Experiencing emotional overwhelm can happen so easily when we step into a new day, walk out the door, and suddenly face the disappointing realities of our life circumstances and the brokenness of the world around us. Bilbo warned Frodo of this before he embarked on his quest to return the ring in J.R.R. Tolkien’s, “The Fellowship of the Ring”: 

"It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step into the Road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there is no knowing where you might be swept off to." 

So much can bring the experience of emotional overwhelm: waking up unexpectedly sick, experiencing the impact of intense job pressures, learning concerning updates about your loved ones, or feeling deeply hurt and betrayed by a relationship. The list goes on, pointing to the reality that we live in a stressful and broken world, and our bodies are limited.

This month’s toolkit introduces the Mindfulness skills of Observing and Describing - important skills towards building emotional resilience and navigating through difficult, emotional moments. These skills are part of the Mindfulness module from the “DBT Skills Training” workbook by Marsha Linehan. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is a skill-based treatment which teaches individuals the skills of Emotional Regulation.