Bonus: DBT and Valentine's Day

Therapists In The Wild

Welcome to our first bonus episode and our teaser for Season 2! In this episode, the TITW answer questions from listeners about how to cope effectively on Valentine's Day (or any holiday/event for which you might have high expectations, even if you wish you didn't). We start by sharing our own anecdotes from Valentine's Days past, where things may have gone better for us had we known about DBT. We each share stories about unmet expectations and discuss which DBT skills we could have used; Liza describes how using mindfulness skills would have helped increase flexibility, and Molly shares how communicating expectations, rather than assuming someone is a mind-reader, would have led to a more effective outcome.

We then respond to listener questions related to experiencing loneliness in Wise Mind, resisting urges to reach out to a past romantic partner, and using Opposite Action to love in order to get over a relationship. We answer the questions by encouraging you to make Cope Ahead plans in advance of Valentine's Day, with a mix of acceptance (mindfulness, self-validation, urge surfing) and change skills (opposite action, problem-solving, and asking for what you need).

We hope you enjoy, stay skillful on Valentine's Day, and continue to stay tuned and send us questions for Season 2! *Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @TherapistsInTheWild, and Twitter @TherapistsWild, and email us with questions/feedback at [e-mail].