: Take a walk outside or around your room. Pay attention to the sensation of your feet in contact with the ground. Let go of thoughts, emotions, and other distractions and just walk, as if being mindful of every step is vitally important. Alternatively, play a game and avoid cracks (or step on them) or count steps between fixed objects such as light poles or mailboxes. 13, Mindful nature walk: Take a walk outside through nature. Notice the sounds and smells. What do you see? Take this time to observe, as if this is the first time you have experienced this scenery and the ‘surrounding elements of nature. When you find yourself getting distracted, come back to the scenery around you. 14, Objects in a bag: Take a bag and add in various types of objects. Make sure the objects are different in texture and shape, Pass the bag around and take tums using your sense of touch to guess ‘what each object is. Observe and Describe the sensations. 15, Making sounds: Go around the group making funny sounds, one person at a time. Pass the sound from one person to another. Notice and release judgments, staying with the game. Alternatively, break {nto small groups or dyads and create a mantra (word or phrase to repeat) for relaxation, connection, energy, teamwork, or some other concept. Share your mantras and repeat them as a large group for 1 minute each, noticing the connection between the mantra and the resulting emotions and experience. 16, Meditate on an object: Find something in the room to focus on and use that object to ground you while you breathe. It could be a painting, a vase, or any ordinary household object. Fix your gaze on yout chosen object, staying with it as you breathe. If you get distracted just pull yourself back to the object of focus. 17. Spaceship: Imagine you have a spaceship that can rocket you to your favorite place, real or imagined. Climb into your ship and count down from 10 to 1 and then blast off to your destination. Stay at your destination awhile and practice breathing, and then ride back home via your rocket ship or another means feeling relaxed and refreshed.ft 60 | The Expanded DBT Skills Training Manual 18. Easy and enjoyable sitting mediation: Sit in a comfortable chair, on a park bench, or out on your deck or porch. You are alive! So breathe the air, see your surroundings, listen to the sounds, and feel bodily sensations such as your physical connection to your seat, the air temperature, the breeze, etc. You have no place to be but here. Keep it simple. 19. Mindfulness apps: Search your smartphone, tablet, or computer for free or inexpensive ‘mindfulness apps. Practice each one you find several times, and share them with your friends and family. 20. Breathing colors: Choose two different colors, one to breathe in and one to breathe out. Blue works ‘well for the in-breath, since it matches the cool feeling of the air coming in, Red works well for the out-breath, as it matches the warm feeling of the air leaving your body. However, choose the colors you ‘want, for the reasons you want. Close your eyes and pair each color with its breath. 21, Square breathing: Start by breathing in for four seconds. Hold your breath for four seconds, and then breathe out for another four seconds. Repeat four times. 22. Deep breathing: Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. To increase focus and quiet the mind, you can use a mantra such as “in” for when you breathe in and “out” for when you breathe out, 23, Belly breathing: Lie down on your back on the floor or in bed (preferred), or sit upright in a chair, Place a hand on your belly, and as you breathe in watch how your belly expands. Breathing in this way promotes deep breathing, which helps to get oxygen into your system. More oxygen helps us relax our bodies and think more clearly. Set an alarm and breathe deeply for a minimum of 1 minute. 24, Progressive muscle relaxation: Use the classic “squeeze and release” relaxation technique, beginning with your toes and working all the way up to your face. Squeeze each part of your body, holding the tension for a couple of seconds, and then release. Notice both the state of tension for each body part as well as the state of release. Although this exercise works best using your whole body, it ean also be condensed to use fewer body parts, such as just squeezing and releasing your hands (making fists and then shaking them out), or by just scrunching up your face before relaxing it. For more directions, search for progressive muscle relaxation scripts online or on YouTube. 25, Body scan: Use Observe and Describe to scan your body from top to bottom, noting areas of tension and discomfort. Gently dismiss judgments that arise, and take a deep breath into each area of the body where this discomfort exists. Do not have an agenda about changing how these areas feel, but do notice differences that happen as you continue to breathe and connect. Also, notice areas of your body that feel relaxed and comfortable, Breathe into these areas too. 26. Rigid body/relaxed body: Stand and tighten your body, assuming a rigid and stiff stance. Hold that pose for 10 seconds or more. Then, relax your body and assume a loose, flexible, and comfortable stance, Identify the different emotions and sensations that came up with each pose. 27, Half-smile (or full smile): Sit in a chair and take a couple of deep breaths. As you continue to breathe, slowly start to tum the sides of your lips upward to make a small smile, Relax your face and take on this more serene look. Notice whether your emotions begin to change, as your face communicates acceptance to your brain. Alternatively, look in a mirror, make a peace sign with your first and middle fingers, and use those fingers to push up the sides of your mouth into a goofy smile. This moment need not be so serious, even if your life sometimes is! 28, Positive memories: Remember a positive event from your life, and use your imagination to ‘transport yourself back to that time and place. Play it in your mind as if it is a movie, and tune in to your senses to fully enter into the memory. Notice what emotions come up as you immerse yourself in the experience, Let this positive memory have an impact on you.pr Mindfulness | 61 29, Compassion for others: Think of a person who has offended you or others with his or her behavior. Imagine what factors would lead a person to behave in ways that hurt or put off others. Or imagine that person as a child or a baby with innocence. Send this person compassion from your heart, wishing them ‘well in this world. Does sending compassion feel different from holding on to painful feelings about this person? 30, Pictures and judgments: Look at photos in a magazine and describe what comes to mind, What judgments do you notice? Now take a second and describe what you see in a matter-of-fact manner, sticking to the facts. Notice the difference in the experience. 31. Gratitude lists: Make a gratitude list with everything you can think of on it, both big and small. Mediate on the list for several minutes, Note any changes in your emotions. Alternatively, write a thank- you letter to someone, being specific about what the person did to receive your gratitude, 32, 5,4,3, 2y 1 senses: To increase your awareness and ground yourself in the present moment, list five ‘things you see, four things you heay, three things you feel, two things you smell, and one thing you taste. 33, Standing like a tree: Stand up and pretend your legs are the roots of a tree, reaching your arms up to be the branches. Start to sway side to side as if you are blowing in the wind. Notice that your legs don’t move, keeping you grounded. Imagine yourself being a tree when the winds of life whip up. Be flexible yet grounded, like a strong tree weathers a storm. 34. Finding your center: Sit upright in a comfortable position and take several deep breaths. On the next exhale lean as far to the right as you can without falling over. Inhale and return to center, Then exhale and Jean far to the left. Inhale to the center. Slowly start to repeat, leaning less and less every time. When you finally reach the middle, your center, take several deep breaths and notice what it feels like to be in balance. 35, Seeking clarity: Take a jar, fill it with water, and put in fine sand, glitter, or another substance that ‘can be shaken up. Once the lid is tight, shake up the jar. Notice the chaos as the sand or glitter moves about the water, with the water being cloudy or unclear. Then, mindfully watch as everything slowly settles, ultimately bringing clarity to the water. Think about the parallels between Emotion Mind and chaos compared to Wise Mind and clarity. 36. Yoga: Take 5 minutes and assume simple yoga poses (check out a book or video on yoga). Notice your body and remember to breathe as you hold each pose. Just notice emotions, thoughts, and sensations that arise, clinging to none. With practice, this exercise is grounding and relaxing, and promotes regulation of body and mind. 37, Mandalas and coloring books: Mediate on the process of coloring, losing yourself in the activity. 38, Simon says: This game is all about focusing and sustaining attention. Remember to let go of judgments and have fun! 39, Jenga: Focus with one mind as you remove blocks and build the tower higher and higher. Notice your connection to removing and stacking the blocks, immersing yourself in the activity. When the tower tumbles, remember that this is the natural outcome of the game. 40. Categories: Pick a category such as animals or foods and list as many items from that category as possible. Ina group setting, go around the circle with each person repeating the items already listed before adding to the category. 41. Picnic game: Start with the phrase “I am going on a picnic and I’m bringing, . .” Go around the circle with each person adding something they are bringing, but only after he or she has said all ther4 62 | The Expanded DBT Skills Training Manual items that were mentioned before, in order, For an added challenge, this game can be played listing items from A to Z. 42, Riddles: Buy a book on riddles or search for them online. Contemplate possible solutions. An example: “I am an ancient invention that allows people to see through walls, What am I?" 43. 20 Questions: Play 20 questions with a friend, a child, or your family. 44, Untie knots: Start with string or a shoelace that has been tangled and knotted up. Start to untangle and untie the knots. What emotions come up. Frustration? Impatience? Breathe and practice acceptance as you mindfully complete this activity. 45, Blow bubbles: Blow bubbles and watch as they float through the air, eventually popping. Notice sensations, such as your breathing, the air you blow into the bubble, and any emotions that arise from the activity. 46. Play catch: Play this simple game with the goal of being in the moment. 47. Play catch with categories: Take one ball to throw around a group of people standing in a circle. Pick a category such as countries, music artists, or movie stars. Every time someone catches the ball, they add to the list. If person cannot add to the list, he or she can create the next category and continue the game, 48, Energy ball: Imagine a ball as a source of negative emotional and mental energy. Hold on to the ball in your hand and take some time to process what itis like to hold on to your negative energy. Do you want to continue to hold on to it? Tell yourself that you have the choice to let the ball go and put it down, Alternatively, decide to bounce the ball off the floor or wall, imagining the negative energy leaving the ball with each bounce, until the ball becomes neutral again, 49. Ispy memory game: Find a page in a magazine full of various objects and take 1 minute to ‘mindfully look over the page. After the minute is up, close the magazine and write down all of the things ‘that you remember. 50. Write with your nondominant hand: Create an encouraging or coping statement and write it out 10 times with your nonwriting hand. Notice any frustrations or judgments that come up and practice releasing them, Engage in the process, noting the level of focus needed to have the vriting be legible. 51. Attention to small moments: Small moments in our lives include those that we do not typically notice and those we take for granted, A small moment may be having a cup of coffee or a cool glass of ‘water, spending a moment with a child or pet, or performing any everyday activity that goes by without out attention, Enjoyment, peace, and serenity in life happen in the small moments. Each hour, orient yourself to the small moments that you might otherwise miss. 52. Focus on senses: Take time to notice what comes through your five senses: what you see, hear, smell, taste, and/or touch. Your senses are your gateway to the world. (See Self-Soothe in Module 3: Distress Tolerance.) 53, Breathing: We all breathe, and we can all breathe more effectively. Our breath is our anchor and js an excellent way to center ourselves. Take time to breathe mindfully in and out. Stay focused on the sensation of the air coming into your air passages and lungs, holding it, and then letting it out. Use a ‘mantra, such as “in” as you breathe in and “out” as you breathe out, or count each breath from 1 to 10, starting over when you reach 10 or if you lose count.Mindfulness | 63 54, Breathing life eyele: Another way to breathe mindfully is to notice the beginning, middle, and end of each inhalation and exhalation (like how you can hear the beginning, middle, and end of sounds— another mindfulness exercise). Concentrate on the life of each breath going in and out, 55, Quictistill time: Set time aside each day to be quiet and to experience that quiet. Be One-Mindful with the stillness, finding your center and noticing comfort in the moment. 56. Your favorite song (or album): Listen to your favorite song or album with your full attention. Listen closely to the lyrics and their meaning. Be mindful of each word and phrase. Listen to the sounds of the different instruments. Pay attention to the guitar, bass, drums, vocals, or any other instrument that js central to the music. Notice the production values: Is the song basic or elaborate? Bare bones or highly orchestrated? Be mindful of things you have never noticed in music you have listened to many times. 57. Your favorite show: Watch your favorite TV show, paying attention to the small details. Notice what the actors are weating, how the sets are designed and decorated, and other elaborate details that go into your show. 58, The room you know so well: Observe and Describe details that you never noticed about your bedroom, living room, office, or any other place in which you have spent a significant amount of time. 59. 10 details: Anyplace, anywhere, pause and Observe and Describe 10 details you would not have otherwise noticed, 60. Turn down the noise (or embrace if): Tum off all extra sources of noise in your home. If you are not mindfully listening to the radio or TY, turn it off. Work on being present without the competition for yout attention. If you are unable to turn down certain noises, practice being mindfully aware of them, noticing them without judgment. 61. People (or anything) watching: Be a watcher of people, or of anything that might hold your interest. Remember not to judge what you see, but simply let it into and out of your experience like clouds floating through the sky. 62. One chore/one task: Do one chore or one task, such as washing the dishes or folding laundry, with all of your attention and care. Be One-Mindful with the experience without adding or subtracting. 63, “Holding” a feeling: Hold your present feeling like it is a baby. Calming a distraught baby involves compassion and One-Mindfulness, Babies can tell when we are either frustrated or do not want to be with them in the moment, Our feelings are like babies: They too can tell when we either reject them or are not fully present with them. Holding your feeling and being mindful of it will usually cause it to diminish in intensity. If not, consider distraction skills. 64, Interconnection: Contemplate how you are connected to all of the items around you, to your surroundings, to all of the people in your life, and/or to the universe in general. 65, Relative thinking: Contemplate the upsides and downsides of any judgment without sticking to any conclusions. See how “good” and “bad” depend on the circumstances and are not fixed. 66, 5/60: Plan 5 minutes out of every hour to engage in a mindfulness activity. This may include breathing, doing a scan of your body for tension and then relaxing, or one-mindfully accomplishing any task. fio64 | The Expanded DBT Skills Training Manual 67. Find your center: Before engaging in thoughts and behavior, spend a moment to breathe and find your center. Know that finding your center helps you to access your Wise Mind. Practice the directives of the mantra: Pause, breath, center... enter. 68, Write and release: Write what you would like to let go of on paper and shred it, bum it, or place the paper under water and watch the ink wash away and disappear. 69. Lie in the grass: On a day with nice weather, find a patch of lush, green grass in your yard or a park. Lie down, close your eyes, and turn your attention toward the connection and sensations between your body and the grass, feeling yourself supported by the ground, Breathe in the sensations and stay there awhile. Following the exercise, notice what you are feeling. Alternatively, keep your eyes open and gaze at the sky, watching the clouds float into and out of your field of vision. Contemplate the connection between yourself, the earth, and the sky. Take your time in this place, and breathe, 70, Praetice compassion for yourself and others: Sit or lie down in a comfortable spot, and turn your attention to your breathing. As you breathe say to yourself over and over, “May I experience peace and happiness.” Once you have settled into mediating on this mantra, change the mantra to focus on another person by saying, “May (Person) experience peace and happiness.” Continue to breathe as you meditate on this thought from your heart, Extra credit: Make the person you wish peace and happiness to someone you dislike, 71, Report on your experience or surroundings: Write or narrate what is happening right now with your emotions, thoughts, physical sensations, and/or behavior. In doing so, pretend that you are a reporter giving an objective account to your audience. Notice what itis like to Observe and Describe your experience in this somewhat detached manner. 72, Explain a task (and then participate in it): Take any daily task or chore, such as making coffee, sweeping a room, or watering plants, and break it down into its component steps, Imagine that you would have to explain how to do this to a child or even an alien, and go into minute detail, Now, actually engage in the task or chore, noticing each step and participating in it mindfully, 73. Look through a new windor ‘ick a window in your home, school, or office that you never (or almost never) look through. Sit down and spend 5 or more minutes gazing through the window, observing what is outside. Notice the scenery and whether anything is happening outside the window. Describe the scene and/or action to yourself and connect with it. Extra credit; Contemplate the “windows” in your life you do not or refuse to look through, What would you notice if you chose to look through one or more of these windows?Mindfulness Introduction to Mindfulness I CORE CONCEPT: Mindfulness is the pathway to an effective and enjoyable life. a ‘Mindfulness means choosing to pay attention to this present moment, on purpose, without judgment, “Mindfulness allows us to gain awareness of our emotions, thoughts, bodily sensations, behaviors, relationships, and environment. As we become more mindfully aware in our lives, we can make more informed and effective choices to build more satisfying lives. Neuroscientific research clearly shows that mindfulness makes positive and lasting changes to our brains. = * Central to mindfulness is the concept of taking hold of one’s mind. This means concentrating our attention on what we choose rather than having emotions, thoughts, or other experiences control us. ‘Training yourself to collect, unify, and direct your attention creates containment in your mind, Mindfulness skills open doors to acceptance, experience, and connection to yourself and the world. This approach is additive and allows for more complete and richer information and experience to guide us. Itis also different from some of our default ways of being: disconnected, judgmental, and alone. These default approaches reduce our experience because we label, categorize, and quickly move on without, seeing and connecting to the bigger picture. ‘As we leamn mindfulness, we must remember that it needs to be practiced with other skills and nurtured, ‘The concepts behind mindfulness can be straightforward, but being mindful in our lives requires attention and disciplined practice over time. Like all worthwhile pursuits, our efforts dedicated to mindfulness will reap great benefits if practiced daily. ‘The Mindfulness module teaches us the core skills to get us to Wise Mind, From Wise Mind, we can live centered and balanced lives using both our hearts and minds. We can also stay One-Mindful in the present, visiting the past and future by choice and connecting with ourselves and the world ina nonjudgmental fashion. Ultimately, we can use mindfulness to slow down and find peace, contentment, and enjoyment in everyday life. Page | 47