DBT mindfulness skills

Mindfulness is the first skill set taught in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). In DBT, mindfulness means being fully aware of this one moment, on purpose.^2,3 It is the base for the other three DBT skill sets: distress tolerance, emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness.

DBT was first built to help people with very strong emotions and thoughts of suicide.^1,2 But the mindfulness skills are simple and useful for almost anyone. This page explains wise mind, the "what" skills and the "how" skills, and gives you steps to practice them.

Why mindfulness comes first in DBT

When an emotion is very strong, it can take over. You may act before you think, then feel worse afterward. Mindfulness gives you a moment of space between the feeling and what you do next.

The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health describes DBT as a therapy that builds awareness of your present situation and your emotional state.¹ DBT counts mindfulness among its "acceptance" skills.² These help you see things as they are before you try to change them.

Every other DBT skill works better when you can first notice what is happening in you and around you.

Wise mind: where feeling and thinking meet

DBT describes three "states of mind." Everyone moves between them every day.⁶

Neither emotion mind nor reasonable mind is bad. Feelings tell you what matters to you. Logic helps you plan. Wise mind is not a compromise between them. It is a quiet, inner sense of what fits the whole situation.⁶

You may already know wise mind from a time you made a good choice under pressure.

The "what" skills: what you do when you practice

Linehan's skills manual, the main guide DBT teachers use, gives teaching notes for the full range of mindfulness skills.⁴ The "what" skills are the three actions of mindfulness. You usually do one at a time.

• Observe. Notice what is happening without trying to change it. This can be a sound, the feeling of your feet on the floor, or an emotion rising in your chest. You can picture a feeling as a wave that rises and falls, and watch it instead of fighting it.⁷
• Describe. Put what you notice into plain words. "I feel tightness in my throat." "I am having the thought that no one cares." Putting it into words can help you see that you have a feeling, but you are not the feeling.⁷
• Participate. Throw yourself fully into what you are doing. Sing the song, play the game, fold the laundry. You let go of watching yourself from the outside and simply take part.

The "how" skills: how you do it

The "how" skills describe the attitude you bring while you observe, describe or participate.

• Nonjudgmentally. Notice the facts without labeling them "good" or "bad," "awful" or "stupid." You can still have preferences. You just drop the harsh words that pile extra pain on top. This fits DBT's wider focus on accepting hard thoughts and feelings instead of fighting them.¹¹
• One-mindfully. Do one thing at a time. When you eat, just eat. When you talk with someone, just listen. When your mind wanders, gently bring it back, as many times as it takes.
• Effectively. Do what works in this situation, not what feels "right" or "fair" in the moment. Keep your real goal in mind. For example, staying calm in a doctor's office may help you get the care you need, even if you feel like arguing.

How to practice, step by step

Skills groups teach DBT like a class. The leader shows a skill, and people practice at home between meetings.³ You can start on your own with the steps below. Choose a calm moment first, so the skills are ready when you need them.

Practice 1: Finding wise mind (about 5 minutes)

1. Get comfortable. Sit in a steady chair with your feet on the floor. You can keep your eyes open and rest your gaze on one spot.
2. Breathe slowly. Let your breath go in and out at its own pace for a few rounds. Notice the pause at the end of each out-breath.
3. Name your emotion mind. Ask, "What do my feelings want right now?" Say the answer silently, without judging it.
4. Name your reasonable mind. Ask, "What do the facts say? What are my long-term goals?"
5. Ask wise mind. On an in-breath, silently ask, "What is wise here?" On the out-breath, listen. Do not force an answer. Some people picture sinking slowly into calm water, or walking down a staircase toward their center.⁶
6. Notice what comes. An answer may be a word, a picture or a sense of calm. If nothing comes, that is fine. Try again later.

Practice 2: Observe and describe (2 to 3 minutes)

1. Pick one sense. Choose sound, touch or sight.
2. Observe. For one minute, just notice. If you chose sound, notice a clock, traffic or your own breathing.
3. Describe. Silently put words to it. "A car passing. A bird. A hum from the fridge."
4. Catch judgments. If a judgment shows up, such as "that noise is so annoying," notice it. Then go back to describing: "A loud, high sound."
5. Return gently. When your mind drifts to plans or worries, notice where it went. Then bring it back to your chosen sense.

Practice 3: One-mindful daily activity (any length)

1. Choose one daily task. Washing dishes, brushing your teeth, making tea or walking to the mailbox all work.
2. Do only that task. Put away your phone and turn off the TV.
3. Participate fully. Notice the warmth of the water, the smell of the tea or the weight of your steps.
4. Bring yourself back. Each time your mind wanders, return to the task with kindness, not scolding.

Using the skills in later life and caregiving

You do not need to sit on the floor or close your eyes to practice. A chair, a recliner or even a hospital bed works. If hearing is hard, focus on touch or sight instead of sound. Short practices of one to three minutes count.

Wise mind can help with the many hard choices of later life and caregiving. When you feel torn between guilt and good sense, pause and ask what wise mind says. One-mindful listening can also help you stay present with a loved one living with dementia, even when the conversation is confusing. See our pages for older adults and caregivers.

What the research shows

Most studies have tested DBT as a full package, not mindfulness alone. A 2020 Cochrane review (a careful summary of many studies) looked at 75 trials of talk therapy for borderline personality disorder. DBT was the most studied therapy. Compared with usual care, it reduced symptoms and self-harm and helped daily functioning. But the reviewers rated the quality of this evidence as low, so future studies could change the picture.⁸

General mindfulness programs have been studied more. For anxiety and depression, they seem to help about as much as other proven therapies, though many studies have limits.⁹ To learn about those programs, see mindfulness and our four-week mindfulness lessons.

Is it safe? Who should be careful

Mindfulness is low-risk for most people. But it is not risk-free. In one review of 83 studies, about 8 in 100 people reported a bad effect, most often more anxiety or low mood. That is similar to other talk therapies.⁹

Learning DBT skills with a guide

Self-practice is a good start, but DBT skills are usually learned in a group with a trained leader. In standard DBT, a skills group meets weekly for about 2.5 hours. The full set of skills takes about 24 weeks, and many programs repeat it for a full year. Shorter skills-only groups also exist.^2,3 Standard DBT also adds weekly individual therapy and phone coaching between sessions.²

Marsha Linehan, who created DBT, wrote the main teaching manual and a book of client handouts and worksheets. Both were updated in revised editions in 2025.^4,5 A therapist can walk you through the handouts.

To find a DBT-certified clinician or program, you can search the directory of the DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, a nonprofit.¹⁰ For general help finding and paying for care, see how to find a therapist and paying for therapy.

My mind will not stop wandering. Am I doing it wrong?

No. Wandering is what minds do. The practice is noticing that you drifted and coming back. Each return is one "rep," like lifting a weight.

I do not feel calm afterward. Is it working?

Calm is a nice side effect, but it is not the goal. The goal is to notice what is here, so you can choose what to do next. Some days you will feel calmer, and some days you will not.

How is DBT mindfulness different from meditation?

Mindfulness is one type of meditation.⁹ DBT teaches it as a set of practical skills for daily life.³ You can practice while talking, cooking or walking, not only while sitting still.

What should I learn next?

Next, try distress tolerance skills. They help you get through a crisis without making it worse. For an overview of all four skill sets, go back to the DBT main page.

Education only. This page is general information written from the sources listed. It is not medical, legal or financial advice and does not replace a doctor, therapist or lawyer who knows your situation. How we write and check pages.