What is more important than human connection? No one reaches the end of their life and says: “I wish I had spent less time with the people I love.”
Despite the importance of relationships and human connection, we’re expected to develop social skills naturally, without formal lessons. We learn through trial and error, seeing what builds friendships and what leads to rejection—what feels right and what feels wrong. Unsurprisingly, this leaves a lot of room for improvement.
Interpersonal effectiveness skills are an important part of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). These skills can help your clients practice assertiveness, set boundaries, and build relationships that bring joy.
In our Interpersonal Effectiveness: DBT Skills worksheet, clients learn three categories of social skills:
- Objective effectiveness: Your ability to achieve objectives during social interactions. The acronym DEAR MAN offers specific steps to achieve your goals.
- Relationship effectiveness: Your ability to have pleasant interactions, build a relationship, or maintain a good relationship. The acronym GIVE teaches skills for nurturing strong relationships.
- Self-respect effectiveness: Your ability to stay true to your values during social interactions. The acronym FAST teaches skills for protecting your self-respect.
This handout is designed as an introduction to DBT’s interpersonal effectiveness skills and a take-home reminder of these skills. This worksheet should be paired with plenty of in-session discussion and practice.
