Island Horizons Therapy LCSW PLLC

11/02/2026

DBTSkills. Mindfulness Module. Walking the Middle Path.

Worksheet via https://mhck.net/

11/01/2026

10/30/2026

DBT Skills : Open Mind Thinking.
Dialectical means that 2 seemingly opposing ideas can both be true at the same time.

10/30/2026

DBTSkills. DEARMAN is an acronym - a shorthand to help us remember.

10/30/2026

Trauma doesn't always end when the traumatic experience is over.

For some people, the effects can continue for months or years. They may feel constantly on edge, struggle to trust others, become overwhelmed by situations that seem harmless, or find themselves reacting in ways they don't fully understand.

Sometimes, even when life is going well, their mind and body still respond as though something bad is about to happen.

And recovery isn't simply about forgetting what happened or learning to think positively.

It can involve learning to feel safe again, understanding why certain situations trigger strong reactions, rebuilding trust in yourself and others, and finding ways to live without the past having so much control over the present.

One important thing to remember is that trauma recovery isn't a straight line.

You might feel stronger for weeks and then find yourself struggling again. Something unexpected might bring back feelings you thought you had moved past. That doesn't mean you've lost all your progress.

There is no single approach that works for everyone. Some people benefit from trauma-focused therapy. Others also need time, stability, supportive relationships and opportunities to regain a sense of control over their lives.

Recovery doesn't mean that what happened no longer matters. It means that, over time, its impact on your everyday life may become easier to manage.

FREE FOUR AREAS THAT CAN SUPPORT TRAUMA RECOVERY POSTER

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10/30/2026

A late reply can feel like more than a late reply when you carry a fear of being left.

Your mind may jump straight to: “They’re upset with me.” “They don’t care anymore.” “They’re going to leave.”

Then comes the urge to send another message. Ask for reassurance again. Apologise for something you are not even sure you did. Or pull away first, just in case.

That fear is real, even when the story your anxiety is telling you is not the full picture.

Try pausing and asking: What actually happened? What meaning have I attached to it? Is there another explanation?

You deserve relationships where concerns can be talked about kindly, without blame or panic. And you deserve support outside one person’s replies, mood or availability.

It is also important to remember this: needing reassurance does not mean you are “too much”. But a safe relationship should not use silence, threats to leave or disappearing acts to keep you frightened.

FREE FEAR OF ABANDONMENT COPING SKILLS PRINTABLE PDF

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10/30/2026

When overwhelm hits, even tiny things can feel impossible. Replying to a message. Making food. Choosing what to do first. It doesn’t mean you’re lazy, dramatic or failing. It means your brain and body have reached capacity.

Try making the next step smaller.

Pause for a minute. Breathe out slowly. Turn down the noise if you can. Put off one thing that can wait. Pick just one task that takes five minutes. And tell someone you’re struggling.

You do not have to solve the whole day while you’re overwhelmed. Sometimes doing less is exactly what you need to do.

If overwhelm is happening often or making daily life hard, it’s okay to speak to a doctor or mental health professional. You deserve support, not judgement.

FREE OVERWHELM COPING STEPS POSTER FOR ANXIETY AND STRESS

LIKE the photo and comment "FEEL" and we will send you a message with a link to a free PDF of this resource.

10/29/2026

DBT Skills. Overview. DT ' Cheat Sheet'. Use with caution as a visual for recognising modules and skills/ as a general overview.

10/27/2026

💎 DBT Coping Thoughts. 💎

💎 Here is a list of some DBT coping thoughts that people have found helpful (McKay, Davis, & Fanning, 1997).

💎 Check the ones that are helpful to you. Make a note of them, practice using them, use them and also create or add your own.
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💎 “This situation won’t last forever.”

💎 “I’ve already been through many other painful experiences, and I’ve survived.”

💎 “This too shall pass.”

💎 “My feelings make me uncomfortable right now, but I can accept them.”

💎 “I can be anxious and still deal with the situation.”

💎 “I’m strong enough to handle what’s happening to me right now.”

💎 “This is an opportunity for me to learn how to cope with my fears.”

💎 “I can ride this out and not let it get to me.”

💎 “I can take all the time I need right now to let go and relax.”

💎 “I’ve survived other situations like this before, and I’ll survive this one too.”

💎 “My anxiety/fear/sadness won’t kill me; it just doesn’t feel good right now.”

💎 “These are just my feelings, and eventually they’ll go away.”

💎 “It’s okay to feel sad/anxious/afraid sometimes.”

💎 “My thoughts don’t control my life, I do.”

💎 “I can think different thoughts if I want to.”

💎 “I’m not in danger right now.”

💎 “So what?”

💎 “This situation sucks, but it’s only temporary.”

💎 “I’m strong and I can deal with this.”

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These help tolerate distressing situations by giving strength + motivation to endure hard experiences.

You can begin using them immediately.

Write your 5 favourite coping thoughts on an index card or a sticky note and keep it with you in your wallet or purse.

Or put your coping thoughts in conspicuous places where you can see them every day, like on your refrigerator or mirror.

The more you see your coping thoughts, the more quickly they will become part of your automatic thought process.

From :
The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook.
Practical DBT Exercises for Learning Mindfulness, Interpersonal
Effectiveness, Emotion Regulation & Distress Tolerance by

Matthew McKay, PH.D. • Jeffrey C.Wood , PSY.D. Jeffrey Brantley, MD . New Harbinger Publications. 2007.

DBT Skills. October 2nd 2026

10/27/2026

Sometimes the smallest job can feel impossible.

Replying to one message. Booking an appointment. Opening an email. Putting the laundry away.

It’s easy to think, “Why can’t I just do it?” But a small task often comes with a whole pile of invisible work: remembering, deciding where to start, working out the steps, finding the right information, worrying about getting it wrong.

Then everything feels urgent, and the brain freezes.

That isn’t laziness. It isn’t a lack of caring. It can be overwhelm, anxiety, decision fatigue, or simply having too many demands competing for attention.

When this happens, don’t ask yourself to fix the whole list. Ask: “What is one tiny thing I can do next?”

Open the email. Find the phone number. Put one item in the basket.

Small starts count. Sometimes they are the hardest part.

FREE WHY SMALL TASKS CAN FEEL OVERWHELMING AND FREEZE YOU

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