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DBT Skills · Mindfulness

Non-Judgmentally

When good/bad/should/must is running the show. It’s one of the DBT mindfulness skills, and the skills picker can route a client here in the moment.

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The free DBT skills picker asks what’s happening right now and routes to a skill to try.

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When to reach for Non-Judgmentally

When good/bad/should/must is running the show.

How to practice Non-Judgmentally

  1. Listen for judgment words in your head: "stupid," "lazy," "should," "ridiculous."
  2. Catch one. Pause.
  3. Restate as fact: "I forgot the appointment" instead of "I'm an idiot."
  4. Keep going. Catch the next one. Don't judge yourself for judging.
If it doesn’t help: the DBT skills picker routes next to Dialectics / Kernel of Truth. Different skills land for different people and moments — trying the next-best fit is part of the method, not a failure.

Tracking Non-Judgmentally on a diary card

Whether a client used Non-Judgmentally — and whether it helped — is exactly what a DBT diary card captures. Recording skill use day by day is how you see, in session, whether mindfulness skills are generalizing.

Track skill use for free

Build a custom diary card that tracks the skills you’re working on, or track it digitally in Theracharts.

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FAQ

What is Non-Judgmentally in DBT?

Non-Judgmentally is a DBT mindfulness skill. When good/bad/should/must is running the show.

When should I use Non-Judgmentally?

Reach for non-judgmentally when good/bad/should/must is running the show.

In crisis? Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, US) — free, confidential, 24/7. This page is educational and is not therapy, diagnosis, or a substitute for professional care.