DBT Foundations
DBT stands for
What is Dialectical Behavioral Therapy?
Pushing back, getting angry, or confronting the threat head-on
What is "fight"?
What does ACT stand for?
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Name one part of an effective apology.
name what you did, acknowledge the impact, skip excuses/blame-back, say what you'll do differently
True or False: Thoughts are always facts.
What is False
_____ is something that makes you easier to set off or more likely to feel overloaded throughout the day
What is a vulnerability factor?
Wanting to escape, avoid, or leave the situation as fast as possible
What is "flight"?
Give an example of something that gives short-term relief but creates a bigger cost later.
e.g., avoiding schoolwork, scrolling for hours, skipping a hard conversation, staying in bed all day
What defense mechanism is "It was just a joke"?
Humor — coming up with a more acceptable reason, or using humor to deflect from the real feeling
CBT stands for
What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?
A 0 to 100 distress rating, used to notice emotions rising
What does SUDS measure? or What is SUDS?
Shutting down, going blank, or feeling stuck and unable to act
What is "freeze"?
A teen avoids opening the school portal because seeing missed assignments feels overwhelming. Is avoiding the portal the short-term coping move, or the long-term cost?
The short-term coping move (it relieves the anxiety right away — the long-term cost is falling further behind)
What defense mechanism is "That is not what happened"?
What is Denial?
According to CBT, what three things are all connected and affect each other? (Think CBT Triangle)
Thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
Choosing one small step that moves you in a more helpful direction when the urge isn't effective
What is "opposite action"?
People-pleasing
What is "fawn" also called?
A teen snaps at their friend to end an awkward conversation fast. A week later, the friendship feels distant and tense. Which part is the short-term relief, and which part is the long-term cost?
Snapping to end the conversation = short-term relief; the distant, tense friendship = long-term cost
What defense mechanism is it when you're upset with your mom, but you end up snapping at your little brother instead?
A ________ is something you do, something other people can actually see, like crying, laughing, talking, or slamming a door.
what is a behavior?
The part of you that balances feelings, facts, and long-term goals
What is "wise mind"?
What's the difference between short-term relief and safer coping?
Short-term relief is fast but can create bigger problems later; safer coping meets the same need without the same cost
A teen feels overwhelmed and dissociated, so they use the 5-4-3-2-1 senses technique to reconnect with what's around them. What ACT skill are they using?
What is present moment (skills)?
A way of communicating that focuses on expressing feelings and needs honestly (often through "I feel" statements) without blaming, attacking, or triggering defensiveness in the other person
What is Non-Violent Communication?
A _______ lives on the inside. Nobody else can see it directly, things like sadness, joy, fear, or anger happen inside you first.
What is a feeling?