Dialectical behavior therapy / DBT-A14-1
Problem-Solving When Action Fits — Concept brief
Understand the idea behind problem-solving when action fits and consider whether it fits your context.
8 minutes · Handout · Adults; supported use as appropriate
Fictional example: Taylor's recurring stress comes partly from unclear appointment reminders.
Use an ordinary or fictional example, with a clinician when appropriate. Some emotional situations call for practical change.
The idea
Some emotional situations call for practical change.
An ordinary example
Taylor's recurring stress comes partly from unclear appointment reminders.
What this can look like
Define a solvable part of a problem, generate options, compare access and consequences, and select a small test.
Check the fit
Which part of the problem can be changed with available support? You may disagree with the framing, use fiction, or decide that this approach is not useful today.
A useful distinction
Acceptance acknowledges the present; it does not endorse harm or remove the need for change.
Prompts for this resource
- What part of this idea makes sense to me?
- Which part of the problem can be changed with available support?
Conceptual background
Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Training: Fundamentals — Behavioral Tech Institute
Background on the approach only. Original exercises and wording are by More Than Therapy with AI assistance; the source does not validate or endorse these materials.