Essential Coping Skills: When and How to Use CBT DBT and ACT Techniques

Stress and emotional challenges affect everyone at some point. Knowing when and how to use effective coping skills can make a big difference in managing difficult moments. This post explores key coping strategies from three well-known therapeutic approaches: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Understanding these categories helps you choose the right tools for different situations and improve your emotional well-being.

A journal and pen ready for writing coping strategies

When to Use Coping Skills

Coping skills are practical actions or mental techniques to handle stress, anxiety, or overwhelming emotions. The key is knowing when to apply them. Here are some common situations where coping skills can help:

• During moments of intense stress or anxiety

• When feeling overwhelmed by emotions

• Facing challenging conversations or conflicts

• Experiencing negative thoughts or self-doubt

• Dealing with unexpected changes or setbacks

  
  

Using coping skills early, before emotions escalate, often leads to better outcomes. For example, if you notice rising anxiety before a presentation, practicing deep breathing or grounding techniques can calm your mind. If emotions are already intense, skills that focus on acceptance or distraction might be more useful.

Categories of Coping Skills

Coping skills come in many forms, but three therapeutic approaches offer clear frameworks: CBT, DBT, and ACT. Each has unique techniques suited for different needs.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Coping Skills

CBT focuses on changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors. It teaches you to recognize negative thinking patterns and replace them with more balanced perspectives. Common CBT coping skills include:

• Cognitive restructuring: Identifying and challenging distorted thoughts, such as “I always fail,” and replacing them with realistic ones like “I sometimes make mistakes, but I learn from them.”

• Behavioral activation: Engaging in positive activities to improve mood, like going for a walk or calling a friend.

• Problem-solving: Breaking down problems into manageable steps and creating action plans.

  
  

Use CBT skills when negative thoughts or avoidance behaviors contribute to distress. For example, if you feel stuck in a cycle of self-criticism, cognitive restructuring can help shift your mindset.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Coping Skills

DBT combines acceptance and change strategies, emphasizing mindfulness and emotional regulation. It is especially helpful for intense emotions and interpersonal difficulties. Key DBT skills include:

• Mindfulness: Staying present and observing thoughts and feelings without judgment.

• Distress tolerance: Using techniques like distraction, self-soothing, or grounding to survive crises without making things worse.

• Emotion regulation: Identifying and labeling emotions, then using strategies to reduce vulnerability to intense feelings.

• Interpersonal effectiveness: Communicating needs clearly and setting boundaries.

  
  

DBT skills work well when emotions feel overwhelming or when you need to manage conflict. For example, mindfulness can help you pause before reacting impulsively.

Mindfulness cards and tea on a desk promoting calm and focus

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Coping Skills

ACT encourages accepting difficult thoughts and feelings rather than fighting them. It focuses on living according to your values despite discomfort. Important ACT skills include:

• Cognitive defusion: Learning to see thoughts as just words or images, not facts.

• Acceptance: Allowing emotions to be present without trying to change them.

• Values clarification: Identifying what matters most to you.

• Committed action: Taking steps aligned with your values, even when it’s hard.

  
  

ACT skills are useful when struggling with avoidance or resistance to emotions. For example, if anxiety about the future feels paralyzing, acceptance and values-based action can help you move forward.

Practical Tips for Using Coping Skills

• Match the skill to the situation: Use CBT for changing unhelpful thoughts, DBT for managing strong emotions, and ACT for accepting feelings and focusing on values.

• Practice regularly: Skills become easier and more effective with practice, even when you feel calm.

• Combine skills: Sometimes using a mix of techniques works best, like mindfulness (DBT) plus cognitive restructuring (CBT).

• Use worksheets and tools: Structured exercises can guide your practice and track progress. You can find helpful worksheets for CBT, DBT, and ACT at COMental Wellness on Etsy.

  
  

Examples of Coping Skills in Action

• Before a stressful event: Use behavioral activation (CBT) by planning enjoyable activities afterward to motivate yourself.

• During a panic attack: Apply distress tolerance (DBT) by focusing on your senses—name five things you see, four you touch, and so on.

• Facing self-doubt: Practice cognitive defusion (ACT) by repeating the thought “I’m not good enough” in a silly voice to reduce its power.

• After a conflict: Use interpersonal effectiveness (DBT) to express your feelings calmly and set boundaries.

  
  

Where to Learn More and Practice

Developing coping skills takes time and support. Many people benefit from therapy or coaching to learn these techniques in depth. For self-guided practice, worksheets and guided exercises can be very helpful. The Etsy shop COMental Wellness offers a variety of worksheets designed to support CBT, DBT, and ACT skill-building.

Building a toolkit of coping skills tailored to your needs helps you respond to life’s challenges with more confidence and calm. Start small, be patient, and notice the positive changes over time.