DBT Mindfulness Tools

DBT Mindfulness Skills are meant to:

- Merge your Logical and Emotional Mind, allowing you to see the world as it is.

- Help you to do other DBT Skills more effectively

- Increase your awareness and improve your decision-making skills

DBT Mindfulness Skills are NOT for:

- Reaching enlightenment

- Obtaining inner peace

Like all our 'Tools' apps, we'll start you off with a description of what DBT is. While DBT is a set of skills, there is also a sort of culture around it. And a way of teaching/learning it. Getting an overview of what DBT is, you can more easily see where the skills fit in, and where you can most effectively integrate them into your day-to-day.

Then we'll go over the 7 DBT Mindfulness skills:

• Wise Mind

• Observe

• Describe

• Participate

• Non-Judgmental

• One-Mindfully

• Effectiveness

Finally, we'll start you off using the Interactive Tools:

• Sensory Observation: A little game where you see a word appear on the screen indicating a sense. By playing this game, you can quickly become more in tune with your senses. For newbies, this can be a life changer. For people already accustom to practices such as Mindfulness, it can simply be a great daily exercise to warm up for the day, or even wind down at night.

• 5-3 Describe: Without going into too much detail, this is a little game that you can even practice in bed at night without any electronics. But in order to learn this game, we created an interface to help you become more present. By practicing this game (which you can do anywhere), you'll gain more presence in your body.

• Left Brain, Right Brain, Participate!: A big part of Wise Mind is participating. And in order to participate fully, we need to activate more of our mind. The typical train of thought we have while watching tv and eating junk food is the antithesis of Wise Mind. Using this tool, you go work out your logic, your emotions, and your physical senses. The result is a more present, mindful, and capable you.

• Rewriting Judgments: Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our own judgments that we forget that they are simply judgments. There's nothing wrong with judgments by themselves. We all have them. And we won't stop having them. The problem comes when we can't see past our judgments. Use this tool to help yourself rewrite some common judgments you or others may have.

• One Minute, One Mind: By learning to focus on one thing at a time, we can reset our multitasking minds. Practicing this tool, even for a minute, we can become more mindful.

• Were they Effective?: Recognizing the subtle difference between being right and being effective can mean the difference between getting along with others, and being a know-it-all. This tool will help you to see this difference and get a feel for how you can be more effective in your life. Do what works. Not what is right.

• The Silence Between Breaths: If you've ever practiced meditation, you've probably done some breathing exercises. This is a useful one to know that once you do, can be used anywhere. This tool will also let you customize it to create the best fit your comfort levels and lung capacity.

• The Acceptance Loop: Acceptance is not just a mental thing, but it is a physical thing as well. This tool will help you step through accepting small and large things. Whether it is accepting that you don't want to be at work, or that someone you loved passed away, this is the tool for you.

Many of these tools are powerful while you're first learning DBT or as a refresher. Maybe you're overwhelmed, or maybe you're just new to the skill. Beginners and Advanced DBT practitioners will find value in this app now, and for years to come should they remember to use it.

* Note that this app can integrate with the Health App by adding 'Mindful Minutes'. This is optional and giving permission will not affect your ability to use this app.