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Acronyms in DBT
Acronyms in DBT
Distracting means changing the focus from something that is negative and distressing to
something more neutral or enjoyable. This can be done through acronym
ACCEPTS:
“A – is for activities and distracting oneself with healthy, enjoyable pursuits such as
hobbies, exercise, and visiting with friends.
C – is for contributing and doing things to help others, through volunteering or just a
thoughtful gesture.
E – is for emotion; identifying the current negative emotion and acting in an opposite
manner, such as dancing or singing when one is feeling sad.
P – is for pushing away, by mentally leaving the current situation and focusing on
something pleasant and unconnected to the present circumstances.
T – is for thoughts; diverting one’s attention from the negative feelings with unrelated and
neural thoughts, such as counting items or doing a puzzle.
S – is for sensations, and distracting oneself with physical sensations using multiple
senses, like holding an ice cube, drinking a hot beverage, or enjoying a warm foot
soak.” (Bray, GoodTherapy, 2013)
M – is for creating meaning or purpose from a difficult situation or from pain, i.e., finding
the silver lining.
P – is for prayer—to God or a higher power—for strength and to be open in the moment.
R – is for relaxation, by breathing deeply and progressively relaxing the large muscle
groups. Listen to music, watch a funny television show, drink warm milk, or enjoy a neck or
foot massage.
O – is for one thing in the moment, meaning the individual strives to remain mindful and
focus on a neutral activity in the present moment.
- PLEASE MASTER is used when learning ‘Emotional Regulation -
Reducing Emotional Vulnerability’
PL – treating pain or illness, taking care of own physical and mental health
S – is for sleep regulation - making sure that the length of sleep hours is sufficient
MASTERy – is for engaging into activities that help to build confidence and competency.
A - is for being Assertive when saying what is possible or not possible to do during the
interaction
R - is for Reinforce, which means “rewarding people who respond to the client’s needs, for
example by acknowledging it with smile and thank you
M - is for being Mindful during the interaction, remembering the objective of the interaction
and not getting sidetracked into any conflicts
A - is for appearing confident by considering own posture, tone, eye contact, and body
language.
N - is for being open to negotiation with others over what needs to be done or achieved,
no matter how small things may seem.
I - is for being interested in interaction with another person: paying attention to what they
are saying, asking simple questions to indicate interest and listening
V - is for validating other peoples’ feelings when they are evident as a response to the
client’s interaction
E- is for having an easy attitude in interaction with others: this involves for example a light
hearted and positive attitudes
A- is for apologies which should be given only when it is appropriate and not for every
trivial thing for example
S - is for sticking to own values, which means standing up for own beliefs and ideas in
appropriate an respectful way
T- is for being truthful with another person. This involves avoiding any deceit or lies,
including manipulation and acting as helpless