Recovery Record has a large searchable library of skills that are really helpful for finding just the skill to send to, or adapt for your patients. We provided a selection here and the rest are available inside Recovery Record for Clinicians.
When experiencing an urge or distressing feeling, look around you and name 5 colors, 5 sounds, 5 things you can touch, 5 things you can taste, and 5 things you can smell.
Identify one measurable thing that you can do today that leads you closer to what you value. Today I commit to calling a friend or loved one, which is in line with my value of being a person who reaches out to connect with other people they care about.
You may not notice right away, but making one small change to your daily routine can have big results in the long term. Instead of picking your trickiest area, pick the issue that you can most easily visualize improving on.
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Defusion is stepping back from thoughts instead of being pushed around by them. Notice what your mind is telling you right now.
Watch your thoughts come and go like a passing cloud or cars driving by your house. Step back from your thoughts without judging them. Just notice them.
The mind can be like a salesman. Consider a thought you have. What do you get if you “buy” into that thought - where does it leave you, and does it bring you closer to your goals and values? For example, consider the thought: "I do not deserve to recover." Is "buying" this thought a good investment? Does buying into it take you where you want to go in your life?
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Acceptance means opening up and making room for painful feelings, sensations and urges. Rather than battling these things, practice giving them space to just be. Acceptance can allow you to act on your values rather than your feelings.
Think about a difficult feeling that you are having... If I could give you the choice: A) you never have to have this feeling again, but it means you lose capacity to love and care, or B) you get to love and care, but when there is gap between what you want and what you’ve got, feelings like this show up. Which do you choose?
Lay a hand on the part of your body where you feel the most intensely. Imagine this is a healing hand… the hand of a loving nurse or parent or partner. Send some warmth to this area…not to get rid of the feeling, but to open up around it and hold it gently.
List of all Emotion Regulation Skills
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Most new learning requires being open to feedback. We have all had the experience of receiving feedback that was critical, upsetting, or hurtful. The next time you receive feedback, practice moving toward a Flexible Mind so that you can objectively evaluate whether the feedback may be useful to you or not.
Being close to others requires practice. Try being open to another person, even if you feel hurt or upset, by using Flexible Mind ALLOWs. A = Assess your commitment to improve the relationship. L = Look for concrete evidence that mistrust is justified. L = Loosen the grip on past hurts or fears. O = Out yourself by revealing inner feelings. W = Welcome feedback and continue to dialogue.
If you've noticed tension in a situation, ask yourself a self-inquiry question. For example, "Am I dismissing the other person’s opinion because I don’t feel they listened to mine? If so, is it because I feel things need to be 'fair'? If so, why?"
List of all Interpersonal Skills
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Defusion is stepping back from thoughts instead of being pushed around by them. Notice what your mind is telling you right now.
Watch your thoughts come and go like a passing cloud or cars driving by your house. Step back from your thoughts without judging them. Just notice them.
Acceptance means opening up and making room for painful feelings, sensations and urges. Rather than battling these things, practice giving them space to just be. Acceptance can allow you to act on your values rather than your feelings.
List of all Mindfulness Skills
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Picture a stream with leaves floating along gently. As thoughts come into your mind, imagine each of them written upon a leaf and passing along with the current. Some thoughts might be hung up for a bit, and that's OK. Allow them to be there as part of the landscape; and if they will, allow them to loosen and drift by.
Your Mind tries to convince you that it is the expert, but You are the expert of your experience and what works. Is Your Mind trying to convince you of something that is not helpful? If so, ask yourself - who knows better - me or my mind?
When Your Mind gives you thoughts, You have a choice of whether to listen to them or not. Write down your thoughts and ask yourself "Is it workable to follow the advice these thoughts give me? Does it take me closer to the life that I want or further away?"
List of all Acceptance Commitment Therapy Skills
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Defusion is stepping back from thoughts instead of being pushed around by them. Notice what your mind is telling you right now.
Watch your thoughts come and go like a passing cloud or cars driving by your house. Step back from your thoughts without judging them. Just notice them.
Acceptance means opening up and making room for painful feelings, sensations and urges. Rather than battling these things, practice giving them space to just be. Acceptance can allow you to act on your values rather than your feelings.
List of all Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills
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The mind can be like a salesman. Consider a thought you have. What do you get if you “buy” into that thought - where does it leave you, and does it bring you closer to your goals and values? For example, consider the thought: "I do not deserve to recover." Is "buying" this thought a good investment? Does buying into it take you where you want to go in your life?
Repeat a sentence or word that is highly relevant to you and your recovery.
Write down what you are thinking and feeling instead of using food, restriction or exercise to avoid difficult thoughts or emotions.
List of all Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Skills
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