DBT Skills Basics
This skill helps you get your needs met while maintaining relationships.
What is DEAR MAN?
+50 Bonus Points: What does each letter in DEAR MAN stand for?
+100 Bonus Points: Each member of the team gives an example of a time when they have or when they could use DEAR MAN.
These skills are used to maintain or improve relationships and communicate effectively.
What is GIVE?
+50 Bonus Points: What does each letter in GIVE stand for?
+100 Bonus Points: Each member of the team gives an example of a time when they have or when they could use GIVE.
You’re feeling anxious about an upcoming social event. How do you use Opposite Action?
Act as if you’re excited and choose to go anyway.
This practice involves focusing on your breath to bring awareness to the present moment.
What is Mindful Breathing?
This game often involves drawing and guessing.
What is Pictionary?
This skill encourages you to act opposite to your emotional urges.
What is Opposite Action?
+100 Bonus Points: Identify the action urges and appropriate opposite actions for the following emotions: Sadness, Anger, Anxiety, Guilt, and Shame
This DBT module emphasizes tolerating painful emotions without making the situation worse.
What is Distress Tolerance?
You need to ask a professor for an extension on an assignment. How do you use DEAR MAN to communicate?
Describe the situation, express your feelings, assert your needs, reinforce, be mindful, appear confident, negotiate.
This mindfulness technique encourages you to notice your surroundings using your senses.
What is 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding?
This classic board game involves buying and trading properties.
What is Monopoly?
*Daily Double*
This acronym stands for a way to manage distress through five specific strategies.
What is TIPP?
+50 Bonus Points: What does each letter in TIPP stand for?
+100 Bonus Points: Each member of the team gives an example of a time when they have or when they could use TIPP.
This group of skills helps you recognize triggers and develop a plan to manage emotions.
What is Emotion Regulation Skills?
You want to calm down after a stressful moment. Show how to use TIPP.
Describe how you would use Temperature or another TIPP strategy.
This skill emphasizes observing thoughts and feelings without judgment.
What is Non-judgmentally?
A popular card game that is often played with friends, requiring strategy and luck.
What is Uno?
These are the skills used to maintain self-respect and communicate effectively.
What is FAST?
+50 Bonus Points: What does each letter in FAST stand for?
+100 Bonus Points: Each member of the team gives an example of a time when they have or when they could use FAST.
Using these skills can help you identify and label your emotions.
What is Mindfulness?
You are feeling overwhelmed by your family trying to contact you. Use the GIVE skills to interact with them.
Show how to be Gentle, Interested, Validate, and Easy manner.
*Daily Double*
This practice involves paying attention to your body and how it feels in the moment.
What is Body Scan?
This interactive game involves physical challenges and silly tasks.
What is Charades?
This skill focuses on using your senses to create a calming environment.
What is Self-Soothing with the Five Senses?
+100 Bonus Points: Each team member give an example of self-soothing with the five senses.
This acronym stands for a series of skills that help distract from distress.
What is ACCEPTS?
+50 Bonus Points: What does each letter in ACCEPTS stand for?
+100 Bonus Points: Each member of the team gives an example corresponding with each letter of the skill.
You’re in a heated argument. How do you distract yourself using ACCEPTS?
Choose a distraction method (Activities, Contributing, etc.) to de-escalate.
This mindful practice encourages you to appreciate small moments throughout the day.
What is Gratitude Practice?
This form of storytelling requires players to build on a story one sentence at a time.
What is Story Cubes or Improv Storytelling?