Coaching Techniques and Client Feedback

A positive event that is added to increase the likelihood of a behavior.

A negative event that is removed to increase the likelihood of a behavior.

Consequences of a behavior that naturally occur without anyone intentionally planning them.

Consequences of a behavior that are intentionally set up by someone to motivate a desired behavior.

Information given to clients about their performance, focusing solely on the behaviors observed, not on assumed motivations.

A skills trainer should provide clear and specific details about the client's behavior, highlighting actions that indicate either ongoing challenges or improvements.

Individuals with emotion dysregulation often struggle to receive and process feedback because it is often intertwined with assumptions about their motivations and intentions.

When clients discount or disregard valuable feedback because it comes with assumptions about their motives, they miss the opportunity to learn from their behavior.

A process of identifying the environmental and behavioral factors that influence a client's problem situation.

The ability to notice and describe specific events, behaviors, and thoughts, like a mental camera.

The skill of being able to notice and describe what happened before, during, and after a problem situation.

Using the skills being taught to help the client solve problems and improve their well-being.

A type of intervention used when skills don't work as expected, involving a careful analysis of what went wrong and how to improve.

The task of a skills trainer is to help clients learn and apply new skills to manage their difficulties.

Encouraging clients to come up with ideas to address their challenges and participate actively in the problem-solving process.

A strategy that helps to cope with difficult situations by stopping negative thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It involves four steps: (1) Stop, (2) Observe, (3) Describe, and (4) Participate.

A component of DBT that focuses on skills for managing difficult emotions and situations.

A distress tolerance skill that helps to manage stress and anxiety by calming the body. This includes techniques such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness.

A distress tolerance skill that helps to manage difficult emotions and situations by accepting them without judgment. This involves focusing on the present moment and accepting that life is full of ups and downs.

A distress tolerance skill that helps to manage difficult emotions and situations by focusing on the present moment. This involves paying attention to your senses, thoughts, and feelings without judgment.

A distress tolerance skill that helps to manage difficult emotions and situations by distracting yourself from them. This involves engaging in activities that you enjoy and that take your mind off of your problems.

A component of DBT that focuses on building skills for improving relationships and communication.

A core principle of DBT that emphasizes finding balance and compromise between opposing forces.

A set of skills that help to manage difficult emotions and situations by learning to cope with cravings and urges.

A component of DBT that focuses on skills for improving emotion regulation.

A set of skills that help to improve emotion regulation by managing difficult emotions and urges.

A set of skills that help to manage difficult emotions and situations by finding ways to reduce your vulnerability to them.

A strategy for managing difficult emotions and situations by taking action to change the situation.

A set of skills that help to manage difficult emotions and situations by promoting a balance between acceptance and change.

A component of DBT that focuses on skills for improving overall well-being and building a life worth living.

A method of therapy where individuals from the client's social network, usually family or partners, are taught the DBT skills to support the client's progress. This approach aims to create a supportive environment where the client can practice the skills they are learning in therapy, improving their generalization and application in real-life situations.

People with high emotional dysregulation often rely more on external environmental regulation for their emotions and behaviors instead of internal self-regulation. This means they need a structured and supportive environment to stay regulated. DBT recognizes this and advocates for tailoring therapy towards the individual's strengths and needs.

A crucial part of DBT therapy involves maximizing the client's natural environment to reinforce healthy behaviors. This means creating situations where performing skilled behaviors is easier and more rewarding than giving in to disruptive urges. This could involve creating structure, making public commitments, or utilizing social support systems effectively.

DBT does not prioritize internal self-regulation over external environmental regulation but emphasizes working with the individual's strengths. The goal is to help people manage their emotions and behaviors, not to force them into a specific way of regulating.

Individuals with high emotional dysregulation often benefit from learning skills that help them create structure and routine in their lives. This could involve setting clear schedules, establishing boundaries, and managing time effectively. These strategies provide a sense of control and reduce the likelihood of emotional breakdowns.

Teaching clients how to make public commitments regarding their behaviors can significantly contribute to their success in DBT. This involves openly declaring their intentions or goals, increasing accountability and social support. Public commitments can empower individuals to stick to their plans and strengthen their willpower.

DBT practitioners recognize that individuals with high emotional dysregulation often struggle to receive feedback effectively. This is because they may perceive feedback as judgment or personal attacks, leading them to discount valuable insights and hinder their progress.

In DBT, therapists focus on providing feedback that is specific to the client's behavior, avoiding assumptions or interpretations of their motivations. This clear and objective approach helps clients understand the consequences of their actions without triggering emotional distress or defensiveness.

The process of paying attention to a client's successful use of skills, even when they might be hesitant to share their struggles.

A skills trainer notices patterns, both effective and rigid, in a client's behavior and provides feedback to improve skill usage.

Skills trainers help clients learn how to use skills effectively in different situations, improving their ability to manage challenges.

Clients actively participate in the problem-solving process by sharing their experiences and working together to identify solutions.

It's important to encourage clients to help each other during problem-solving, but not every situation can be changed.

Encouraging clients to share examples of similar problems or skill applications to promote generalization of learned skills across different scenarios.

Clients expressing their detailed experiences with using the skills in specific challenging events of the week, highlighting both successes and difficulties.

Leaders observing patterns in clients' skill usage over time, identifying areas for improvement and skill refinement.

Clients may be hesitant to provide honest feedback about skill usage due to fear of judgment, self-criticism, or feeling overwhelmed.

Clients often skip the process of examining actual events and jump directly into negative self-criticism, attributing skill failures to personal flaws.

Negative and self-deprecating statements made by clients when explaining why skills didn't work, without examining the specific events or context.

Clients readily accepting the idea that their situation is unchangeable and skills won't help, even if they haven't tried or explored alternatives.

Clients dismissing feedback as invalid or irrelevant because it is perceived as being motivated by judgment or assumptions about their intentions.