Wise Mind
What are the three states of mind in DBT?
Emotion Mind, Reasonable Mind, Wise Mind
What does TIPP stand for?
Temperature, Intense Exercise, Paced Breathing, Progressive Relaxation)
What does DEAR MAN stand for?
Describe, Express, Assert, Reinforce — Mindful, Appear confident, Negotiate
What is the Opposite Action skill?
Acting opposite to your emotion’s urge when the emotion isn’t effective.
What are the “What” skills in mindfulness?
Observe, Describe, Participate
What does Wise Mind feel like in your body or thoughts?
Open Ended!
This is an example: "I feel calm and clear. My emotions and logic are working together, and I just know what’s right without reacting impulsively."
Name 3 ACCEPTS skills.
Activities, Contributing, Comparisons, Emotions, Pushing Away, Thoughts, Sensations
What’s something hard to ask for in recovery? How could you use DEAR MAN to ask?
Open-Ended!
Example: “I find it hard to ask for help. With DEAR MAN, I’d say what I need, explain why, and ask nicely.”
“It’s hard to ask for support when I’m struggling. Using DEAR MAN, I’d Describe my feelings, Express why I need help, Assert my request clearly, and Reinforce how it helps both of us.”
What emotion do you struggle with most in recovery? What’s one opposite action for it?
Open-Ended!
Example: “I struggle most with sadness. When I feel sad, one opposite action I try is doing something that makes me laugh or spending time with friends.”
What are the “How” skills?
Non-judgmentally, One-mindfully, Effectively
Give an example of a Wise Mind decision you've made recently.
Open Ended:
Example: "I skipped breakfast and felt guilty. Part of me wanted to restrict more, but I took a breath and chose to eat lunch anyway because I knew it would help me stay in recovery. That was my Wise Mind."
What’s something you can do when the ED voice is loud and you don’t want to use a behavior?
Open ended!
Example: “When the ED voice is loud, I can use a distress tolerance skill like distracting myself with a hobby or doing deep breathing to get through the urge without acting on it.”
What does GIVE help with?
Improving relationships — Gentle, Interested, Validate, Easy manner
Name 2 PLEASE skills and how they help your mood.
Examples: treat Physical illness, eat balanced meals, sleep well, etc.
What are three things you notice right now using your senses (sight, sound, touch) to practice mindfulness?
Open-Ended!
Ex: “I see the sunlight coming through the window, I hear birds chirping outside, and I feel the soft fabric of my shirt on my skin.”
How is Wise Mind different from Emotion Mind when you're struggling with ED urges?
Open Ended!
Example: "Emotion Mind reacts to feelings and urges, like wanting to restrict. Wise Mind balances feelings and logic to help me make healthy recovery choices."
Name 3 self-soothing tools that don’t involve food or restriction
fidget toy, music, lotion, warm blanket, scent
Share a time you wanted to keep the peace instead of asking for what you needed.
Open-Ended!
Example: “Once, I didn’t tell my friend how I felt because I didn’t want to cause an argument. I stayed quiet even though I needed support.”
What’s an example of checking the facts when you feel unhappy with your body?
Open-Ended!
“When I feel bad about my body, I remind myself to think about what’s really true, like that I’m healthy and my feelings might not be right.”
How can mindfulness help you challenge ED thoughts?
Open-ended!
Ex: “Mindfulness helps me spot ED thoughts without freaking out. I can see they’re just thoughts and don’t have to follow them.”
Describe a situation where using Wise Mind helped you make a better choice during a difficult moment with your eating disorder.
Open ended!
Example: “I felt anxious and wanted to skip a meal, but Wise Mind helped me remember eating is important. So, I breathed and ate anyway.”
What steps would you take using the STOP skill if you feel triggered after a meal?
Open-ended!
Example: "I’d Stop and breathe, Notice my feelings, and then choose a healthy way to cope instead of reacting.”
How would you ask a friend to stop doing something that makes you uncomfortable?
Open-Ended!
Example: “I would tell my friend, ‘Hey, I feel uncomfortable when you do that. Could you please stop? It would really help me feel better.’”
What’s a simple Opposite Action you could do on a bad body image day to help change how you feel?
Open-Ended!
Example: “If I’m feeling bad about my body, I could try saying kind things to myself or focus on something I like about myself instead.”
What is a simple sensory grounding exercise you can do to help calm yourself when feeling overwhelmed?
The 5-4-3-2-1 Technique, Touch and Describe, Breath and Sensation, Temperature Change, Sound Focus, Smell a Scent