How Mindfulness Supports Your DBT Journey
In today's busy world, most of us find our minds racing with thoughts, feelings, and habits that happen almost automatically. For people struggling with strong emotions, this inner confusion makes it hard to think clearly and act in helpful ways. This is where mindfulness comes in—a simple but powerful way to focus on what's happening right now and connect with ourselves in meaningful ways.
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness means paying attention to the present moment on purpose, without judging what you find. It's about noticing your thoughts, feelings, and body sensations just as they are, without rushing to react or change them. You don't have to like what you're experiencing—just be with it long enough to respond in a better way.
For example:
When you feel angry, instead of yelling right away, you might notice: "My chest feels tight, my thoughts are racing, and I feel hot"
When eating, instead of browsing your phone, you might notice the taste, smell, and texture of each bite
When walking, instead of planning tomorrow's tasks, you might feel your feet touching the ground and notice the sights and sounds around you
How Mindfulness Helps Mental Health
Research shows mindfulness helps in many ways:
Lowers stress and worry
Example: Sarah used to panic before job interviews. Now she uses mindfulness to notice her racing heart without panicking about the panic, helping her stay calmer.
Reduces quick emotional reactions
Example: Instead of snapping at his kids immediately when frustrated, Tom learned to take three mindful breaths first, often leading to gentler responses.
Helps you focus better
Example: Maria found that 5 minutes of mindful breathing before studying helped her concentrate for longer periods without getting distracted.
Builds self-kindness
Example: When James makes a mistake, he now pauses to speak to himself like he would to a friend, rather than harsh self-criticism.
Helps control emotions
Example: Lisa used to feel overwhelmed by sadness for hours. Now she can notice "sadness is here" without being completely swept away by it.
By creating a gap between what happens and how we respond, mindfulness helps us make choices based on what truly matters to us rather than just following our impulses.
Mindfulness in DBT: More Than Just Sitting Quietly
In Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), mindfulness isn't just a trendy word—it's one of the four main skills and creates the foundation for everything else. Without mindfulness, it's very hard to change behaviors, handle distress, or manage emotions.
Here's how we use mindfulness in DBT, with simple examples:
Observing: Just noticing what's happening without trying to change it.
Example: Feeling your feet in your shoes while waiting in a stressful line
Describing: Putting words to what you experience.
Example: "I'm having the thought that I'll fail" instead of "I'm going to fail"
Participating: Fully engaging in what you're doing right now.
Example: Really listening during a conversation instead of planning what to say next
We also teach "How" skills for practicing mindfulness:
Without judgment - Noticing "the cake looks sweet" rather than "the cake looks disgustingly sweet"
One thing at a time - Just washing dishes, not washing dishes while planning your day and listening to a podcast
Doing what works - Choosing actions that help the situation rather than following impulses
Why This Matters
For many people in our program, mindfulness changes everything. Often it's the first time they learn how to stop, breathe, and notice what's happening inside without immediately acting on it. That small pause can be the difference between a crisis and a choice, between hurting yourself and taking care of yourself.
One of our clients, put it this way: "Before learning mindfulness, my anxiety was driving the car of my life. Now, I'm back in the driver's seat, and anxiety is just one of the passengers."
One of our clients shared: "I used to either explode with anger or shut down completely. Mindfulness gave me a middle path—I can feel angry without being controlled by it or acting on it.
Mindfulness is a Practice
You don't have to be perfect at mindfulness. In fact, nobody is perfect at it. The goal isn't to empty your mind or reach some special state—it's just to keep trying, gently and regularly.
Some simple ways to practice include:
Taking three deep breaths before answering the phone
Feeling the water on your hands while washing them
Noticing five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste
Eating the first three bites of any meal with full attention
In our DBT Program, we guide people through real-life mindfulness practices that are easy to understand, practical, and make a real difference.
Want to Learn More?
If you're interested in how mindfulness and DBT can help you or someone you care about, contact us. At Turn the Mind, we're here to help you build a life worth living—one mindful moment at a time.
