The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Diary

Book excerpt: Write and chart to restore emotional balance with this evidence-based diary. Do you struggle with intense emotions? Difficult emotions like anger, fear, sadness, guilt, and shame are part of being human; but when they get out of control, these emotions can also cause us severe pain. When you’re in the grip of an emotional storm, it’s all too easy to overreact, lash out at others, or become angry with yourself. Fortunately, there is help. Dialectical behavior therapy, or DBT, can help you find inner calm when your feelings become too painful or out of your control. And one of the key elements of a DBT treatment protocol is keeping a diary to chart your emotions. From the authors of the self-help classic, The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook, this diary offers daily writing prompts to help you master and chart your progress using the core skills of dialectical behavior therapy—mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance. Most importantly, you’ll find practical ways to put these skills to work, every day. With this fully revised and updated second edition, you will: Learn new techniques to use when you feel overwhelmed Observe and record your progress each day Find out which coping strategies work best for you Discover nutrition and lifestyle changes that can make you feel better The diary also includes new skills based on recent DBT research; exercises using exposure-based cognitive rehearsal (EBCR); and space for you to monitor your successes, chart your progress, and stay on track making productive changes in your life.