Life's challenges require us to draw on both emotion and reason. Relying too much on just one of these creates an imbalanced perspective. In dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), wise mind balances emotion and reason, helping us make healthy decisions and lead a fulfilling life.
Our Wise Mind: DBT skill worksheet describes wise mind and how it differs from emotion and reasonable minds. Emotion mind is when we use feelings alone to determine our decisions and behavior, whereas reasonable mind is when we use only logic, ignoring our feelings. With wise mind, we recognize and respect our feelings while responding to them in a rational way.
This worksheet can be used with clients who struggle with healthy decision-making, communication, impulse control, emotion regulation, or relationships. After reviewing the handout, consider using the following discussion questions:
- Which mind state do you tend to use?
- Describe a time you have been in each of the three mind states. What was the outcome of each situation?
- What are the costs and benefits of being in emotion mind versus reasonable mind?
- What could help you move from emotion or reasonable mind into wise mind?
