The fourth and last module in the DBT curriculum is Interpersonal Effectiveness. In it we learn ways to get along with others in conversation, in making requests, saying no to others, and myths about interactions and self-respect. I want to start by saying this is very difficult for me, and I’m having a hard time continuing to keep this in mind and use the right skill in different situations.
It’s divided into sections, so the first page details how to decide what the goal is in interpersonal situations:
- Objectives Effectiveness – Getting what you want from another person
- Relationship Effectiveness – Keeping and improving the relationship
- Self-Respect Effectiveness – Keeping or improving self-respect
In order to determine which skill to use, we can ask a series of questions…
- What results or changes do I want from this interaction?
- What will work to get those results?
- How do I want the other person to feel about me after the interaction is over?
- What do I have to do to keep this relationship?
- How do I want to feel about myself after the interaction is over?
- What do I have to do to feel that way about myself?
More explanations to come!
