Developing Personal Boundaries DBT Worksheets

What is Dialectical Behavior Therapy?

Dialectical behavior therapy or is a type of evidence-based psychology rooted in cognitive-behavioral therapy combined with mindfulness practices and Eastern philosophical concepts. It was developed in the 1980s by psychologist Marsha M. Linehan to initially treat bipolar disorder. But because of the technique’s evolution and adaptation, it’s currently used to treat other mental health conditions like substance abuse, depression, anxiety, and eating disorders.

DBT stands out from other types of psychology because of, what are called, four major skills:

• Mindfulness: Being more aware and better accepting present thoughts and experiences.
• Distress Tolerance: Overcoming challenging times without resorting to self-harming or destructive coping techniques.
• Interpersonal Effectiveness: Being firm with their feelings and how they want to improve their relationships
• Emotional Regulation: Dealing with first or primary emotions before they turn into other secondary emotions.

By developing these skills, clients can better accept their desires and emotions while working on making better and positive changes in life, which is the ultimate goal of DBT.

Mental health practitioners usually conduct dialectical behavior therapy sessions with a DBT certification, like licensed and experienced psychiatric nurses, psychologists, and psychiatrists. They are the ones who will formulate the treatment plan and decide which of the different types of DBT sessions they would like to use: individual sessions, group therapy sessions, and telephone crisis/phone coaching.

How to use the Developing Personal Boundaries DBT Worksheet:

Access and Download the Template

To access and download a printable and digital version of the Developing Personal Boundaries DBT Worksheet template, you can either click the “Use Template” or “Download Template” button or search “Developing Personal Boundaries DBT Worksheet” in Carepatron’s template library’s search bar on the website or app.

Explain and Fill Out the Template

Though our template has straightforward instructions, it’s best to explain how to answer the worksheet to your client. To help you out, we’ve provided a list of the sections that you will find on the template:

Statement Rating

You will find a list of statements on the template reflecting healthy personal boundaries approaches. The client must rate each statement that best reflects themselves from 1 to 3, wherein 1 = never, 2 = sometimes, and 3 = always.

Score Interpretation

When the client has finished rating, they must add their ratings and use the provided scoring legend on the worksheet to get an interpretation of their score.

What to Do

By this time, the client is well aware of whether or not they have clear and healthy personal boundaries or are facing any challenges. When they reach the section after the scoring legend, it’s time for them to reflect on their answers from the previous sections. During this part, you may assure them that they must write in whatever manner they deem comfortable, whether in phrases, sentences, or paragraphs.

Discuss the Template

Once the client is finished, you may discuss the template and help them process their answers. Whether or not you will provide them with the tools to improve or maintain their ability to establish healthy boundaries at this point will ultimately be up to you.

Securely Store

Since the template carries sensitive information, you’re highly encouraged to store the physical copy at a secure location or upload the digital copy at Carepatron, a HIPAA-compliant EHR that can securely store your documents for you.

When would you use this Developing Personal Boundaries DBT Worksheet?

Therapists with a DBT certificate or licensed and experienced mental health professionals such as psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, psychologists, social workers, and family therapists can include the “Developing Personal Boundaries DBT Worksheet” in their client’s treatment plan. 

This worksheet will be especially helpful to clients who:

• Feel like they don’t have meaningful relationships with others
• Feel responsible for solving the problems of people 
• Feel like they’re isolated, lonely, and misunderstood by friends, family, co-workers, etc. 

If any other types of clients have concerns not mentioned above who would benefit from answering the “Developing Personal Boundaries DBT Worksheet,” you may include the worksheet in their treatment plan. 

For the specific circumstance or situation when you’ll give them a copy of the worksheet, we’ll leave it up to you and your expertise. 

What are the benefits of using this Developing Personal Boundaries DBT Worksheet?

Improved Self Awareness and Care

In the first part of the worksheet, the client will be asked to reflect on whether or not they have established clear, healthy personal boundaries with their friends, family, etc. During this section, they will not only be self-aware of their previous actions, thoughts, etc.; after this exercise, they may be more self-aware if their behavior is geared towards establishing healthy personal boundaries. 

Improved Relationships

There are multiple things they will learn from this worksheet that can help them improve their relationships, such as:

• Recognize the uniqueness of each person involved in the relationship
• Communicate what they need from the other person while still respecting the other’s point of view
• Understand and adapt their boundaries considering the other’s personal boundaries influenced by their family, culture, personality, values, priorities, etc. 

Individualized Treatment Plans

Instead of guessing the client is challenged when establishing clear, healthy personal boundaries, the referring can use this worksheet as a basis for the treatment plan specifically made for the client. 

Easily Accessible

Our free “Developing Personal DBT Worksheet” template can be easily accessed and customized on Carepatron and completed on any PDF editor on any gadget you have. 

This Dialectical behavior therapy template provides valuable support to enhance your practice and client results.