Skills practice

How to Track DBT Skills Between Sessions

Tracking skills is not about earning a perfect streak. It is a way to remember what you tried, what happened, and what you want to explore with your therapist.

Published August 28, 2026 · By Lean Orbit LLC · Educational information

DBT skills are meant to be used in everyday life, not only recalled during a session. A small tracking habit can help connect a difficult moment with the skill you considered or tried. The record can be as simple as a checkmark and one sentence of context.

Choose what to record

Use the skills and categories taught in your own program. Many DBT programs organize skills around mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. You do not need to log every skill in the curriculum each day. Start with the skills your therapist is actively helping you practice.

Capture the smallest useful detail

For each meaningful moment, note three things: the situation, the skill, and what you noticed afterward. For example, “difficult conversation; paused before replying; felt less reactive.” The goal is not to judge whether the skill “worked” perfectly. It is to preserve enough context to have a useful discussion later.

Record attempts as well as successes

A skill that was considered but not used, tried but difficult, or tried without the hoped-for result still belongs in your record if your card includes it. This kind of information can reveal obstacles: perhaps the skill was hard to remember, did not fit the moment, or needs more practice. Leave the interpretation for a conversation with your therapist.

Make tracking easy to find.

Keep one card, notebook, or app where you already reach for it. A routine that takes under a minute is more likely to survive a hard day.

A five-minute weekly review

  1. Notice one skill you used more than once.
  2. Pick one moment that was difficult or confusing.
  3. Bring both examples to session.
  4. Ask your therapist what to practice next—not what you “should have done.”

DBT Diary Daily lets users track skills alongside emotion and diary-card entries on iPhone or iPad. The record stays on the device and can be exported as a PDF when the user chooses. Learn more about the DBT skills tracker.

Continue reading

Sources

Important: This article is general education and is not therapy or a substitute for a treatment plan. Use skills tracking alongside guidance from your qualified provider. In an emergency, contact local emergency services or a crisis line.