Powerful dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills to move beyond shame and toward a place of peace and healing.
Shame is a devastating emotion, and one that's often difficult to work through. If you are hurting, you should know that you aren’t alone. Shame may be the result of a past trauma, feelings of insecurity, or even guilt. Shame can also spiral out of control, make you feel trapped and hopeless, and lead to more serious mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. So, how can you soothe intense feelings of shame and find lasting peace and emotional balance?
Written by renowned DBT experts,
The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook for Shame offers a step-by-step, evidence-based approach to healing from shame using the core skills of emotion regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness. Using the exercises in this workbook, you’ll learn to cultivate nonjudgmental self-acceptance, and discover strategies for managing difficult emotions—even in situations that trigger feelings of shame, guilt, or self-directed anger.
This workbook will help you:
- Identify the root cause of your shame
- Experience difficult emotions without acting on them
- Move past self-destructive behaviors
- Express yourself honestly and openly
- Build healthy, supportive relationships with others
If you are struggling with shame, you are not alone—and there is help. This step-by-step workbook can help you look beyond these intense feelings and start seeing yourself with more clarity, compassion, and acceptance.
About the Authors
Alexander L. Chapman, PhD, RPsych, is professor, director of clinical training, and coordinator of the clinical science area in the psychology department at Simon Fraser University in Canada, as well as a registered psychologist and president of the DBT Centre of Vancouver. Chapman directs the Personality and Emotion Research Lab, where he studies the role of emotion regulation in borderline personality disorder (BPD), self-harm, impulsivity, as well as other related issues.
Kim L. Gratz, PhD, is a senior clinical quality manager and clinical lead of the DBT program at Lyra Health. She also maintains an appointment in the department of psychology at the University of Toledo, where she previously served as professor and chair. Gratz directs the Personality and Emotion Research Lab, where her laboratory and treatment outcome research focus on the role of emotion dysregulation in BPD, suicidal and nonsuicidal self-injury, and substance use, as well as the intergenerational transmission of BPD-relevant mechanisms.
