DBT Skill of the Week: IMPROVE the moment

As youve noticed Marsha Linehan really likes acronyms to help us remember the skills. This week we have the acronym IMPROVE. IMPROVE is a list of skills that you can use to help get you through the moment in the case of a crisis. Lets take a closer look at this skill.

Imagery- imagine your imagination to escape from reality. Imagine very relaxing scenes, Imagine everything going well, Imagine a calming fantasy world, Remember a happy time and imagine yourself in it again. You can use your imagination to get through a difficult moment.

Meaning- Find purpose or meaning in a painful situation. Focus on whatever positive aspects of a painful situation you can find. Repeat the positive aspects in your mind. Remember, listen to, or read about spiritual values.

Prayer- Open your heart to a supreme being, God, or your own Wise Mind. Ask for strength to bear the pain. Turn things over to God or higher power.

Relaxing- Do something that relaxes your mind and body. Take a hot bath or sit in a hot tub. Drink hot milk, massage your neck and scalp, practice yoga or other stretching. Breathe deeply. Change your facial expression.

One thing in the moment- Focus your entire attention on just what you are doing. Keep yourself in the moment. Put your mind in the present. Focus your entire attention on the physical. Listen to sensory awareness recording.

Vacation- Give yourself a brief vacation. Get in bed, pull the covers up over your head. Go to the beach or woods for the day. Get a magazine and read it with chocolates, turn off your phone for a day. Take a brief vacation from responsibility.

Encouragement and rethinking the situation- Cheerlead yourself: You go girl! You da man I will make it out of this Im doing the best I can I can stand it This too shall pass I will be okay It wont last forever.

You dont have to use all of these skills. All of them may not work for you, but you can try them and see which ones are the most helpful in getting you through stressful situations.

Which ones have you tried? Did you find them helpful?

Congratulations! You found the first letter of the forum hunt. The letter is S.

Your second hint is: Music soothes even the savage beast (BPD)