The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for Bipolar Disorder

What is The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for Bipolar Disorder by Sheri Van Dijk about?

• Comprehensive DBT resource: The workbook provides a practical, compassionate guide to understanding and managing bipolar disorder using Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills.
• Focus on emotional control: It teaches readers how to regulate overwhelming emotions, cope with distress, and improve relationships through mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness.
• Personal stories and exercises: The book combines real-life examples with step-by-step exercises, making complex concepts accessible and actionable for people with bipolar disorder and their families.

Why should I read The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for Bipolar Disorder by Sheri Van Dijk?

• Tailored for bipolar disorder: Unlike general DBT books, this workbook addresses the unique challenges of bipolar disorder, such as mood swings, emotional dysregulation, and co-occurring anxiety.
• Empowering and practical: It offers actionable tools, worksheets, and exercises to help readers regain control over their emotions and lives, rather than feeling helpless to brain chemistry.
• Support for families: The workbook includes guidance for family members, helping them understand bipolar disorder and support their loved ones more effectively.

What are the key takeaways from The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for Bipolar Disorder by Sheri Van Dijk?

• DBT skills for bipolar: The book adapts DBT’s four core skill sets—mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness—to the specific needs of people with bipolar disorder.
• Emotions as full-system responses: It explains how emotions involve bodily sensations, thoughts, urges, and behaviors, and how understanding this can help manage mood swings.
• Validation and radical acceptance: The workbook emphasizes the importance of validating emotions and practicing radical acceptance to reduce suffering and improve emotional balance.

What is bipolar disorder according to Sheri Van Dijk’s workbook, and how does it affect emotions?

• Biological mood disorder: Bipolar disorder is described as a biological illness causing shifts in mood, energy, and functioning, with episodes ranging from mania to depression.
• Spectrum of symptoms: The book details different forms—mania, hypomania, mixed episodes, and psychosis—and highlights the wide variability in symptoms and severity.
• Lifelong management: Ongoing treatment, including medication and psychotherapy, is necessary to maintain stability and prevent relapse.

How does Sheri Van Dijk adapt Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for bipolar disorder in her workbook?

• Focus on emotion regulation: DBT skills are tailored to help people with bipolar disorder manage intense emotions and mood instability.
• Four skill categories: Mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness are each adapted with specific exercises and examples relevant to bipolar challenges.
• Evidence-based approach: While research is still emerging, clinical experience and initial studies suggest DBT can reduce suicidality, self-harm, and mood symptoms in bipolar disorder.

What are the four key DBT skill sets taught in The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for Bipolar Disorder?

• Mindfulness: Teaches present-moment awareness and nonjudgmental observation of thoughts, feelings, and sensations.
• Distress tolerance: Provides tools to survive crises and manage intense emotions without resorting to self-destructive behaviors.
• Emotion regulation: Helps identify, understand, and change emotional responses to reduce mood swings and impulsivity.
• Interpersonal effectiveness: Improves communication, assertiveness, and relationship skills to foster healthier connections.

How does Sheri Van Dijk define and teach mindfulness in her DBT workbook for bipolar disorder?

• Present-moment focus: Mindfulness is described as intentionally paying attention to the here and now without judgment.
• Practical exercises: The workbook includes activities like mindful breathing, eating, and observing thoughts to build mindfulness skills gradually.
• Benefits for bipolar disorder: Practicing mindfulness can reduce anxiety, improve sleep, increase self-awareness, and help prevent mood episodes.

What are the three ways of thinking—emotion mind, reasoning mind, and wise mind—in Sheri Van Dijk’s workbook, and why are they important?

• Emotion mind: Dominated by feelings, leading to impulsive or reactive behaviors.
• Reasoning mind: Focuses on logic and facts, sometimes neglecting emotions and leading to disconnection.
• Wise mind: Integrates emotion and reason, enabling balanced, values-based decisions and effective coping.
• Key to self-management: Recognizing and accessing wise mind helps people with bipolar disorder make healthier choices and avoid impulsive reactions.

How does The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for Bipolar Disorder explain the role of validation and radical acceptance in managing emotions?

• Validation reduces suffering: Accepting and acknowledging emotions without judgment helps prevent secondary painful emotions like guilt or anger.
• Radical acceptance: Involves fully accepting reality as it is, which reduces unnecessary suffering and frees up energy for problem-solving.
• Practical exercises: The workbook provides tools to identify invalidating thoughts and practice self-validation and radical acceptance in daily life.

What strategies does Sheri Van Dijk recommend for tolerating and reducing the intensity of emotions in bipolar disorder?

• Mindfulness of experience: Observing thoughts, emotions, and sensations increases awareness and creates distance from overwhelming feelings.
• Opposite-to-emotion action: Deliberately acting opposite to emotional urges (e.g., reaching out when depressed) can reduce emotional intensity.
• Increasing positive emotions: Engaging in pleasurable activities and setting realistic goals helps balance mood and promote well-being.

How does The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for Bipolar Disorder address anxiety disorders that often co-occur with bipolar disorder?

• High prevalence and impact: The workbook explains that over half of people with bipolar disorder also experience anxiety disorders, which can worsen mood stability and functioning.
• Types and symptoms: It covers generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, and panic disorder, detailing their symptoms and relationship to bipolar disorder.
• Exposure therapy techniques: The book teaches gradual exposure to feared situations and sensations, using tools like SUDS (subjective units of distress) to track progress.

What practical exercises and tools are included in Sheri Van Dijk’s DBT workbook for bipolar disorder?

• Emotion identification worksheets: Help readers track triggers, physical sensations, thoughts, urges, and behaviors for six basic emotions.
• Observing Thoughts Diary: Assists in distinguishing thoughts from feelings and identifying automatic negative thoughts.
• Opposite-to-Emotion Action Worksheet: Guides readers in practicing behaviors opposite to their emotional urges.
• Exposure and communication tools: Includes exposure therapy hierarchies, SUDS graphs, and assertive communication scripts for real-life application.