DBT Opposite Action Worksheet
By
HappierTherapy
Author bio
The Happier Therapy editorial team is made up of Masters and PhD counselling psychologists. Each worksheet is created by a team member with exposure to and experience in the subject matter. The worksheet then gets reviewed by a more senior editorial member. This is someone with extensive knowledge of the subject matter and highly cited published material.
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What is the theory behind this DBT Opposite Action Worksheet?
DBT opposite action theory explains that choosing what to do rather than reacting to our emotions helps us tolerate distress. Sometimes we all make wrong decisions under the influence of our emotions. The opposite action worksheet has been designed on the basic skill of doing the opposite of experienced emotion to weaken its intensity and release distress.
How will the worksheet help?
It will facilitate your dealing with negative emotions by introducing adequate action despite adopting unhealthy coping. It will help you tolerate distress and prevent you from harming yourself.
How to use the worksheet?
The individual will first understand the concept of opposite action and its purpose. Afterward, they can learn about some examples of opposite actions to practice later. Lastly, there is a record form to facilitate the therapist checking how individuals use this activity to release their distress.