Teaching Mindfulness Skills in DBT

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) teaches mindfulness as a set of distinct skills, unlike other mindfulness-based therapies. It separates mindfulness into "What Skills" (observe, describe, participate) and "How Skills" (non-judgementally, one-mindfully, effectively). The "Wise Mind" skill helps clients synthesize logical and emotional perspectives for decision-making. Mindfulness skills are taught in skills group, strengthened in individual therapy, and generalized via phone contact. The chapter is organized around these three modes of delivery, using client examples and scenarios to demonstrate strategies for overcoming challenges in teaching these skills.

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Abstract

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) differs from other approaches by teaching mindfulness as a set of skills. In contrast to mindfulness-based therapies such as Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), DBT makes a distinction between observe, describe, and participate (the “What Skills”) and teaches each as a separate skill. DBT makes explicit the way in which these skills are practised, i.e. non-judgementally, one-mindfully, and effectively (the “How Skills”). In addition, the skill of “Wise Mind” teaches the client how to make decisions and choices that provide a synthesis of both logical and emotional perspectives. Mindfulness skills are acquired in skills group, strengthened in individual therapy, and generalized via phone contact. Thus, the chapter is organized around these three modes of delivering therapy. Client examples and scenarios demonstrate the process and strategies used with attention to overcoming challenges that can arise when teaching these skills.