Situations
Start here if you begin with a concrete situation rather than a skill. Each situation leads to skills that help there.
19 All Situations
Crisis and stabilization
For acute escalation, high pressure, or strong physical activation.
Acute Crisis
For moments of acute escalation, high pressure or immediate need for stabilization.
Contains: Wise Mind · TIP Skills · Crisis Survival Strategies
High Tension
For strong physical or vegetative activation without necessarily a fully escalated crisis.
Contains: TIP Skills · Crisis Survival Strategies · Cue-Controlled Relaxation
Endure and soothe yourself
For moments when a problem cannot be solved right now and what is needed first is inner soothing, comfort, or a more bearable moment.
Contains: TIP Skills · Crisis Survival Strategies · Cue-Controlled Relaxation
Relationships and boundaries
For conflicts, requests, boundary-setting, and repair in relationships.
Conflict with Others
For arguments, tension, escalation or communicative friction in relationships.
Contains: GIVE · Validation · DEAR MAN
Express a Request or Need
For situations in which a wish, need or goal must be clearly represented.
Contains: DEAR MAN · Communication Effectiveness Checklist · Assertiveness Scripts
Set boundaries
For demarcation, saying no or protection against aggression and overload.
Contains: DEAR MAN · FAST · Assertiveness Scripts
Repair a Relationship
For de-escalation, reconnection or careful relationship maintenance after tension.
Contains: GIVE · Validation · Loving Kindness
Preserve Self-Respect
For situations in which one's own values and self-esteem need to be protected.
Contains: FAST · How Intensely Should I Ask or Say No?
Invalidated or not understood
For moments when you feel dismissed, not taken seriously, or emotionally talked past.
Contains: GIVE · Validation · Validation Strategies
End a relationship or decide to leave
For situations in which separation, a clear step back, or an intentional exit from a relationship has to be considered or prepared.
Contains: DEAR MAN · FAST · Assertive Listening
Listen and really understand
For conversations in which quick reacting, defending, or problem-solving needs to step back so the other person can first be understood for real.
Contains: GIVE · Validation · Mutual Validation
Preparation and protection
For preventive stabilization, anticipated strain, and sleep.
Prepare for Stress
For anticipated stress, relapse prevention or planned difficult situations.
Contains: What Helps Now Versus Long Term? · Problem Solving · Daily Mindfulness Regimen
Sleep problems
For problems falling asleep and staying asleep or stressful nights.
Contains: Sleep Hygiene · Nightmare Protocol · Sleep Hygiene Practice Sheet
Relapse risk or addictive urge
For craving, relapse risk, or moments when abstinence and a safety course need to be actively protected again.
Contains: What Helps Now Versus Long Term? · STOP Skill · Community Reinforcement
Nightmares or difficult nights
For recurring nightmares, waking up in distress, or nights in which fear, rumination, or inner images interrupt sleep.
Contains: Wise Mind · ABC PLEASE Skills · Sleep Hygiene
Orientation and sorting
For situations where understanding, sorting, or acceptance needs to come first.
Inner Restlessness
For diffuse activation, drivenness, absent-mindedness or lack of centering.
Contains: Wise Mind · Cue-Controlled Relaxation · Self-Soothing
Orientation and Understanding
For moments in which classification is needed instead of immediate action.
Contains: Wise Mind · Problem Solving · Which Skill Helps Me First?
Acceptance or Change
For dilemmas between accepting, letting go and actively changing.
Contains: Wise Mind · Problem Solving · Check the Facts
Understand an escalation
For looking back at a situation that went off track in order to identify triggers, links in the chain, and missing effective steps.
Contains: Wise Mind · Chain Analysis · Missing-Links Analysis