Dialectical Behaviour Therapy was founded by Dr Marsha Lineham for individuals living with Borderline Personality Disorder. DBT focuses on four components; mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, distress tolerance and emotional regulation. However, in order to remain neurodivergentNeurodivergent, sometimes abbreviated as ND, means having a mind that functions in ways which diverge significantly from the dominant societal standards of “normal.”NEURODIVERSITY: SOME BASIC TERMS & DEFINITIONS Neurodivergent is quite… More friendly, interpersonal effectiveness has been removed. Instead, there’s a whole section on our sensory needs and distress tolerance now includes information on and tools on managing meltdownsMeltdowns are alarm systems to protect our brains.Without meltdowns, we autistics would have nothing to protect our neurology from the very real damage that it can accumulate.I don’t melt down… More.

While DBT skills can be valuable and helpful, they don’t always meet the needs of neurodivergent individuals – especially AutisticAutistic ways of being are human neurological variants that can not be understood without the social model of disability.If you are wondering whether you are Autistic, spend time amongst Autistic people, online and offline.  If… More and ADHDADHD or what I prefer to call Kinetic Cognitive Style (KCS) is another good example. (Nick Walker coined this alternative term.) The name ADHD implies that Kinetics like me have… More individuals. That’s why I created this workbook, a way for neurodivergent folks to learn DBT skills in a way that works for you, at your own pace.

I want to reiterate that DBT does not focus on complianceNoncompliance is a social skill.Noncompliance is one of the most important social skills. Noncompliance skills make it possible to say no, even when others want your right to say no to… More or changing who we are. It’s about giving us the skills to identify as well as regulate our emotionsJustice, equality, fairness, mercy, longsuffering, Work, Passion, knowledge, and above all else, Truth. Those are my primary emotions.Very Grand Emotions: How Autistics and Neurotypicals Experience Emotions Differently » NeuroClastic https://youtu.be/uPRa6G2a48E… More, find ways to manage our distress and both recognise, fulfil and advocate for our needs.

The Neurodivergent Friendly Workbook of DBT Skills – Digital Download — lived experience educator

As neurodivergent individuals, we often experience different types of distress from living in a society that isn’t designed for our differencesOur friends and allies at Randimals have a saying, What makes us different, makes all the difference in the world.Randimals We agree. Randimals are made up of two different animals… More. It isn’t just emotional distress but also meltdowns and sensory distress that we experience too. One of the best things we can do to support ourselves is manage our needs and respond to our distress in a way that works for us.

This is where Dialectical Behaviour Therapy skills come in! Unfortunately, DBT skills aren’t always accessible, straight-forward or neurodivergent friendly. That’s why this workbook of DBT skills has been reframedWhen we successfully reframe public discourse, we change the way the public sees the world. We change what counts as common sense. Because language activates frames, new language is required… More to be neurodivergent affirming while incorporating sensory strategies, managing meltdowns, stimmingSelf-stimulatory behavior, also known as stimming and self-stimulation, is the repetition of physical movements, sounds, or words, or the repetitive movement of objects Stimming – Wikipedia Autistic adults highlighted the importance of stimming as… More and more. Written and designed by an autistic ADHDer, you can learn skills and tool using the five sections:

• Everyday Well-being
• Mindfulness
• Distress Tolerance
• Emotional Regulation
• Sensory Needs

The best part? Each section is colour coordinated with an appealing colour to keep things colourful, engaging and sensory friendly. There’s a whole bunch of different tools and worksheets too!

Not sure why you might want or need this workbook? Let me help you out. In this workbook, you can find skills to support you with:

• recognising meltdown triggers
• managing meltdowns when they happen
• figuring out your sensory needs
• preventing sensory overload
• developing mindfulness strategies
• identifying your emotions
• learning ways to respond to your distress – neurodivergent style

The Neurodivergent Friendly Workbook of DBT Skills

Further readingThere are three types of reading: eye reading, ear reading, and finger reading.The Dyslexia Empowerment Plan: A Blueprint for Renewing Your Child’s Confidence and Love of Learning Most schools and… More,