Price: $24.95 - $14.99
(as of Mar 17, 2025 17:34:24 UTC – Details)
A clear and effective approach to learning evidence-based DBT skills—now in a fully revised and updated second edition.
Do you have trouble managing your emotions? First developed by Marsha M. Linehan for treating borderline personality disorder, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) has proven effective as treatment for a range of other mental health problems, and can greatly improve your ability to handle distress without losing control and acting destructively. However, to make use of these techniques, you need to build skills in four key areas: distress tolerance, mindfulness, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.
The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook, a collaborative effort from three esteemed authors, offers evidence-based, step-by-step exercises for learning these concepts and putting them to work for real and lasting change. Start by working on the introductory exercises and, after making progress, move on to the advanced-skills chapters. Whether you’re a mental health professional or a general reader, you’ll benefit from this clear and practical guide to better managing your emotions.
This fully revised and updated second edition also includes new chapters on cognitive rehearsal, distress tolerance, and self-compassion. Once you’ve completed the exercises in this book and are ready to move on to the next level, check out the authors’ new book, The New Happiness Workbook.
From the Publisher
Publisher ‏ : ‎ New Harbinger Publications; Second edition (October 1, 2019)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 296 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1684034582
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1684034581
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.35 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8 x 0.65 x 10 inches
Customers say
Customers find the book helpful in understanding their behaviors, thoughts, and emotions. They find it easy to use and understand, especially for beginners. The book provides engaging activities and exercises that break up the reading. Many consider it a good value for self-help. However, opinions vary on the depth – some find it rich and relatable, while others feel it lacks depth and expression.
Julianne –
Revolutionized how I regulate my emotions.
I have Borderline Personality Disorder, and this book has completely changed how I deal with my emotions. I bought it back in 2021, it’s currently 2025 and the lessons I learned and exercises I did within these pages made a HUGE difference with my emotional regulation. I’m still in awe as to what an impact it made on how I interact with the world around me now, instead of jumping off the handle at every turn, I’m able to R.E.S.T. when things get frenzied, and accept things (not condone, just accept) that I struggled with before.
Stumble –
My Therapist Made Me Buy This
Okay, she didn’t make me buy it but she sent me a link for it one day and I purchased it on the spot. I’ve been in therapy for like 6 years and BPD & CPTSD still make my life hard all the time. However, I agree that this book is an excellent resource. It was written by obviously very educated and experienced professionals who lay everything out in a non-judgmental and productive way that is comprehensive and easy to apply as a daily practice. There are sections with journal spaces and a lot of examples. I think calling this a “self help” book isn’t quite accurate, I’d say it’s more of a scientific resource that provides anyone who has access to it proven techniques that teach the reader invaluable skills to deal with severely distressful situations, or just life in general. If you are tired of your self destructive behavior messing up your future, you really ought to consider practicing DBT in some form. When you actually apply the techniques, and trust me it’s hard, you eventually find yourself having more valuable experiences and feeling more relaxed. I think this is an especially good resource for anyone who cannot afford to get mental health care from a professional and might not even have an official diagnosis, as you literally can not hurt anything at all by doing dialectical behavioral therapy and these skills are applicable to a huge array of situations and people. Many of the things I learned in therapy are taught in a cohesive manner in this book. Not to say this can replace therapy, if you can get professional help, you should do it. But if you can’t, this could very well take you extremely far, IF you stick to it like an exercise routine. You have to do it every day. Self care like this is hard, but we can do it. Be kind to yourself today, and good luck!
Mike R. –
Perfect for Self-Therapy
Myself and all of my mom friends feel a little better after reading this book. This understanding of the human brain, along with these diverse tip options, help with mood regulation, which is so helpful with any mood disorder, including postpartum depression. If you have any depression, or issues with intense emotions, I recommend it.
Kita –
Helpful book
I’ve been working through this book for a couple weeks now and I really enjoy it. The language is easy to understand and the examples/worksheets are good think-throughs. I find myself looking forward to sitting down for a bit to read some. I’ve noticed myself thinking about some of the concepts in my day-to-day life, which is exactly what I wanted.I read a review or two that warned about the book using food as a tool to soothe yourself and how it encourages unhealthy eating behaviors- I completely disagree with this take. The book clarified in the first paragraph of that section, that if food is problematic for you, to not partake in this suggestion. The book was going over self-soothing techniques and using our senses to become present and soothe our minds, so this suggestion is actually helpful (and suggests tea, or even an ice cube- not like it’s saying “eat a big piece of chocolate cake you pig!!!”) 🙂 just my two cents.I would recommend this book to anyone who is serious about becoming more mindful and thoughtful about how they react, treat others, and themselves!
Patricia –
Really good with a dash of warning
I have found this book immensely helpful. I’m not finished with it yet, and plan to update the review once I do. It has many ways to help you process and cope. It empowers you to take action in a way that is productive and healthy. I do recommend it.There is a word of caution that may be important for some. So far as I’ve read this book lacks a woman’s voice and input. There were a few sections which can be very triggering to women who have ever been trapped in an abusive relationship and were unsafe, or lacking resources and support to “just leave” as this book mentions (rather flippantly in a few places), without acknowledging the near impossible task it can present for some women, and the very real danger that can bring on some women and their children. I found those parts extremely triggering and retraumatizing to read it put so flippantly. It is so triggering I usually end up having to take a break from the book for a few days in those parts and spend time just trying to re-regulate myself.It also, so far, makes most of life’s problems about dealing with destructive anger. This is very important, and helpful, but again, comes up lacking, if anger is not your default-most common, or most painful issue. For abuse victims, or people who deal more with PTSD, despair, depression, fear, anxiety, and other emotions, other than anger, there is a lot of helpful information, but it does focus more on anger than these other things. The examples so far have all been about people being angry. Though I do believe the skills will help people with other things besides anger (and do help me that way).Overall, the book can be over-simplified and triggering at parts. I think for me I need to just skip those parts because otherwise I am learning a lot, and I find it helpful enough that I don’t want to give up on the book. I also am only 1/3 of the way thru it.If I could make a suggestion to the authors for the next release it would be to include more nuance, people can be suffering from many things other than difficult relationships and default anger. Poverty is traumatizing and most of the time not the fault of the poor. Natural disasters can be life destroying and can’t be helped by the victims of it. Health problems, disability and severe sickness can happen to people thru no fault of their own, but still needs to be coped thru and for those who suffer to find a way to accept it. Some people are a victim of past abuse during a vulnerable time in their life, such as childhood and are now dealing with PTSD, trying to recover. Some people are trapped and unsafe in current abuse and need help to get out and hold themselves together in the meantime. I would also say, please include a woman’s voice and input in the next release.
Angela johnson –
Good Buy
Good Book, no complaints
Kathleen paquette –
Accurate and helpful
I love the skill set this provides plus the activities and knowledge
Emily –
Does what it’s supposed to
No complaints
Luz Adriana Aristizabal –
Recomiendo ampliamente este libro! Me encanto!
Cherry –
Firstly, these people writing bad reviews because this workbook is too triggering to them. That’s the point! This book is definitely going to make most of us struggle especially when we have trauma or strong emotions. But we need that to work through it!! We need to feel uncomfortable, triggered, to get through our problems. We can’t be solved by comfort alone. We need to feel this way to learn how to cope, manage, and then overcome these feelings! With struggle comes success. I promise that. If you are scared of being pushed outside your emotional comfort zone, It will be okay. These are core skills we are learning here, and skills that will help us our entire lives! So consider the potential pros and the consMoving on, this workbook was recommended to me by my therapist. I am so thankful for that. My favourite chapter so far is 5; “MINDFUL COMMUNICATION WITH OTHERS” pages 128-133. Seriously amazing stuff, and I am hopeful that this will last with me thru my life and help me with my relationships, be it friends, partners, co workers, or acquaintances. I’m excited to read even more. I was very skeptical of this book but now I’m really grateful to have found it. I’m grateful to have many pages of advice and life skills to be taught.
Amazon Customer –
I’m happy with the purchase
Beatriz Tarragona Turu –
Grandissimo aiuto
Uliana Mukhina –
Tolles Buch, einfach zu lesen und suuuper hilfreich. Seitdem ich es angefangen habe und die Dinge umgesetzt habe, komme ich im Alltag viel besser zurecht, vor allem was starke Emotionen und BPD Rage eingeht. Must-Have für alle, die BPD haben oder denken, dass sie es haben könnten.