Understanding the difference between willingness and willfulness can significantly impact how you manage your emotions and help your teenager navigate theirs. Willingness is about being open, accepting, and flexible. It means doing what is needed in a situation, even if it’s uncomfortable or not what you want to do because your emotions are pulling you in a different direction. Imagine being a leaf in a stream, moving with the current rather than fighting against it. Practicing radical acceptance—accepting a situation as it is—can greatly decrease your suffering.

Radical acceptance is one of the most powerful yet abstract skills taught in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). It’s a concept that can be hard to grasp and even harder to practice, but its ability to ease suffering is profound.

Crisis survival skills are a collection of techniques, often summarized in acronyms, that teach individuals how to cope with intense emotions and urges without making the situation worse. These skills are essential for anyone, but particularly beneficial for teens with self-destructive behaviors such as self-harm, substance abuse, or disruptive actions that harm relationships.

When you're at a high level of distress, feeling like you're about to reach a breaking point, having effective coping strategies can make all the difference. One of the most powerful tools we teach in our DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) groups is the TIPP skill. This set of crisis survival skills is designed to help you cope and bring your body back to a state of regulation, especially when you're experiencing extreme stress, typically rated as 8 to 10 on the stress meter.

Discover how using the pros and cons technique can activate your wise mind, helping you make better decisions that align with your goals. This blog explores practical applications for parents and teens, offering insights into navigating complex emotions and choices with clarity and compassion.