DBT Accepts Skills Lists

Discover the DBT Accepts Skills List, a proven tool for managing distressing emotions. Ideal for therapists, individuals, and anyone seeking emotional balance.

By Telita Montales on Apr 08, 2024.

Fact Checked by Ericka Pingol.

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What is a DBT Accepts Skills List?

A Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Accepts Skills List is a potent therapeutic tool designed to facilitate emotional regulation and distress management. The term "ACCEPTS" is an acronym, each letter representing a different strategy for managing distress: Activities, Contributing, Comparisons, Emotions, Pushing Away, Thoughts, and Sensations.

These strategies enable individuals to temporarily deflect from distressing emotions, providing respite until they can address them more constructively. By employing these tactics, people can better manage their emotional responses and navigate stressful situations more resiliently.

The DBT Accepts Skills List forms an integral part of the 'Distress Tolerance' module in DBT, a therapeutic approach that emphasizes teaching individuals how to handle painful emotions more healthily. It is widely used in individual and group therapy settings, underscoring its versatility and adaptability to therapeutic contexts.

This list is commonly provided as a worksheet or card, making it easily accessible during emotionally challenging moments. The format is designed to serve as a quick, go-to reference guide, assisting individuals in implementing the ACCEPTS strategies when they need them most.

You can also explore our comprehensive for more detailed information on this valuable resource.

Printable DBT Accepts Skills List

Download this DBT Accepts Skills List to help clients manage distressing emotions.

How does it work?

Step 1: Understanding the ACCEPTS Acronym

Each letter in the ACCEPTS acronym stands for a different distress tolerance strategy. Activities include engaging in positive actions that can distract from distressing emotions. Contributing refers to doing something kind for another person. Comparisons involve comparing oneself to those who are less fortunate. 

Emotions mean engaging in activities that elicit the opposite emotion to the one causing distress. Pushing Away involves temporarily pushing distressing thoughts away. Thoughts can be distractions by focusing on other, non-distressing thoughts. Sensations refer to doing something that creates a strong physical sensation.

Step 2: Implementing the Strategies

Once you understand what each letter in the acronym stands for, the next step is to implement these strategies in your daily life. This could involve planning activities that you know will help distract you when you're feeling distressed or practicing mindfulness exercises to help manage your emotions.

Step 3: Using a Printable DBT Accepts Skills List

Our printable DBT Accepts Skills List can be a helpful tool to remind you of these strategies and help you implement them in times of distress. You can always keep it with you so you always have a helpful reminder of the strategies you can use.

DBT Accepts Skills Lists Example (sample)

A DBT Accepts Skills List might include suggestions for activities to distract from distressing emotions, such as reading a book or going for a walk. It could also provide prompts for contributing, such as calling a friend who needs support or volunteering in your community. 

For the 'Emotions' section, it might suggest watching a funny movie to counteract feelings of sadness. The 'Thoughts' section could include mindfulness exercises to help focus your thoughts elsewhere. You can download and print our DBT Accepts Skills List PDF.

Download this DBT Accepts Skills List Example:

DBT Accepts Skills Lists Example (sample)

When would you use this Form?

The Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Accepts Skills List is a practical tool that can be employed whenever an individual encounters distressing emotions that require effective management strategies. This resource is not limited to a particular setting or circumstance; it's designed to help navigate various emotionally challenging situations.

The DBT Accepts Skills List can be particularly useful during high-stress scenarios at work, such as dealing with tight deadlines, managing conflicts with colleagues, or handling overwhelming workloads. By employing the ACCEPTS strategies, individuals can better regulate their emotional responses and maintain their composure, ultimately enhancing their overall work performance.

Beyond the workplace, this tool can also be invaluable during personal interactions that may trigger strong emotional responses. Difficult conversations with loved ones, confrontations, or emotionally charged discussions can often lead to feelings of distress. Utilizing the DBT Accepts Skills List in these situations can provide the necessary strategies to manage these emotions effectively, facilitating healthier communication and relationship dynamics.

Healthcare professionals, including psychologists, psychiatrists, therapists, and social workers, frequently use the DBT Accepts Skills List. They incorporate it into their therapeutic interventions to equip clients with tangible skills to manage their distress. It empowers clients to handle their emotions more constructively, promoting their overall mental well-being.

Moreover, the DBT Accepts Skills List can be an excellent addition to an individual's self-care toolkit. Its strategies can be easily integrated into daily routines, providing consistent support for emotional regulation. This makes it a valuable resource for those undergoing therapy and anyone seeking effective ways to manage distressing emotions.

The DBT Accepts Skills List is a versatile resource used across various contexts - professional settings, personal relationships, or individual self-care practices. Regardless of the situation, it offers practical strategies to manage distress and promote emotional well-being.

Benefits

Enhanced Emotional Regulation

The DBT Accepts Skills List provides concrete strategies to help manage distressing emotions, and enhancing emotional regulation skills.

Improved Distress Tolerance

This tool can help individuals cope with difficult situations more effectively by providing strategies for tolerating distress.

Increased Mindfulness

The DBT Accepts Skills List strategies encourage mindfulness, helping individuals stay present and focused despite distress.

Accessible and Practical

As a free DBT Accepts Skills List, this tool is accessible to anyone and can be easily implemented daily.

Why use Carepatron as your DBT Accepts Skills Lists app?

Thanks to its user-friendly interface, global compliance, and collaborative features, Carepatron is the go-to platform for accessing and utilizing the DBT Accepts Skills Lists. Whether you're a healthcare professional seeking effective tools for your practice or an individual looking for resources to aid personal growth, Carepatron's DBT Accepts Skills app and DBT Accepts Skills Software provide an all-encompassing solution.

One of the key strengths of Carepatron is its simplicity. We understand that your time is valuable, so we've designed our software to be easy to use, requiring no training. This allows you to spend more time focusing on what's important�??supporting your clients or advancing your personal growth�??and less time learning how to navigate our platform.

Compliance is another cornerstone of our platform. Carepatron meets worldwide security requirements, including HIPAA, GDPR, and HITRUST. This ensures that your work and data remain safe and secure, providing peace of mind whether you're a practitioner dealing with sensitive client information or an individual using the app for personal reasons.

Collaboration lies at the heart of Carepatron. Our platform is structured to facilitate better sharing across your team, professional network, and clients. This makes integrating the DBT Accepts Skills Lists into your therapeutic practice or self-care routine easier, enabling seamless communication and collaboration as if everyone were in the same room.

Finally, Carepatron is trusted worldwide. We support a global community of users and work tirelessly to deliver a beautiful experience every day. Our commitment to user satisfaction and continuous improvement makes us a reliable partner for managing your DBT Accepts Skills Lists needs.

Carepatron's blend of simplicity, global compliance, collaborative features, and worldwide trust make it the ideal platform for accessing and using the DBT Accepts Skills Lists, whether for professional or personal use. Try Carepatron today.

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Who typically uses DBT Accepts Skills Lists?
Who typically uses DBT Accepts Skills Lists?

Commonly asked questions

Who typically uses DBT Accepts Skills Lists?

DBT Accepts Skills Lists are typically used by healthcare professionals such as psychologists, psychiatrists, and therapists in their practice. Individuals can also use them for personal self-care.

When are DBT Accepts Skills Lists used?

DBT Accepts Skills Lists are used whenever an individual is experiencing distressing emotions and needs strategies to manage them. This can be during a stressful situation, a difficult conversation, or when emotions feel overwhelming.

How are DBT Accepts Skills Lists used?

DBT Accepts Skills Lists are used by implementing the strategies outlined in the list during distress. This can involve engaging in distracting activities, contributing to others, making comparisons, eliciting opposite emotions, and pushing away distress.

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