Applied DBT Skills for Anxiety and Mood Disorders

In this module, you’ll learn how DBT skills can be applied to understand and treat anxiety and mood disorders, including how to conceptualize symptoms through a DBT framework. You’ll be introduced to the core skills modules, mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and walking the middle path, and how to tailor them to individual clients. The module also explores how these skills can be used both as a standalone treatment and to support other therapeutic approaches.

In this module, you’ll learn how to assess and conceptualize mood and related disorders using DSM-5 diagnostic criteria and a structured DBT framework. You’ll explore the role of thorough assessment, case conceptualization, and the impact of comorbidities, alongside practical demonstrations of identifying problems and setting “life-worth-living” goals. The module also covers assessment and treatment considerations for anxiety and bipolar disorders, with guidance on applying DBT skills to these presentations.

This module focuses on how to apply DBT skills in a targeted and flexible way, or as part of a comprehensive treatment approach, depending on your client’s needs. You’ll learn how to prioritize and sequence skills, use core behavioral strategies, and link interventions directly to treatment goals for anxiety and bipolar presentations. Through therapy demonstrations, you’ll see how to assess symptoms, build motivation, and select and apply skills effectively in practice.

We explore how to establish meaningful treatment goals and build client motivation to engage in DBT skills in this module. You’ll learn how to link clients’ specific problem areas to targeted skills to increase relevance and commitment. Through therapy demonstrations, you’ll see how to conduct intake, clarify goals, and introduce key skills such as ABC and PLEASE in practice.

This module focuses on addressing anhedonia and low behavioral activation in mood disorders using DBT-informed strategies. You’ll learn how to apply skills such as accumulating positives and mindfulness to increase engagement, pleasure, and daily functioning. Through therapy demonstrations, you’ll see how to introduce, implement, and troubleshoot these strategies, and support clients in building consistency over time.

We look at working with depressed, irritable, and heightened mood using DBT emotion regulation strategies in this module. You’ll learn how to apply skills such as Check the Facts and Opposite Action, as well as how to build longer-term change by linking values to goals and accumulating positives. Through therapy demonstrations, you’ll see how to implement these interventions in session, including supporting validation and addressing mood patterns in depression and bipolar disorder.

This module focuses on understanding and treating anxious mood using core DBT skills. You’ll learn how to apply mindfulness, distress tolerance, and emotion regulation strategies—such as paced breathing, Check the Facts, and Opposite Action—to help clients manage anxiety effectively. Through therapy demonstrations, you’ll see how to teach these skills in session and support clients in preparing for anxiety-provoking situations using tools like Cope Ahead.

We focus on addressing interpersonal challenges using DBT interpersonal effectiveness skills in this module. You’ll learn how to help clients clarify their goals in relationships and apply structured strategies such as FAST, GIVE, and DEAR MAN to navigate conflict and communicate effectively. Through therapy demonstrations, you’ll see how these skills can be taught and applied in practice, including with clients experiencing anxiety and bipolar-related interpersonal difficulties.

In this module, the focus is on addressing sleep, eating, and physiological regulation difficulties using DBT skills. You’ll learn how to apply strategies such as PLEASE, problem solving, and distress tolerance techniques to support physical wellbeing and reduce vulnerability to mood symptoms. Through therapy demonstrations, you’ll see how to build motivation, target health-related behaviors, and help clients manage distressing physical sensations associated with anxiety and bipolar disorder.

This module explores emotional and behavioral avoidance in mood and anxiety disorders and its impact on clients’ functioning. You’ll learn how to apply DBT skills such as mindfulness of current emotion, radical acceptance, and opposite action to reduce avoidance and increase engagement with difficult experiences. Through therapy demonstrations, you’ll see how to support clients in building acceptance and responding more effectively to challenging emotions.