1. [About and Rules](https://dbt-p2p.com/post/2) (if you haven’t already). 2. Crisis Resources 1. If you are currently experiencing a crisis please utilize [these resources](https://dbt-p2p.com/post/1) or contact emergency services. This support group is not designed for crisis assistance. 2. For a minor, non-threatening emergency my skill recommendation is one of the TIPP skills. [TIPP](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIXQOb4klUw) is the best set of emergency coping skills for most people new to DBT because it uses your body’s natural reflexes that are already there. You could also try looking at some of the other skills in the [Distress Tolerance](https://dbt-p2p.com/c/distresstolerance) module, but TIPP takes less practice for most people. Do not overuse distress tolerance skills like TIPP. You can build up a tolerance similar to how people develop tolerance to medications and substances. You need to keep going and learn more sustainable skills and learn how to keep your distress tolerance skills working over time. 3. If it's another person you're having a problem with, you're almost definitely looking for [DEAR MAN](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el_O72aTZzE) or [FAST](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxXR6apBTOU) from the [Interpersonal Effectiveness](https://dbt-p2p.com/c/interpersonal) module. (Usually DEAR man if you're trying to get them to do something and FAST if you need them to stop doing something). 4. For general skills advice try the [Which Skill?](https://dbt-p2p.com/c/skillscoaching) group. 3. Peer support is recommended as an important part of a recovery plan that also includes professional therapy. [Here are some ways to locate a therapist in your area.](https://dbt-p2p.com/post/3) Try to commit to contacting one provider a day until you have an appointment. 4. If you are waiting for a first mental health appointment, it can help to develop a [safety plan](https://dbt-p2p.com/post/6). This is a list of your personal coping mechanisms to try, people to talk to, places to go, and crisis resources to contact. This plan can help you temporarily avoid going to the ER or being hospitalized while you wait for an outpatient appointment. There are more examples in the [printables](https://dbt-p2p.com/c/printables) community. However you create this plan, keep it somewhere you can always get to quickly like your wallet, car, or pinned to the top of your notes app. 5. Get a DBT workbook. [Here is where to buy the official up to date version from the Linehan Institute (and where to get a bootleg version off the internet)](https://dbt-p2p.com/post/7). 6. Get a [diary card](https://dbt-p2p.com/post/4) or [mood tracker app](https://dbt-p2p.com/post/5) and fill it out as close to once a day as possible throughout each week. This is kinda like meta-mindfulness. In addition to being more in-the-moment, you’re also going to learn to check-in with yourself regularly and think about how your moods affect your behavior (and how your behavior affects your mood!). You can also find examples of these in the printables magazine. A therapist would go over this diary card with you weekly. This would be a highly public forum to be posting that much detail about your life, so posting your entire diary card publicly each week is discouraged. You are encouraged to review sensitive details with someone you trust and whose opinion you respect, ideally a licensed therapist. If you'd like to post little overall updates and thoughts on your diary card, use the blog that's part of your account. 7. Go through the modules one skill per week, which will take about 6 months. Try to find a way to apply that skill in your daily life at least once during that week. Do mindfulness for again in-between each of the other Modules. Once you are in a formal skills group, follow along wherever they are currently. Most people need at least two full cycles through all of the skills before they understand them well, or about a year total. Some need even more repetitions, and if that’s you, that’s fine and a normal variation. You could also take a break after one year and revisit the therapy at a later time. Different places and workbooks list the skills different ways and in different orders. This is my recommended order as a peer who has completed the program and who knows nothing about you personally: [Mindfulness](https://dbt-p2p.com/c/mindfulness) is the most important module in DBT and one of the hardest to master. It can be hard for beginners, so if you’re having a lot of trouble, watch a meditation video the first week then skip to distress tolerance. 1. Wise Mind (Dialectics, Dualities, and “AND” Statements) 2. Observe -> Describe -> Participate 3. Nonjudgmental stance 4. One-mindfully and Effectiveness (Life ain’t fair, do what works) 5. Radical Acceptance 6. [Quick Meditation videos for people who struggle with mindfulness](https://dbt-p2p.com/post/8) [Distress Tolerance](https://dbt-p2p.com/c/distresstolerance) 1. TIPP and STOP 2. Turning the Mind and Opposite to Emotion Action 3. Pros and Cons 4. Distract with ACCEPTS and IMPROVE the Moment 5. Sensory Self-Soothe [Interpersonal Effectiveness](https://dbt-p2p.com/c/interpersonal) 1. FAST 2. DEAR MAN 3. GIVE [Emotion Regulation](https://dbt-p2p.com/c/emotionregulation) 1. PLEASE reduce vulnerability 2. Check the Facts 3. Build Mastery

# About This is a peer-led (non-professional) resource and community to supplement a professional Dialectal Behavior Therapy (DBT) Program, or provide information to someone still trying to access Professional DBT Therapy. This is not a replacement for professional DBT Therapy. DBT is a therapy that has been proven effective for numerous disorders, but was designed specifically for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), which had no proven treatment at the time. It was designed by Dr. Marsha Linehan, a licensed psychologist who had once been diagnosed with BPD herself. Dr. Linehan found relief from a combination of Zen Buddhism and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). DBT is the result of her merging the mindfulness practices of Zen Buddhism with the modern psychology concepts of CBT. Professional DBT Therapy has been proven effective for numerous disorders since, but takes a long time for a professional to learn and become certified in. This means DBT can be difficult to access for people living rurally and/or in poverty. # General Rules Petty name-calling and general assholery may occasionally be forgiven after a cool-off ban period of 30 days AND an apology is given to both admin and the victim. The victim (assuming they were not also banned) may also be asked if they are comfortable with you returning. The following things are absolutely disallowed and you will be banned permanently: - Telling someone else to kill themselves or that you will kill yourself as a result of their action or inaction. - Hate-speech against any gender, race, religion, culture, sexuality, age, and whatever else I forgot that people can’t help and you shouldn’t be mean about. Expressing that you personally have experienced hardship in your life due to some kind of prejudice is fine, but the overgeneralizations typical of prejudice and any slurs will earn a permaban. - Doxxing - Trolling - Illegal content, specifically (but not limited to) child pornography - Nudity that is not obviously and explicitly artistic or educational AND tagged NSFW including the chest of both men and women. Keep your shirts on, folks. # Mental-Health Specific Rules Out of respect for your other peers we ask that you not discuss suicide methods in any detail, but other discussions on the topic including nonspecific thoughts are acceptable as long as they are only posted in the "venting" community. Please use tags for these common types of distressing content: - [Suicide] - [Self-Harm] - [Sexual Content] - [Sexual Violence] - [Interpersonal Violence/Abuse] - [Eating Disorder] - (including binge-eating disorder) - [Serious Injury/Illness] # Fediverse Specific Rules This server is powered by Lemmy, which makes it a part of a larger set of servers called the “Fediverse.” It is important to me that my server members be able to access the larger Fediverse, and that the larger Fediverse can access this server. If you go out there and act a damn fool, it looks bad on me and my server and they might “de-federate” us which is basically blocking our entire server. In most cases, I would rather ban you personally than risk defederation. Please keep that in mind when you use credentials from my server to post on others.

This server is not designed to manage crises, even from a peer support perspective. Please either utilize [Wikipedia's Comprehensive Worldwide List of Crisis Phone Lines](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicide_crisis_lines) or utilize the [7 Cups of Tea Peer and Volunteer Support Community](https://www.7cups.com/).

There is one skills group community for each module. Please tag the title of your post with either [Example] if you are showing off an example of how you used a skill, and [Question] if you are looking for help using a specific skill. Use the "What Skill?" Skills Coaching community if you want to get community input on which skill is best for a situation you are in currently. - [Mindfulness](https://dbt-p2p.com/c/mindfulness) - [Distress Tolerance](https://dbt-p2p.com/c/distresstolerance) - [Interpersonal Effectiveness](https://dbt-p2p.com/c/interpersonal) - [Emotion Regulation](https://dbt-p2p.com/c/emotionregulation) - ["What Skill?" Skills Coaching](https://dbt-p2p.com/c/skillscoaching)

What it says on the tin

[Mindfulness for people who can’t sit still](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xa4ODaKKchI) [Mindfulness for people with adhd/who can’t focus](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5EqO8CQ_cQ) [Mindfulness for people don’t like stuffy/formal therapy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92i5m3tV5XY)

[Here's where to buy a DBT workbook on amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Dialectical-Behavior-Therapy-Skills-Workbook-dp-1684034582/dp/1684034582/ref=dp_ob_title_bk) [Here's a place to download one that is less up-to-date, but it's free.](https://lissongroveandwoolwellmc.co.uk/_common/getdocument/115333)

[Option 1](https://988lifeline.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Brown_StanleySafetyPlanTemplate1.pdf) [Option 2](https://www.healthquality.va.gov/guidelines/MH/srb/PHCoEPatientSafetyPlanSelfPrint3302020508.pdf) [Foldable Wallet Version](https://www.getselfhelp.co.uk/docs/SafetyPlanCards.pdf) You could also opt to not print this out or write it down and just keep it in your phone

These two apps have functions to track items very similar to a diary card: - [Daylio](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.daylio) - [Moodpress](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.selfcare.diary.mood.tracker.moodpress)

Many also have cute fonts or colors, but I wasn't able to find any of those. If you have a link to some cute ones though, feel free to post them here. [Option 1 from the University of Washington including instructions.](https://depts.washington.edu/uwbrtc/wp-content/uploads/NIMH4-S-DBT-Diary-Cards-with-Instructions.pdf) [Option 2 from "Beaches Therapy."](https://www.beachestherapy.com/uploads/3/9/8/7/39872079/diary_card.pdf)

[Psychology Today](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists?search) also has a therapist search option, and there is a search filter for DBT specifically.