DBT Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills Worksheet (Free PDF Download)

DBT Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills Worksheet example

Page 1 of 2

Download the worksheet (PDF)

What is the DBT Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills worksheet?

The DBT Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills worksheet lays out three acronyms over two pages. D.E.A.R. M.A.N. covers objective effectiveness, G.I.V.E. covers relationship effectiveness, and F.A.S.T. covers self-respect. Every letter carries one instruction, such as Reinforce the positives or the potential benefits for the other person.

How to use the DBT Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills worksheet

Use this sheet both in session and as homework. Start with Identifying Priorities: name what the client wants from one specific interaction before choosing an acronym. D.E.A.R. M.A.N. suits a request or a refusal; G.I.V.E. suits a conversation where the relationship matters most. Clients often skip Negotiate, so rehearse it aloud. Your clients can run F.A.S.T. against a recent interaction where they gave ground to keep the peace.

DBT Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills Worksheet Download – What’s Included

The download is a two-page printable PDF, not fillable. Page one holds D.E.A.R. M.A.N. with a short paragraph on objective effectiveness under Identifying Priorities. Page two holds Relationship Effectiveness (G.I.V.E.) and Self-Respect Effectiveness (F.A.S.T.), each with its own framing paragraph. It carries no blank response lines.

Based on DBT skills developed by Marsha Linehan. Linehan, M. M. (2014). DBT Skills Training Manual (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.

Frequently asked questions

What are some interpersonal effectiveness skills?

The sheet groups them into three sets. Objective effectiveness uses D.E.A.R. M.A.N., running from Describe to Negotiate. Relationship effectiveness uses G.I.V.E., built on Gentle, Interested, Validate and Easy. Self-respect effectiveness uses F.A.S.T., which asks the client to be Fair, avoid unnecessary apologies, stick to values and stay Truthful.

What are the 4 interpersonal skills?

This sheet does not use a set of four. It organizes DBT interpersonal effectiveness into three sets: objective, relationship and self-respect. The objective set, D.E.A.R. M.A.N., holds seven skills. The relationship set holds four, from Gentle through Easy, and the self-respect set holds four more.

Used this worksheet in a session?

Mentalyc writes the note for you, including the homework you assigned.

Record or upload the session and get a compliant progress note, treatment plan, and client summary in minutes. More time for the clinical work these worksheets support, less time on paperwork after hours.

Watch real stories from Mentalyc users

4.8/5 rating, trusted by 30,000+ therapists

Try Mentalyc for Free

Your Author

Tracy Collins, LCP

Tracy Collins is a licensed clinical psychologist with over six years of direct clinical experience in outpatient and telehealth settings. She specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy, structured treatment planning, and measurable therapy outcomes. Tracy has extensive experience writing SOAP and DAP notes, developing insurance-compliant treatment plans, and aligning documentation with ICD-10 and DSM-5-TR diagnostic criteria. Her clinical approach integrates cognitive behavioral therapy techniques, behavioral activation, exposure-based interventions, and mindfulness-based strategies to create structured and outcome-driven therapy plans. At Mentalyc, Tracy supports therapists by creating educational resources that simplify documentation workflows and improve treatment plan defensibility during audits.