People often see things as either completely right or wrong, but real-life situations are rarely that simple. Learning how to find balance in emotions, thoughts, and relationships can lead to better choices and connections with others. This is what walking the middle path is about.
The DBT Walking the Middle Path Skills PDF handout teaches ways to stay balanced in how we think, feel, and act based on DBT principles. It shares easy-to-understand skills like validation, listening to others, solving problems calmly, and seeing things from someone else’s point of view.
When young people practice these skills, they can learn how to talk things out without getting too upset. Whether they’re having a hard time with friends or family, these tools enable them to handle the moment with care.
Caring adults can guide them by modeling these skills during daily conversations or using real-life examples to teach balance. This resource can also be used in therapy to help young people build stronger social connections.
We offer other middle path resources such as:
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Want more resources like this? Check out our full catalog of DBT worksheets and handout.
References:
- Linehan, M. M., & Wilks, C. R. (2015). The course and evolution of dialectical behavior therapy. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 69(2), 97-110. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.2015.
- Rathus, J., Campbell, B., Miller, A., & Smith, H. (2015). Treatment acceptability study of walking the middle path, a new DBT skills module for adolescents and their families. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 69(2), 163-178. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.2015.69.2.163
- Shea, L. (2020). The courage to be: Using DBT skills to choose who to be in uncertainty. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 61(2), 260-274. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022167820950887
