The Neurodivergent Friendly Workbook of DBT Skills

by Sonny Jane Wise

As neurodivergent individuals, we often experience different types of distress from living in a society that isn't designed for our differences. It isn't just emotional distress but also meltdowns and sensory distress that we experience too. One of the best things we can do to support ourselves is manage our needs and respond to our distress in a way that works for us.

This is where Dialectical Behaviour Therapy skills come in! Unfortunately, DBT skills aren't always accessible, straight-forward or neurodivergent friendly. That's why this workbook of DBT skills has been reframed to be neurodivergent affirming while incorporating sensory strategies, managing meltdowns, stimming and more. Written and designed by an autistic ADHDer, you can learn skills and tool using the five sections:
The best part? Each section is colour coordinated with an appealing colour to keep things colourful, engaging and sensory friendly. There's a whole bunch of different tools and worksheets too!

Not sure why you might want or need this workbook? Let me help you out. In this workbook, you can find skills to support you with:
It's also self-paced so if you're an individual, you can do it at home. If you're a professional, there's nothing stopping you from sharing this affirming workbook with a client or keeping this as a go to resource!

About the author

Sonny Jane (they/them) is multiply neurodivergent - or more specifically, an Autistic ADHDer living with Bipolar and in recovery with Borderline Personality Disorder. They're also an internationally recognised lived experience educator, consultant and advocate who's passionate about neurodiversity and supporting neurodivergent individuals.

Genres: Mental Health, Psychology, Nonfiction, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Self Help, Adhd, Reference

79 pages, Paperback

Published February 12, 2022

Reviews

[Angela Snyder rowan]

This is one of the best DBT workbooks I’ve seen. (And I’ve read most of them!) The author delivers by adding lots of material focused on meeting the needs of neurodivergent people, while staying true to the functions of DBT. Frankly, I will use a lot of these skills and adaptations with neurotypical clients as well.

[Anna Hemming]

Great resource for quick suggestions and reflective questions.

[Der Ratterich]

It’s alright. However, it had a strange structure, presenting multiple skills before even explaining what the module was about. Some typos made the sentences unnecessarily complicated. I also didn’t like that the author removed the Interpersonal Effectiveness module. It gives the impression that interpersonal regulation and relationships aren’t necessary for neurodivergent people. Sonny Jane Wise could have simply added the section on managing sensory needs while still keeping Interpersonal Effectiveness.

If you’re unable to work with a DBT specialist for any reason, this book might still be worthwhile. But if you already have experience with behavioral therapy—especially DBT—it likely won’t offer anything new.

[Leigh Ann]

Extremely helpful book, would highly recommend for anyone neurodivergent and/or any helping professionals wanting to look into DBT skills and how they can help clients!

[Nicole Wagner]

You can't resolve a problem until it can be named.

This book is truly a workbook. A good deal of its value comes when you work a workbook like this -- you can't read it, close it and expect it to fix things on its own.

Its inviting graphic composition, nice big sans-serif font with bold boxes and clear prompts, and pastel rainbow color theme made it pleasant and easy to use.

It help users with asking for specific supports from those closest to us. It offers education on a handful of critical dialectical behavior therapy skills like "engaging the wise mind," distress tolerance, and mindfulness, but also adds specific sections for meltdown prevention and sensory awareness that are helpful to brains that are wired differently. (We can be both hyper and hyposensitive to inputs, by the way.)

I'd recommend this to anyone who thinks it might help them. I hope I open this book over and over so I can get more practice examining my own needs and communicating them to the people who love me best.

[Lauren Ellzey]

Practical and helpful, even as someone who has worked through a lot of my access needs as a neurodivergent person. This is a great starting place, as well as a good place to restart during more difficult life periods.

[Rebecca Dawson]

I really like it and it's very helpful

[Jessica]

Fantastic, highly recommended.

[Lyra Winters]

It was definitely a good starting point for reading about neurodivergency. Some of it was common sense or stuff I already knew but there certainly are some helpful tips in there.

[Hannah B Grant]

This is actually a phenomenal workbook of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy skills. This book was created with the neurodivergent audience in mind. As someone diagnosed on the autism spectrum, and with comorbid mental illnesses, I found the skills in this book to be applicable and useful, and they were written in a way in which I could easily understand and apply them. The book is actually formatted so it can be referenced again and again as a guide for how to utilize the DBT skills it explains and provides exercises for.

[Kara]

As neurodivergent individuals, we can express different types of distress from living in a society that isn't designed for our differences. It isn't just emotional distress but also meltdowns and sensory distress that we can experience too.
One of the best things we can do to support ourselves is to figure out ways to manage our distress, and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT) skills are just one way to do this. ...
While DBT skills can be valuable and helpful, they don't always meet the needs of neurodivergent individuals - especially Autistic and ADHD individuals. That's why I created this workbook, a way for neurodivergent folks to learn DBT skills in a way that works for you, at your own pace.

[Hannah Parkes]

I’ve worked through the DBT workbook more times than I can count so when my therapist suggested this edition I was elated. Things that were inaccessible to me in the standard DBT workbook have become my favorite tools. It’s brightly colored with an easy to read font!

[The Amazing Someone]

Helpful and sensitive. Strengths-building while acknowledging us Neurodivergents have unique standards. Content is 4 stars (really liked it) but bumping to 5 stars because it is freely available online (amazing). Access matters a lot. I will happily give free material the edge.

[Emily Katy]

What an incredible workbook. So helpful, fun to fill out, informative and just a really great way of delving into your needs and learning new coping strategies!

[Sylwia]

Excellent and so helpful; short and yet contains a lot of tips, tricks, and tools. Strongly recommend, as a therapist who loved DBT and working with folks on the spectrum.

[Stephen Bedard]

A very helpful introduction to DBT with practical suggestions, all designed with neurodivergent people in mind.

[Cassie]

This is a great workbook for all. Highly recommend working through with a therapist or support group as well.

[Shannen]

Great look at DBT skills presented in a way that's easy to understand with examples! Yay examples!

[Carissa Battle]

I use this workbook with some of my clients. It’s pretty and eye catching. Some of it is repetitive though but my clients enjoy it especially the teenagers

[Kate Emery]

This is fantastic, inspiring, and heartwarming all in one. I am so excited by the potential for more DBT skills to be adapted for new audiences!

[Pandora]

amazing and super helpful

[Jeleń]

it's a great resource, but has way too many typos

[The Lady Anna]

4.5 Will be referring to this as I go. Do the work!

[Christie C]

Brilliant resource

[Kate M]

This is a poignant, ethereal, gem of a novel. The sense of place was fantastic. The point of view so unique.