The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for Anxiety

60 The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook

CREATE NEW COPING STRATEGIES FOR

DISTRESSING SIT uATIONS WHEN YOu’ RE ALONE

Distressing Situation Old Coping Strategies Unhealthy

Consequences

New Coping

Strategies

Healthier Possible

Consequences

Example: Sometimes

I feel scared when I’m

alone.

I smoke pot. I go to the

bar and drink. I cut

myself. I spend money

on my credit cards.

I feel sick after smoking

or drinking too much.

I get into fights at the

bar. I bleed. I spend too

much money for things I

don’t need.

Use mindful breathing.

Remember my connec-

tion to the universe. Use

safe-place visualization.

Remember what I value.

I won’t feel as anxious.

I won’t hurt myself. I’ll

have more money. I’ll

feel more relaxed.

1.

2.

3.

4.

On each worksheet, pick four distressing situations from the past and examine how you
coped with them. Identify the unhealthy coping strategies you used and what the consequences
were for you and anyone else who was involved. Then record which new distress tolerance skills
could have been used to cope with those situations in a healthier way. Review chapters 1 and 2
and pick the distress tolerance skills that you found to be helpful. Consider these to be options for
the “New Coping Strategies” column as you’re completing the two worksheets. Most importantly,
be specific. If you write, “Use a new coping thought,” write what that thought is. Or if you write,
“Take a time-out,” include what you’re going to do. Be specific so you don’t forget in the future.
Finally, record what the healthier consequences would have been if you had used your new distress
tolerance skills.