DBT House / DBH-A15-5
A Staircase of Small Steps — Review journal
Review an attempt at a staircase of small steps and choose what to keep, change, or leave aside.
10 minutes · Journal prompts · Adults; supported use as appropriate
Fictional example: Riley wants to attend a group and starts by requesting information.
Use an ordinary or fictional example, with a clinician when appropriate. A staircase can show progress with pauses and alternative routes.
Before looking back
Choose one ordinary attempt or decide to review the fictional example instead. This journal has no scores, required disclosure, or expectation of progress.
Revisit the practice
Build three manageable steps toward a chosen aim, adding supports and an accessible route if steps do not fit.
Notice context and impact
Record what actually happened, including an unhelpful or neutral outcome. Note resources, power differences, accessibility, and changed conditions rather than attributing everything to personal effort.
Choose a revision
What is the next feasible step, including a needed accommodation? Keep the approach, change one part, ask for support, or set it aside. A mismatch is useful information.
Prompts for this resource
- What I tried, or what happened in the fictional example:
- What I noticed before, during, and after; what remains uncertain:
- What helped, did not help, or was outside my control:
- What is the next feasible step, including a needed accommodation? My optional adjustment or support request:
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.