Distress Tolerance Skills: Radical Acceptance Worksheet

Accepting things that are outside of our control is challenging. Many clients in therapy struggle with accepting the limits of control and being tolerant of the things that are outside of their control. Experiences like chronic pain, grief, loss, anxiety, and depression can cause a great deal of suffering, but being able to accept the things we cannot control, fix, or change can make a difference in how we feel each day.

Radical acceptance is a skill taught to clients in therapy who are struggling to accept the reality of a challenging situation. When a client continues to resist or fight against uncomfortable circumstances, their stress and anxiety become overwhelming. If they can learn how to apply radical acceptance to their coping process, they may find themselves more comfortable with accepting the reality of their circumstances.

About This Worksheet

This is the Distress Tolerance Skills: Radical Acceptance worksheet. This worksheet provides information about the process of radical acceptance.

Radical acceptance is a concept from dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT). It teaches clients how to accept things that are unpleasant, unfavorable, or uncomfortable, thus reducing resistance and agitation. It also teaches the client to be honest with themselves and to not point blame on other people or circumstances.

This worksheet can be used with adults in individual therapy. It may also be used in group settings at the therapist’s discretion.

Instructions

The goal of this worksheet is to learn how much control the client has and to accept the things that they cannot control. Review the introduction and steps outlined on the worksheet. Then, give them time to complete the reflection questions.

Offer your guidance for the process as needed. Review the results with the client and offer insight into how the process can be applied in the future when they are triggered. Provide a copy of the completed worksheet to the client as a reference.

Download Distress Tolerance Skills: Radical Acceptance Worksheet