Check the Facts: A DBT Skill for Managing Emotions and Challenging Assumptions

Coping SkillsDialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Sep 19

Check the Facts is a Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) emotion regulation skill that helps people examine whether an emotion, its intensity, and the urge connected to it fit the facts of a situation. Emotions are real and important, but they can be intensified by assumptions, past experiences, fear, shame, incomplete information, or interpretations that may not fully match what happened. This skill helps create space between the event itself and the story the mind may be telling about the event (Linehan, 2015a, 2015b; Lynch et al., 2006).

This intervention may be helpful when someone feels rejected, blamed, unsafe, ashamed, angry, panicked, betrayed, judged, or certain that the worst explanation is true. To practice, name what happened as clearly and neutrally as possible. Then identify the emotion, the action urge, and the assumptions attached to it. If identifying the emotion feels difficult, Affect Labeling can help you begin by naming what you are experiencing. Ask what evidence supports the interpretation, what evidence may be missing, what other explanations are possible, and what response would fit the facts rather than the fear. You can also explore Cognitive Defusion to practice noticing thoughts as thoughts rather than automatically treating every interpretation as a fact.

Check the Facts is not emotional invalidation. It does not ask people to dismiss their feelings, ignore intuition, excuse harmful behavior, or prove themselves wrong. Some emotions do fit the facts. Anger may fit when a boundary has been violated, fear may fit when there is real danger, guilt may fit when repair is needed, and sadness may fit when something meaningful has been lost. The purpose is to respond more accurately by separating facts, interpretations, possibilities, and assumptions. When an emotion fits the facts, problem solving may help you identify a practical response to the situation rather than trying to change the emotion itself.

DBT skills research supports skills practice as an important mechanism for improving emotion regulation. Broader emotion regulation research supports cognitive change strategies when they are used thoughtfully and in context (Kliem et al., 2010; Neacsiu et al., 2014; Webb et al., 2012). Check the Facts works best when paired with compassion. A person’s interpretation may make sense based on history or past experience, even when it does not fully fit the current situation. When emotions are intense, it may help to ground first, slow down, and return to the facts once you have a little more space to think clearly. The 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique offers a structured way to reconnect with your surroundings before returning to the situation.

If anxiety, depression, or emotional overwhelm continues to interfere with daily life, Therapy for Anxiety and Depression can provide support as you explore emotional patterns and develop coping strategies that fit your needs.

References

Kliem, S., Kröger, C., & Kosfelder, J. (2010). Dialectical behavior therapy for borderline personality disorder: A meta-analysis using mixed-effects modeling. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 78(6), 936-951. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0021015

Linehan, M. M. (2015). DBT skills training handouts and worksheets (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.

Linehan, M. M. (2015). DBT skills training manual (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.

Lynch, T. R., Chapman, A. L., Rosenthal, M. Z., Kuo, J. R., & Linehan, M. M. (2006). Mechanisms of change in dialectical behavior therapy: Theoretical and empirical observations. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 62(4), 459-480. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20243

Neacsiu, A. D., Eberle, J. W., Kramer, R., Wiesmann, T., & Linehan, M. M. (2014). Dialectical behavior therapy skills for transdiagnostic emotion dysregulation: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 59, 40-51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2014.05.005

Webb, T. L., Miles, E., & Sheeran, P. (2012). Dealing with feeling: A meta-analysis of the effectiveness of strategies derived from the process model of emotion regulation. Psychological Bulletin, 138(4), 775-808. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0027600

Coping SkillMental HealthEmotional Well-BeingDBTEmotional RegulationCheck the FactsEmotional Awareness

Z. Hamilton Avery

Z. Hamilton Avery, LCSW, BC-TMH, CMT, CYT-1,000, TIYT (he/they) is a queer and non-binary therapist, health educator, wellness coach, body and energy worker, yoga and meditation teacher, and abstract artist in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to having obtained over a dozen certifications in various modalities of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), Z holds an associate’s degree in pre-nursing studies, a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and a master’s degree in social work. When supporting clients and students, Z takes a humanistic, person-centered, strengths-based, trauma-informed approach. Their practice is grounded in compassion, harm reduction, inclusivity, social justice, and evidence-based interventions. Ultimately, Z’s mission is to provide a safe and non-judgmental space for adolescents (13+) and adults who are navigating challenges such as anxiety, depression, trauma, addiction, pain, and chronic illness; he does this by offering sessions, classes, groups, workshops, retreats, and trainings.

Understanding that mental health is interconnected with many other facets of life, Z takes a holistic approach to therapy. Knowing that there is no one-size-fits-all treatment, he strives to honor the uniqueness of each client by custom-tailoring his approach to best meet the needs, preferences, and goals of each individual. For this reason, Z believes that it is imperative to be cross-trained in many different treatment approaches. As a therapist, they utilize a variety of evidence-based practices, including motivational interviewing (MI), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and written exposure therapy (WET). As a body and energy worker, Z is certified to practice massage therapy, Thai yoga massage, myofascial release, craniosacral therapy, and reiki. They are also certified in both Chinese and Japanese styles of acupuncture. After completing more than 1,000 hours of accredited yoga teacher training (primarily in India), Z is certified to teach various styles of yoga, including Hatha, Kundalini, yin, and restorative. He also researches and writes about topics including stress, trauma, self-care, mindfulness, self-compassion, holistic health and well-being, CAM, HIV/AIDS, and issues related to the Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, agender, plus (2SLGBTQIA+) community.

https://www.therapywithz.com