The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook

Practical DBT Exercises for Learning Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness, Emotion Regulation, and Distress Tolerance

By: Matthew McKay PhD, Jeffrey C. Wood PsyD, Jeffrey Brantley MD

Narrated by: Michael Riley

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.

©2019 Matthew McKay, Jeffrey C. Wood, Jeffrey Brantley (P)2025 New Harbinger Publications

Critic reviews

“As a fellow dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) consumer, DBT therapist, and DBT author, I am always on the lookout for simple, practical, and effective ways of making DBT skills usable, accessible, and applicable to the average reader. In this book, you will find just that! Even after using, teaching, researching, and writing about DBT concepts for more than a decade, I now have a richer understanding of DBT that I am excited to try on myself...and share with others!”
—Kirby Reutter, PhD, bilingual clinical psychologist with the Department of Homeland Security, and author of The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for PTSD (Kirby Reutter, PhD)

“For people who struggle with intense, painful emotions, this workbook is a great resource. It teaches the skills of DBT, including the newest skills, and provides examples and exercises to strengthen learning. Those who apply themselves to the program outlined in this book will acquire the skills necessary to experience strong emotions without resorting to behavior patterns that harm relationships and decrease quality of life. DBT skills, used daily as directed, change lives for the better!”
—Cedar R. Koons, LCSW, is an LBC-DBT-certified DBT therapist, a mindfulness retreat leader, an international DBT consultant, and author of The Mindfulness Solution for Intense Emotions (Cedar R. Koons, LCSW)

“The authors have produced yet another example of accessible and clear instructions for those coping with overwhelming emotions like guilt, anger, shame, and anxiety. The acronyms used are simple and easy to remember. The many examples and exercises in the book assist the reader to do the work that DBT demands. While staying true to the DBT model, the authors go beyond Linehan to synthesize adaptations of research and clinical instruments useful for both home and clinic. I was particularly impressed with their inclusion of exposure-based cognitive rehearsal, so the user deals with intense emotions in the moment.”
—Thomas Marra, PhD, author of Depressed and Anxious, Dialectical Behavior Therapy in Private Practice, and the forthcoming The Path of Wisdom on Emotion Regulation (Thomas Marra, PhD)