DBT Distress Tolerance Skills

Distress tolerance skills refer to a type of intervention in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) where clients learn to manage distress in a healthy way. These skills are helpful for situations where a client might not be able to control a situation, but they need to manage their own response.

Use this DBT worksheet to summarize distress tolerance techniques including radical acceptance, self-soothing with senses, and distraction. This worksheet should be paired with education about these skills during session, practice, and discussion.