Plum BHS

08/21/2026

DBT Class Update

Assignment: Emotion Regulation Worksheet 4 (or 4A) – Observing and Describing Emotions: Fear, Happiness, or Love

Assigned: August 20, 2026 | Due: August 27, 2026

This week we are continuing to practice observing and describing emotions, with a focus on fear, happiness, or love.

Your task:

Complete Emotion Regulation Worksheet 4 or 4A and choose an experience involving fear, happiness, or love to observe throughout the week. Pay attention to what you notice in your body, thoughts, emotions, and urges. Practice observing the experience without immediately judging, changing, or reacting to it.

What you will be practicing:

• Recognizing situations that bring up fear, happiness, or love

• Noticing physical sensations connected to the emotion

• Observing thoughts, feelings, and urges as they arise

• Describing your emotional experience with greater awareness

• Creating space between experiencing an emotion and reacting to it

Key insight:

Emotions can show up through physical sensations, thoughts, feelings, and urges. Taking time to observe and describe these experiences can help us better understand our emotions and create more space to choose how we respond.

If you need help with the worksheet, please reach out to your therapist or co facilitator.

We look forward to hearing about your experiences and reflections during our next DBT class on August 27!

08/20/2026

RO-DBT Class Update

Assignment: Worksheet 2.A – Identifying the Different Neural Substrates

Assigned: August 19, 2026 | Due: August 26, 2026

This week we are learning about the different neural substrates and how they can influence the way we respond to situations, interact with others, and experience emotions.

Your task:

Complete Worksheet 2.A – Identifying the Different Neural Substrates. As you work through the worksheet, practice noticing how your brain may respond in different situations. Pay attention to your thoughts, emotions, urges, and behaviors, and see if you can identify which neural substrate may be influencing your response.

What you will be practicing:

• Identifying the different neural substrates and their characteristics

• Noticing how your brain responds in different situations

• Becoming more aware of your emotional and behavioral reactions

• Recognizing patterns in how you respond to yourself and others

• Building awareness of what may be influencing your reactions

Key insight:

Understanding the different neural substrates can help us become more aware of what is happening internally when we react to situations. By noticing these patterns, we can create more space between an experience and our automatic response and practice approaching ourselves and others with greater openness and flexibility.

If you need help with the worksheet, please reach out to your therapist or co facilitator.

We look forward to seeing everyone and hearing about your experiences during our next class on August 26!

08/14/2026

DBT Class Update

Assignment: Emotion Regulation Worksheet 4 (or 4A) – Observing and Describing Emotions: Anger or Disgust
Assigned: August 13, 2026 | Due: August 20, 2026

This week we are focusing on observing and describing emotions, with a specific focus on anger or disgust.

Your task:

Complete Emotion Regulation Worksheet 4 or 4A and practice noticing an experience of anger or disgust throughout the week. Pay attention to what you notice in your body, thoughts, emotions, and urges without immediately judging the experience or reacting to it.

What you will be practicing:

• Identifying situations that bring up anger or disgust
• Noticing physical sensations connected to the emotion
• Observing thoughts and urges as they arise
• Describing your emotional experience with greater awareness
• Creating space between experiencing an emotion and reacting to it

Key insight:

Emotions can bring strong physical sensations, thoughts, and urges. Learning to observe and describe these experiences can help us better understand our emotions and respond more intentionally.

If you need help with the worksheet, please reach out to your therapist or co facilitator.

We look forward to hearing about your experiences and reflections during our next DBT class on August 20!

08/13/2026

RO-DBT Class Update

Assignment: Worksheet 1.B – Flexible Mind DEFinitely: Three Steps for Radically Open Living
Assigned: August 12, 2026 | Due: August 19, 2026

This week we are practicing Flexible Mind DEFinitely and using self enquiry to become more open and curious about our thoughts, reactions, and assumptions.

Your task:

Complete Worksheet 1.B – Flexible Mind DEFinitely: Three Steps for Radically Open Living. Use Handout 1.3 – Learning from Self Enquiry to help you practice Step 2 throughout the week.

What you will be practicing:

• Using self enquiry to explore your thoughts and reactions
• Noticing when you become overly certain about your perspective
• Becoming curious about what you may be missing
• Practicing greater openness and flexibility
• Learning from your everyday experiences

Key insight:

We can feel very certain about our thoughts and interpretations, but there may be more to a situation than what we initially see. Self enquiry gives us an opportunity to slow down, become curious, and consider what we might learn.

We look forward to discussing your experiences during our next RO-DBT class!

08/06/2026

RO-DBT Class Update

Assignment: Radical Openness Worksheet 29.A – Flexible Mind Has HEART
Assigned: August 5, 2026 | Due: August 12, 2026

This week we are continuing to build skills around radical openness by practicing how to approach difficult emotions, situations, and interactions with greater flexibility and compassion. The Flexible Mind Has HEART skill helps us notice when we become stuck in rigid thinking and practice responding with more curiosity, kindness, and openness.

Your task:

Complete Radical Openness Worksheet 29.A – Flexible Mind Has HEART throughout the week. Notice moments when you feel defensive, certain about your perspective, or challenged by another person’s thoughts or actions. Use the worksheet to reflect on how approaching these situations with openness and compassion may impact your emotions, thoughts, and relationships.

What you will be practicing:

• Recognizing moments when rigid thinking or emotional reactions arise

• Practicing compassion and understanding toward yourself and others

• Increasing openness to different perspectives and experiences

• Building emotional flexibility during challenging situations

• Strengthening connection through curiosity and willingness to learn

Key insight:

Being open does not mean dismissing your own feelings or changing your values. Radical openness allows us to acknowledge our experiences while remaining willing to consider new information, perspectives, and possibilities.

Goal:

To practice responding to difficult moments with greater openness, compassion, and flexibility instead of becoming stuck in automatic reactions.

Due: August 12

Pay attention to what you notice about yourself throughout the week, and we look forward to hearing about your experiences during our next RO-DBT class!

07/31/2026

DBT Class Update

Assignment: Emotion Regulation Worksheet 4 (or 4a) – Observing and Describing Emotions

Assigned: July 30, 2026 | Due: August 6, 2026

This week we are continuing to build emotion regulation skills by practicing how to notice, identify, and understand our emotions with greater awareness. This practice focuses on slowing down and observing emotional experiences instead of immediately reacting to them.

Your task:

Complete Emotion Regulation Worksheet 4 (or 4a) – Observing and Describing Emotions throughout the week. Practice noticing moments when emotions arise and use the worksheet to reflect on what you are feeling, what may have contributed to the emotion, how it shows up in your body, and what thoughts or urges come with it.

What you will be practicing:

• Increasing awareness of emotions and emotional patterns

• Learning to identify and describe emotions more clearly

• Recognizing the connection between emotions, thoughts, physical sensations, and behaviors

• Practicing observing emotions without judgment

• Building more effective responses to emotional experiences

Key insight:

Emotions provide important information about our experiences, but they do not have to determine how we respond. By learning to observe and describe emotions, we can create space to make more intentional choices.

Goal:

To strengthen emotional awareness and develop a more skillful way of responding to emotions through mindfulness, curiosity, and understanding.

Due: August 6

Pay attention to what you notice about yourself throughout the week, and we look forward to hearing about your experiences during our next DBT class!

07/30/2026

RO-DBT Class Update

Assignment: Handout 29.3 (Strengthening Forgiveness Through Grief Work: Examples of Common Beliefs or Expectations)

Practice grieving a loss each day. Look for small instances where things did not go as expected, planned, or predicted. Using handout 29.3 as a guide, identify the loss needing to be grieved and record their observations in their self-enquiry journal.

Assigned: July 29, 2026 | Due: August 5, 2026

This week we are focusing on recognizing the everyday losses that often go unnoticed. Throughout the week, you will practice noticing moments when things do not go as expected, planned, or hoped for. By acknowledging these experiences, you can begin strengthening forgiveness, acceptance, and emotional flexibility.

Your task:

Using Handout 29.3, practice grieving one loss each day. Look for small instances where something did not go as expected, planned, or predicted. Record your observations in your self enquiry journal by identifying the expectation or belief that was challenged, the loss that may need to be acknowledged, and your emotional response.

What you will be practicing:

• Recognizing everyday disappointments and unmet expectations

• Identifying beliefs or expectations that contribute to emotional suffering

• Acknowledging losses with openness instead of avoiding them

• Building emotional flexibility through daily self enquiry

• Strengthening forgiveness by allowing yourself to grieve life's everyday losses

Key insight:

Many of the losses we experience are subtle and easily overlooked. Taking time to acknowledge these moments can help us respond with greater openness, compassion, and flexibility rather than becoming stuck in resentment or self criticism.

Goal:

To strengthen forgiveness by practicing daily awareness of unmet expectations and learning to respond to life's disappointments with openness and self compassion.

Due: August 5

Pay attention to what you notice about yourself throughout the week, and we look forward to hearing about your experiences during our next RO-DBT class!

07/23/2026

DBT Class Update

Assignment: Emotion Regulation Worksheet 3: Myths About Emotions
Highlight the hardest challenges to believe

Assigned: July 23, 2026 | Due: July 30, 2026

This week we are focusing on identifying and challenging myths about emotions. We will explore how beliefs and messages we have learned about emotions can influence the way we experience, express, and respond to our feelings. By examining these myths, we can develop a more balanced understanding of emotions and strengthen our emotion regulation skills.

Your task:

Complete Emotion Regulation Worksheet 3: Myths About Emotions and reflect on the emotional beliefs that stand out to you. Notice which myths feel the most challenging to believe or let go of, and consider how these beliefs may impact your thoughts, behaviors, and responses to emotions.

What you will be practicing:

• Identifying common myths and beliefs about emotions

• Exploring how emotional myths can influence the way we respond to feelings

• Recognizing which beliefs about emotions feel the hardest to challenge

• Practicing a more accepting and balanced view of emotional experiences

• Increasing awareness of how our thoughts about emotions affect our actions

Key insight:

Many people develop beliefs about emotions that can make feelings seem overwhelming, unacceptable, or difficult to manage. Learning to recognize and challenge these myths allows us to respond to emotions with greater understanding and effectiveness.

Goal:

To increase awareness of beliefs about emotions and practice developing a healthier, more balanced relationship with emotional experiences.

Due: July 30

Pay attention to what you notice about yourself throughout the week, and we look forward to hearing about your experiences during our next DBT class!

Send a message to learn more

07/17/2026

DBT Class Update

Assignment: Emotion Regulation Worksheet 1 – Pros and Cons of Changing Emotions
and Emotion Regulation Worksheet 2 – Figuring Out What My Emotions Are Doing for Me
Assigned: July 16, 2026 | Due: July 23, 2026

This week we are focusing on understanding the purpose of emotions and learning how they influence our thoughts, behaviors, and relationships. Rather than trying to get rid of emotions, we will explore what they are communicating and when it may be helpful to change an emotional response.

Your task:

Complete Emotion Regulation Worksheet 1 and Emotion Regulation Worksheet 2 throughout the week. As you work through the assignments, reflect on your emotional experiences and consider how your emotions affect your decisions and interactions with others.

What you will be practicing:

• Identifying the purpose and function of different emotions
• Exploring the pros and cons of changing an emotional response
• Recognizing how emotions influence thoughts and behaviors
• Increasing awareness of emotional patterns in daily life
• Building skills to respond to emotions more effectively

Key insight:

Emotions serve an important purpose and provide valuable information. By learning to understand them instead of reacting automatically, we can make more intentional choices and respond more effectively to life's challenges.

Goal:

To increase emotional awareness and develop healthier ways of responding to emotions while working toward your long-term goals.

Due: July 23

We look forward to hearing about your experiences and reflections during our next DBT class!

07/16/2026

RO-DBT Class Update

Assignment: Radical Openness Worksheet 16.A – Working with Envy and Cynicism
Assigned: July 15, 2026 | Due: July 22, 2026

This week we are exploring the role of envy, cynicism, and bitterness, and learning how these experiences can either support growth or keep us feeling emotionally stuck. We will also begin practicing the Flexible Mind DARES and Flexible Mind LIGHT skills to respond with greater openness and flexibility.

Your task:

Complete Radical Openness Worksheet 16.A and practice using the DARES and LIGHT skills throughout the week. Notice moments when envy, cynicism, or bitterness arise, and reflect on how responding with openness may influence your thoughts, emotions, and relationships.

What you will be practicing:

• Recognizing the difference between helpful and unhelpful envy
• Identifying cynical or bitter thoughts with curiosity rather than judgment
• Practicing the Flexible Mind DARES and LIGHT skills in everyday situations
• Increasing openness to new perspectives and emotional experiences
• Building healthier, more connected responses to difficult emotions

Key insight:

Envy, cynicism, and bitterness are natural emotions, but they do not have to control our actions. When we approach these experiences with openness and flexibility, they can become opportunities for learning, personal growth, and deeper connection with others.

Goal:

To develop greater awareness of emotional patterns and practice responding with curiosity, openness, and flexibility instead of reacting automatically.

Due: July 22

Pay attention to what you notice about yourself throughout the week, and we look forward to hearing about your experiences during our next RO-DBT class!