The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook: Practical DBT Exercises for Learning Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness, Emotion Regulation, ... (A New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook)

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

Good Book, no complaints