Exercising Your Rights to Your Needs and Feelings DBT Worksheet

Give your client a copy of an Exercising Your Rights to Your Needs and Feelings DBT Worksheet to help them acknowledge and exercise their needs and feelings.

By Patricia Buenaventura on Aug 2, 2025.

Fact Checked by RJ Gumban.

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What is Dialectical Behavior Therapy?

DBT Therapy, or dialectical behavior therapy, is an evidence-based psychotherapy developed in the 1980s by psychologist Marsha M. Linehan. It is rooted in cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness practices, and Eastern philosophical concepts. Because of the evolution and adaptation of the technique over the years, dialectical behavior therapy went from being used as a treatment for bipolar disorder to other mental health conditions like substance abuse, eating disorders, depression, and anxiety.

Therapists with a DBT certification, psychiatrists, psychologists, and psychiatric nurses may conduct dialectical behavior therapy or DBT sessions in three ways: individual sessions, group therapy sessions, and telephone crisis/phone coaching. They may use one or all of the session options. However, whether they use one or the other, they all aim to teach the client how to accept their desires and emotions while working on making better positive changes in life. More specifically, the sessions are meant to teach, equip, and hone four major skills a client must have at the end of their treatment plan. These skills are:

Mindfulness: Being more aware and better accepting present experiences and thoughts.
Distress Tolerance: Being capable of overcoming challenging times without resorting to self-destructive coping techniques.
Interpersonal Effectiveness: Knowing and being firm with their feelings and how they want to improve their relationships. ‍
Emotional Regulation: Dealing with primary or first emotions before they turn into secondary or other emotions.

Exercising Your Rights to Your Needs and Feelings DBT Worksheet Template

Exercising Your Rights to Your Needs and Feelings DBT Worksheet PDF Template

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How to use the Exercising Your Rights to Your Needs and Feelings DBT Worksheet:

Access and Download the Template

Access and download a printable and digital copy of the “Exercising Your Rights to Your Needs and Feelings DBT Worksheet” by doing either of the following:

Clicking the “Use Template” or “Download Template” button
Searching “Exercising Your Rights to Your Needs and Feelings DBT Worksheet” in Carepatron’s template library search bar on the website or app.

Explain the Template

Even though there are straightforward instructions on the template, it’s best to explain how to fill it out. Here are tips you can tell them:

You may take as much time as you need to complete the worksheet. However, it’s best if you don’t overthink it.
Answer the worksheet in a manner you’re comfortable with, especially those that require written answers. You may write in phrases, sentences, and paragraphs.
For the statements in Part 2, the client can choose where to post or carry them as reminders.

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If it’s easier for you, you may use the sample template we’ve provided in this guide to help you out.

Fill the Template

You may provide them a copy of the worksheet when the client understands the instructions and is comfortable answering it. Do remind them that they can contact you with questions or clarifications.

Discuss the Template

Once the client finishes the worksheet, you may discuss the answers with them if they consent. Out of all the sections, the part that may require a lot of guidance or time is Part 3, wherein the client is looking for a person who can validate the client’s rights to their needs and feelings.

Securely Store

Since the completed worksheet carries sensitive information, your client must store the physical copy securely. And just in case the client would like to carry the worksheet around, since it has the reminders they have to say to themselves daily, suggest utilizing a digital file instead and storing it on Carepatron. On Carepatron, only you, the client, and any relevant practitioners can access the file when needed.

When would you use this Exercising Your Rights to Your Needs and Feelings DBT Worksheet?

Practitioners such as psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, psychologists, social workers, family therapists, and any therapist with a DBT certification can use the Exercising Your Rights to Your Needs and Feelings DBT Worksheet in their therapy practice.

More specifically, they can use the worksheet when the client:

Has trouble asking for help
Has difficulty expressing their emotions
Share that they avoid conflicts and discussions that may upset, disappoint, or challenge other people
Have been told that their emotions and needs are irrelevant, have to be buried within themselves, or have to be pushed aside to prioritize others.’
Needs reminders of their rights to their feelings, needs, and opinions.
Need to identify people who don’t only validate their feelings but can also help and support them.

Ultimately, we leave it up to you when you give your client a copy of the worksheet since you would know best if this resource would be useful or practical.

What are the benefits of this Exercising Your Rights to Your Needs and Feelings DBT Worksheet?

Provides Insight

In one of the sections on the worksheet, the client will be asked to check statements regarding themselves in relation to their needs and feelings. These pieces of information will help you know more about the client and understand how they value their needs/feelings, thought process, environment, and source of or lack of support from others.

Positive Habit Forming

One of the sections on the worksheet has a list of statements that validate the client’s feelings and needs that they must remind themselves of as often as possible. If they follow the instructions for this part religiously, they’ll be forming the positive habit of placing value on themselves - their needs and feelings included.

Empowering

For certain clients, repeating the statements provided in the worksheet may not only stop at forming the positive habit mentioned above but also empower them to seek out the people who will support them and help them practice techniques that put them first in their lives.

Easily Accessible

Our free “Exercising Your Rights to Your Needs and Feelings DBT Worksheet”, though printable, is best used, completed, and stored as a digital file on Carepatron. That way, you or the client can access the worksheet when needed.

Commonly asked questions

A client usually takes 30 minutes to an hour to accomplish the Exercising Your Rights to Your Needs and Feelings DBT Worksheet.

The Exercising Your Rights to Your Needs and Feelings DBT Worksheet can help a person learn how to acknowledge and exercise their feelings/needs Furthermore, the worksheet can help the client find people who will support them and teach them how to value themselves, especially what they are feeling and what they need.

It’s best used when the client is doubting themselves, when the practitioner has noticed that the client is belittling their feelings/needs, or when they need support during tough times.